marxism Flashcards
Marx - historical materialism
materialism is the nucleus to human survival - it provides individuals with food, clothing and shelter. it is used to show change is driven by material factors, such as food, shelter and money - each period of history, therefore, has its own unique set of characteristics. such characteristics in a modern society can be identified as a division of labour that occurs between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, who are the forces and relations of production make up societies infrastructure. Marx argues that every aspect of the infrastructure is dictated by the economic base (capitalism)
Marx - class society
ancient society - based on the exploitation of sales tied to their owners
feudal society - based on the exploitation of serfs legally tied to land
capitalist society - based on the exploitation of free wage labourers
Marx - capitalisms features
the proletariat are legally separated from the means of production, they have to sell their labour power to the bourgeoisie in return for wages.
the means of production is in the hands of transnational corporations.
competition forces capitalists to pay the lowest wage possible, causing immiseration of the proletariat.
capitalism continually expands the forces of production in the pursuit of profit.
Marx - exploitation
Marx argued that the bourgeois control society’s surplus product which keeps the flow of the capitalist society driving - thus the capitalist society is based on the exploitation of free wage labourers. leads towards a society of polarisation, whereby it allows capitalism to produce an ever more dominant ruling class and an ever more alienated proletariat
Marx - class consciousness
the nation that the proletariat need to stop becoming a class in itself, but become a class for itself. Marx argues because of the exploitative nature of capitalism, the proletariat develop their own economic and political interests in opposition this will influctuate a dictatorship of the proletariat, whereby they become aware of the need to overthrow capitalism
Gramsci - hegemony
the ruling class maintain dominance through:
- coercion: the army, police, prisons and courts of the capitalist state force other classes to accept its rule
- consent: the ruling class use ideas and values to persuade the subordinate classes that their rile is legitimate
however, the ruling-class hegemony is never complete because the ruling class are the minority and have to make ideological compromises with other classes.
Gramsci rejects economic determinism as an explanation of change, although economic factors (e.g. mass unemployment) may create preconditions for revolution, ideas are central to whether or not it will actually occur.
although ruling-class hegemony may be undermined by an economic crisis, this will only leas to a revolution of the proletariat construct a counter-hegemonic bloc to win the leadership of society.
Althusser
capitalist society exists on 3 levels:
- on a political level: through the government and organisations in charge of society
- on an ideological level: ideological state apparatus, reinforced by the media, education and religion
- on an economic level: through the economy and production of goods
Marx - historical materialism
materialism is important for human survival - it provides individuals with food, clothing and shelter. it is used to show change is driven by material factors like food, shelter and money - wash period of history has its own unique set of characteristics. such characteristics in modern society can be identified as a division of labour that occurs between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, who are the forces and relations of production make up society’s infrastructure. Marx argues every aspect of the infrastructure is dictated by the economic base (capitalism)
