Marxism

Question 1

What did Marx say the driving force was in society?

Answer 1

The economy/ economic base

Question 2

What is the means of production and who owned it?

Answer 2

Land, factories that produces society’s goods. The R/C own it

Question 3

How is society divided up into 2 main parts?

Answer 3

The Economic base - The means of production and the relations of production
The superstructure - includes society’s social institutions

Question 4

What is the relations of production?

Answer 4

The relationships people enter into in order to produce goods and services

Question 5

Who did Marx believe the state was mainly protecting the interests of?

Answer 5

They were protecting the interest of the R/C through institutions such as the law and police.

Question 6

What is the ruling class ideology?

Answer 6

Marx believed the dominant ideas in any society were those of the owning class and reflected the bourgeoisies interests making it the ruling class ideology

Question 7

What is a false consciousness?

Answer 7

A way of thinking that prevents a person from perceiving the true nature of their social situation

Question 8

AO3: Strengths

Answer 8

Recognizes the importance of the economy
Provides an explanation for the extreme inequalities in wealth
Recognizes the importance of society’s social structure

Question 9

AO3: Criticisms

Answer 9

Too deterministic - sees individuals as simply passive products of the system
Too economically deterministic - other institutions influence the behaviour
Over-emphasizes the extent of conflict in society
Metanarrative