marxism Flashcards
when was the American Gilded age?
second half of 19th century
what does gilded mean?
to be gold plated
how did post civil war, state owned manufacturing transition out of producing military supplies?
privatized by wealthy individuals
when and where was Karl Marx born
1818, Trier Germany
what was Marx’s profession?
journalist
why did Marx flee Germany and where did he go?
London because of German censorship
who was his best friend?
Friedrich Engels
who was Friedrich Engle?
wealthy man (father owned cotton plant in Manchester) who paid Marx’s debt and made sure his work was published
what were the four reasons Marx believed modern work was bad?
- alienation - workers need to see themselves in the work they do to have sense of contribution to society
- insecure- everyone is replaceable
- primitive accumulation- lower wages to increase profit margin. profit= exploitation
- unstable- crises occur because of an abundance and excess of production
what is primitive accumulation
the act of lowering wages to increase the profit margin
why is modern work alienating
workers should see themselves in the objects they create
-specialised jobs lead to uninspired people without sense of societal contribution
why is capitalism bad for capitalists?
commodity fetishism - economic interests at the centre of peoples lives
how is bourgeois marriage affected by commodity fetishism?
marriage viewed as an extension of business rather than act of love, leading to unstable and unhappy family units
4 ideologies that reinforce capitalist ideas?
- someone who doesn’t work is worthless
- excess leisure is sinful
- over consumption
- worthwhile things/people will make money
what is an ideology
set of ideas that reinforce political/economic systems
what is the biggest evil of capitalism
pressures people into being anxious, competitive, compliant and politically complacent
what is Marx’s ideal world?
- no private property/ inherited wealth
- steep income tax
- centralised control of banking, transport, communication
-free public education
what are the stages of marxism
- primitive communism
- imperialism
- feudalism
- capitalism
- socialism
- communism
what is marx’s stage of primitive communism
no classes or private property, communities worked together to survive, most successful hunter/gatherer had control
what is marx’s stage of imperialism
land owning autocracies who’s aim was to have the most territory
what is marx’s stage of feudalism
land owned by aristocracy and exploitation of lower classes. surplus leading to new class of merchants
what were the two classes in marx’s stage of capitalism
-bourgeoisie (middle class) factory owners/merchants
- proletariat (working class)
why according to marx did people accept capitalism?
the 3 great deceptions- church, trade unions and parliamentary democracy
what does Marx’s socialist stage theory look like?
proletariat become politically aware and over throw the bourgeoisie. food and other goods would be distributed fairly by need
