Marxism

Question 1

What is socialism?

Answer 1

• individuals can still own property
• less rigid, more flexible
• democratic processes within political structure
• not overthrowing structure

Question 2

What is communism?

Answer 2

• no private property
• all communally owned
• violent revolution for this to be achieved

Question 3

What is the marxist approach?

Answer 3

Structural, conflict theory
macro top down approach

Question 4

What is a structuralist perspetive?

Answer 4

emphasis on structures that make up society
- NR, func

Question 5

What is a conflict perspective?

Answer 5

based on the power struggle between 2 classes

Question 6

What is the macro, top down approach?

Answer 6

• society shapes the individual

Question 7

1) Capitalists and Workers

Answer 7

• 2 basic social classes in capitalist industrial society
  bourgeoisie- wealthy, own means of production, exploit WC
  proletariat- sell labour in exchange for wage or salary

Question 8

2) The ruling class

Answer 8

• owning class
• decide where factories are located
• open or close them down
• control workforce through hiring and firing

Question 9

3) Capitalism

Answer 9

• as a human race we feel a sense of fulfilment to work
• Marx called this ‘species essence’- part of our human nature to be productive
• WC must sell their labour to survive leads to exploitation and poor working conditions
• factory and other work led to masses feeling alienated

Question 10

4) Base and Superstructure

Answer 10

1) The economic base
means/relations of production
- underpins/determines everything else in society
- land/raw materials - shared/priv ownership
2) The superstructure
- societies social institutions
- determined/influenced by economic system
- family, religion, media, education

Question 11

5) Surplus value and Exploitation

Answer 11

Marx- workers produce more than is needed
- the extra is surplus value and provided employer with profit
- rest of sales provide profit for owner
- workers don’t get full value of their work- being exploited

Question 12

6) Class conflict

Answer 12

• exploitation created major differences in interest between 2 classes, created class conflict
• workers interests lay in higher wages, this would be at the expense of bosses profits
• bosses want higher profits to expand their wealth- only achieved by keeping wages low

Question 13

7) Dominant ideology

Answer 13

dominant ideas in society- ruling class
- law protects interest of the ruling class more than workers
- religion- WC accept their position in
heaven as a reward for putting up with suffering
FALSE CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS
- brainwashed into accepting position and fail to recognise exploitation
- don’t rebel against RC - lack of awareness

Question 14

8) Revolution and communism

Answer 14

• workers become aware and develop class consciousness
• join together and form strikes to protest against bourgeoisie
• means of production- hands of state
• run interests of everyone = communism
• property of all

Question 15

Classic Marxism
1) The extent of labour exploitation fuelled by capitalism can be applied to globalisation

Answer 15

• companies produce product in other countries
• pay workers less for longer hours
• evidence for super surplus value
• extreme to maximise profits

Question 16

Classic Marxism
2) It remains a highly influential theory which has been adapted and applied to other critical theories

Answer 16

For example, marxist feminists

Question 17

Classic Marxism
3) Recognises the importance of the role of the economy and power relations between classes in society

Answer 17

• allows to understand the relationships between occupation and social class etc

Question 18

Classic Marxism
4)X Interactionists see marxism as being too deterministic and not acknowledging individual agency

Answer 18

X a persons fate is determined by their social class
X it ignores people who may break such norms
X ‘men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please’

Question 19

Classic Marxism
5) X The emergence of ‘conscious capitalism’ and social responsibility ethics in consumerism

Answer 19

X conscious capitalism promotes the idea that businesses should have a higher purpose beyond just making money
X instead aim to make a positive impact on society
- Starbucks hire 10,000 refugees

Question 20

Classic Marxism
6)X The new ‘middle class’

Answer 20

X rose in the 90s
X due to globalisation, rise in service sector, de-industrialisation
X WC get office jobs with better wages and more disposable income

Question 21

NEO-MARXISM
Gramsci

Answer 21

• Marx gave too much importance to the economy
• argued peoples ideas have relative autonomy from the economic base
• superstructure of society has some independence from the economy
• HEGEMONY- dominance in society of ruling class
• set of ideas over others
• acceptance of/ consent to them by the rest of society
• people not just controlled by repressive agencies
• WC X rebel- not developed alternative vision

Question 22

NEO-MARXISM
Althusser

Answer 22

• 3 levels
  1) ECONOMIC
• economy, production of goods
  2) POLITICAL
• Repressive state apparatus- gov,police,courts
  3) IDEOLOGICAL
• ISA- media, religion, education
• P&I affect society independently of economy
• each level has some independence from economic base

Question 23

STRENGTHS of neo-marxism

Answer 23

• Much less deterministic than classic marxism
• concepts such as hegemony recognise importance of peoples ideas. Relative autonomy suggests institutions can impact the economy

Question 24

CRITICISMS of neo-marxism

Answer 24

• Gramsci overemphasises role of ideas and underemphasises material factors
• for example, economic crisis, poverty and unemployment aren’t acknowledged when explaining why the WC don’t start a revolution