Marxism Flashcards
What is socialism?
- individuals can still own property
- less rigid, more flexible
- democratic processes within political structure
- not overthrowing structure
What is communism?
- no private property
- all communally owned
- violent revolution for this to be achieved
What is the marxist approach?
Structural, conflict theory
macro top down approach
What is a structuralist perspetive?
emphasis on structures that make up society
- NR, func
What is a conflict perspective?
based on the power struggle between 2 classes
What is the macro, top down approach?
- society shapes the individual
1) Capitalists and Workers
- 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
2) The ruling class
- owning class
- decide where factories are located
- open or close them down
- control workforce through hiring and firing
3) Capitalism
- 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
4) Base and Superstructure
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
5) Surplus value and Exploitation
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
6) Class conflict
- 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
7) Dominant ideology
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
8) Revolution and communism
- 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
Classic Marxism
1) The extent of labour exploitation fuelled by capitalism can be applied to globalisation
- companies produce product in other countries
- pay workers less for longer hours
- evidence for super surplus value
- extreme to maximise profits
Classic Marxism
2) It remains a highly influential theory which has been adapted and applied to other critical theories
For example, marxist feminists
Classic Marxism
3) Recognises the importance of the role of the economy and power relations between classes in society
- allows to understand the relationships between occupation and social class etc
Classic Marxism
4)X Interactionists see marxism as being too deterministic and not acknowledging individual agency
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’
Classic Marxism
5) X The emergence of ‘conscious capitalism’ and social responsibility ethics in consumerism
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
Classic Marxism
6)X The new ‘middle class’
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
NEO-MARXISM
Gramsci
- 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
NEO-MARXISM
Althusser
- 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
STRENGTHS of neo-marxism
- Much less deterministic than classic marxism
- concepts such as hegemony recognise importance of peoples ideas. Relative autonomy suggests institutions can impact the economy
CRITICISMS of neo-marxism
- 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
