Marxism Flashcards
Marx vs Durkheim
Durkheim - society based on consensus
Marx - society based on conflict
Historical Materialism
History as a history of the economic structure of society
(Marx)
Primitive Communism:
Marx’s first era of history. No class, everything shared, everyone worked.
Ancient Society
Marx’s second era of history. Based on exploitation of slaves.
Feudalism
Marx’s third era of history. Based on the exploitation of serfs.
Capitalist Society
Marx’s fourth era of history. Based on the exploitation of the free wage labourer (someone selling their labour).
How is Capitalism maintained?
Society reinforces the view that Capitalism is the best way to run an economy, and that each part of the system relies on the others.
(Marx)
Criticisms of Marx
The international revolution has not happened or succeeded, and the welfare state stops quite a few of the problems he outlines.
Historically, communism has turned to tyranny and starvation in practice.
How does religion enforce Capitalism?
Religion (Abrahamic at any rate) teaches people to follow and believe in the system. This reinforces Capitalism, which is the system.
(Marx)
Educational Control
Children are taught to be uniform and respect authority while in education. Must wear uniform, must follow orders, must be on time. All things often required in a workplace.
(Marx)
Ideology
A system of ideas and ideals which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy.
(Marx)
Mental means of production
Media, religion, education. Owned by the bourgeoisie. Legitimise the social order as desirable/inevitable.
(Marx)
False consciousness
The proletariat believe the system they are in is fair and want to uphold it.
(Marx)
Class consciousness
When people become conscious of their exploitation and become anti-capitalist, they have achieved class consciousness.
(Marx)
Alienation
A disorientating sense of exclusion and separation. Workers making things they could never afford to buy. Each person one part of the production line, one hit of the hammer, never making a full product that they can be proud of, feeling no connection to their work. They do not own what they make, so they receive a monthly salary often regardless of the actual amount of things they created, unlike in a traditional economy where skilled artisans make those things themselves.
(Marx)
How Capitalism could be overthrown
Revolution of the majority against the minority, the working class against the ruling classes. Abolish the state and create a classless communist society. Abolish exploitation - replace private ownership with social ownership. End alienation, bring humans back into control of their labour, its means of production and its products.
(Marx)
Gramsci
Leader of the Italian communist party in the 1920s.
Came up with the Marxist term Hegemony.
Neo-Marxist
Hegemony
The implementation/embodiment of ideology through leadership, especially by one social group over others. This is how Gramsci says the ruling class maintain their position.
What are the two ways in which the ruling class maintain dominance?
Coercion (force) and Consent (hegemony)
(Gramsci)
Coercion
The army, police, prisons and courts.
(Gramsci)
Examples of Consent
Ideas/values to persuade the subordinate class that it’s “common sense”/its rule is legitimate e.g. through the media.
(Gramsci)
How could the ruling class be undermined?
Ruling class are a minority
Proletariat have a “dual consciousness”
“Counter hegemony”
“Organic intellectuals”
(Gramsci)
Dual Consciousness
Proletariat have some awareness of exploitation - particularly in times of economic crisis.
(Gramsci)
Counter-hegemony
Proletariat must be able to offer their own ideological leadership.
(Gramsci)
Organic Intellectuals
Need for group of class conscious workers, organised into a revolutionary political party who can create an alternative vision of how society could be run.
(Gramsci)
Althusser
Was the leader of the French Communist Party.
Believed that the state performed political and ideological functions to keep Capitalism going - using “Apparatuses”.
Neo-Marxist
What are the two types of state Apparatus?
Repressive State Apparatus (links to Gramsci’s coercion (force))
Ideological State Apparatus (links to Gramsci’s consent (hegemony))
(Althusser)
Examples of Repressive State Apparatus
Army
Police
Prison
(Althusser)
Examples of Ideological State Apparatus
Political Parties
Media
Family
(Althusser)
Criticisms of Althusser
Functionalists would say all of these things just socialise people into the value consensus and are not negative. Anomie is a functionalist term meaning a breakdown in the value consensus. Synonym for chaos.
Harvey
Capitalism is constantly changing
No longer mass production in factories
“Flexible accumulation”
Digital and global now, “weightless economy”
Fashion, music, sports, computer games are a source of profit - identity has become “commodities”.
Links to Postmodernity
Movements based on class no longer as important. In their place - environmentalism, women’s liberation, anti-racism.
Solution to all forms of oppression - revolution.
(Postmodern Neo-Marxist)
Flexible Accumulation
Use of IT, expanded finance sector - workers need to be “flexible” to meet the needs of the employers e.g. quickly adapting to niche markets.
(Harvey)
Weightless Economy
Money as a social concept rather than a physical exchange of goods.
(Harvey)
Harvey’s links to Postmodernity
Diversity, choice, individualism. He was still definitely a Marxist though, but just argues we are a a different stage of Capitalism (late-stage Capitalism).
