Marxism Flashcards
What are the 2 classes posed by Marx?
Proletariat
Bourgeoisie
Marx - What is the relationship between the 2 classes?
Proletariat = exploited
Bourgeoisie = surplus value
Marx - What determines the superstructure?
The base economy (the infrastructure)
Superstructure = all other institutions
Marx - How do the Bourgeoisie maintain control
They have control over the superstrucutre and so shape it in a way that ensures the workers accept society as it is and do not revolt.
ISA (Althusser)
FCC
Marx - What is the fundamental flaw of capitalism?
It causes alienation
This prevents social solidarity anf therefore people feel more able to act out and disobey orders or social norms and expectaions.
HOWEVER,
Some may argue that the alienation prevents the proletariat from banding together and revolting.
Marx - what is the final stage of societal evolution?
Communism
The Proletariat have revolted and overthrown the r/c and abolished exploitation and material greed.
Marx - What is inevitable in society?
w/c revolution
Because the iron law of capitalism is that exploitation must increase - there is a breaking point.
Marx - What is the purpose of sociological research?
To find out more about the laws of capitalism in order to find out when the revolution is ripe.
How did Gramsci criticise Marx (internal critique)
Too deterministic
Argued that people are more active than passive
What concept did Gramsci introduce?
Hegemony
The r/c maintain power through coercive and hegemonic control (a dominant leadership and the disseminating of hegemonic r/c values into society in order to normalise them)
How did Gramsci argue that the r/c are active?
They have dual consciousness - they can see through Bourgeoisie exploitation
HOWEVER,
They are fatalistic and do not believe there is anything they can do to change their fate.
How does Gramsci argue that social change can be achieved?
The proletariat needs its own organic intellectuals to come up with a counter hegemony (a realistic alternative to both capitalism and communism) to lead people to socialism.
Gramsci - what are organic intellectuals?
An intellectual member of society that aims to make social change.
EG Greta Thunberg
Althusser - How does the bourgeoisie maintain control?
(internal critique of Marx)
Through Repressive State Apparatuses - keeps social order through the army and police
Ideological state apparatuses - controls the way people think through institutions such as the media, education and religion
Contemporary example of alienation
Amazon - people no longer have to go to the shops to buy things and those who work at Amazon’s warehouses are separate from the corporate side of things etc.
