Marxism

Question 1

What is the main belief of Marxists?

Answer 1

That the rich exploit the poor.

Question 2

Use 5 points to describe what life was like before the industrial revolution.

Answer 2

1) Most people depended on the income from harvest
2) There were no strict working hours
3) There was no age limit to work
4) Work was based around the home
5) There was no support for the unemployed, the young, etc

Question 3

Use 5 points to describe what life was like after the industrial revolution.

Answer 3

1) There was a huge demand for labour
2) Working conditions were awful
3) Employment levels were erratic
4) Workers had no rights in the workplace
5) The employment of children was widespread

Question 4

Define ‘capitalism’.

Answer 4

A system that is based on private ownership of property and businesses, searching to increase profits.

Question 5

Define ‘infrastructure’.

Answer 5

The economy - what happens in the economy affects other institutions.

Question 6

Define ‘superstructure’.

Answer 6

This is made up of the other institutions.

Question 7

Define ‘bourgeoisie’.

Answer 7

The capitalist class who own most of society’s wealth and means of production - they are interested in making profit.

Question 8

Define ‘proletariat’.

Answer 8

The employees of those who own the means of production - they are interested in gaining more money for their labour.

Question 9

Define ‘exploitation’.

Answer 9

When someone takes advantage of someone else.

Question 10

How does exploitation relate to Marxism?

Answer 10

Business owners exploit their workers by paying them minimum wage or below.

Question 11

Define ‘surplus value’.

Answer 11

The difference between the value of something prior to the production process and the value of it at the end.

Question 12

Use 3 points to describe how Karl Marx argued that workers were ‘alienated’ from their work.

Answer 12

1) They neither owned the products nor the means of producing them
2) There is little job satisfaction due to it being unskilled and repetitive
3) Workers lacked power in the workplace

Question 13

Why do the workers accept their situation?

Answer 13

They need the money and don’t know that they’re being exploited because they don’t know any different.

Question 14

Define ‘false class consciousness’.

Answer 14

When workers are not aware of exploitation.

Question 15

Define ‘ruling class ideology’.

Answer 15

When powerful groups (usually the bourgeoisie) present their ideas as natural in society.

Question 16

How does the ruling class ideology relate to false class consciousness?

Answer 16

Due to socialisation passing on the norms and values of the ruling class to the working class, they grow up not knowing any different and so leading to a false class consciousness in that they don’t know they’re being exploited.

Question 17

Define ‘communism’.

Answer 17

A society where all property is owned by the community and each person contributes.

Question 18

What do Marxists argue the main function of the family involves?

Answer 18

To socialise the ruling class ideologies and social control.

Question 19

Use 4 points to suggest how the family is affected by capitalism.

Answer 19

1) The family reflects levels of inequality between the owners and workers by exhibiting similar disparities between men and women
2) The family operates as a form of social control
3) The family acts as a safety valve by providing emotional support
4) It acts as a unit of consumption rather than production

Question 20

Use 3 points to describe what Engels (19th Century) argued about the family.

Answer 20

1) The bourgeoisie nuclear family developed due to capitalism to solve the problem of the inheritance of private property
2) Men needed to know who their children were in order to pass on their property to their heirs and so relationships were strictly monogamous
3) Serves capitalism by providing a continual supply of labour - reserve army of labour

Question 21

Give a main weaknesses of Engels (19th Century).

Answer 21

Only discusses upper class which is a small percentage.

Question 22

Use 5 points to describe what Zaretsky (20th Century) argued about the family.

Answer 22

1) Women are forced into unpaid labour at home
2) The family increase capitalism
3) The family is where men feel as though they have power due to lacking it at work
4) Acts as a safety valve to accept their oppression in society
5) Mothers reproduce the labour force through socialisation of the ruling class ideology

Question 23

Use 3 points to describe what Althusser (20th Century) argued about the family.

Answer 23

1) The family acts as part of the ideological state apparatus - when social institutions can maintain our ideologies
2) This ideology allows capitalism to survive without having to result to force
3) Exploitation seen as natural in a normal situation

Question 24

Explain 4 criticisms of Marxism.

Answer 24

1) Doesn’t look at family diversity
2) Ignores that some families would not be able to provide a safety valve if there are worse conditions at home
3) Overlooks women’s exploited position in the family
4) Families are regarded as being determined by the economic stystem

Question 25

List the 4 main sociologists of Marxism.

Answer 25

1) Marx
2) Engels
3) Zaretsky
4) Althusser