marxist theory of inequality Flashcards
Marxism theory
It is a structuralist conflict theory.
systems of society work together to preserve the ruling class ideology to exploit and oppress the working class into false class consciousness and alienation.
Society includes the infrastructure(economy) and superstructure(other institutions)
Marx believed communism should overthrow capitalism where the means of production would be shared according to their needs.
- social class marx
Society has historically faced divisions of power
-throughout history from primitive communism, ancient mode of production, feudalism to communism material goods have been gained through labour
-this formed a division of labour creating 2 classes.
-As time went on the means of production became more concentrated and more competition drove wages down leading to alienation and obedience.
2.social class marx
the ruling class uses ideological control to maintain their superior position
-The institutions of the superstructure support and reflect ruling class ideology to control the masses. e.g media spreads messages encouraging consumerism.
-The dominance of the proletariat is essential to the relations of production in capitalist societies, reflected in the ideological superstructure.
3.social class gramsci
class inequality is justified through hegemony
-rejected the economic determinism and ideological domination of marxs work.
-to create change in exploitation, individuals need more than just an economic reaction to impoverishment.
-bourgeoisie rule through persuasion- hegemony describes the consent of the lower class to ruling class ideology.
- social class westergaard
power is becoming more concentrated in society
-bourgeoisie will become more concentrated over time- class divisions widening due to the way capitalist society operates
-production exanding and technology rendering the workforce obselete will create a polarisation of the classes
-applied to society today: 2020 richest 10% own 43% of all wealth, poorest 50% only own 9%.
- gender engels
women must be submissive wives to ensure a pure bloodline
-exploitative relationships in workforce reflected in the home
-men gain control over women so they can pass on inheritance to their children
-men ensure they had fathered legitimate offspring that their wealth could be passed on for.
- gender zaretsky
men need to exercise their control in the home if they do not have control of other areas of life
- workers would tolerate powerlessness and frustration of being exploited at work because they have a private domain where they could be ‘king of the castle’
-men having their wives and children at home made it harder to walk away from their job as they had dependants
ansely- women act as the ‘takers of shit’ adding to the false class consciousness
- gender benston
women do unpaid labour in the home and this is essential to the smooth running of capitalism
-women renew mens ability to go out and work by doing unpaid labour
-women reproduce the next generation at no cost to capitalist employers
-women do unpaid work, only one wage needs to be paid and a wife is dependent on her husbands wage.
-nuclear family weakens the position of individual workers in relation to their boss
-men have to provide for wife and children meaning hes less likely to challenge capitalism
- gender breugal
women act as a disposable and cheap part of the workforce which benefits a capitalist society
-womens unpaid domestic labour means they are readily available as a cheap ‘reserve army of labour’
-ruling class use women to join the workforce in economic booms , as they are prepared to work for less money as their wage is a second income
-e.g ww2 women used for jobs but then disputed once men returned.
- race cox
there is a direct relationship between capitalism and racism
-race is a creation in the development of capitalism, and used to systematically exploit labour power
-racism was used by european nations to justify the colonisation of smaller countries, by claiming white europeans were superior to other races
-‘if capitalism had not developed then the world may never have experienced racial prejudice’
- race castles and kosack
immigrants act as a reserve army of labour in a capitalist society
-immigrants are treated as a reserve army of labour by being concentrated in low skilled and low pay manual jobs
-capitalist economies are inherently unstable and use the reserve amy of labour to be readily available as the fluctuating fortunes of the economy dictated
-black and minority ethnic workers make up a disproportionately large share of key worker sectors in london- putting them at higher risk and fatality rate suggesting they are expendable
- race castles and kosack
the ruling class divide the working class for ideological purposes
countries in europe turned to immigrant labour to provide a necessary pool of cheap working during ww2. divide and rule was used to suppress the overall wage and immigrants could be scapegoated to divert the white working class attention from the real cause of inequality being capitalism, making the situation too divided to unite and overthrow the capitalist system
- race hall
the ruling class uses the media to detract attention away from the capitalist failings
-capitalism faced a legitimisation crisis leading to civil unrest and strikes resulting in a scapegoat being made of black youth resulting in a moral panic and higher arrest rates, and publics attention on black criminality rather than the economic crisis of capitalism
- youth philipson
the young and the elderly act as a reserve army of labour in a capitalist society
-often brought in as temporary or flexible labour with zero hour contracts, and used as a reserve army of labour constructed by the bourgeoisie.
-the elderly also provide free childcare allowing parents to go to work.
- youth gramsci
individuals are kept in a false consciousness about their exploited position
discusses the importance of dominance within a capitalist system. capitalism consisted of 2 overlapping spheres:
rule through force or rule through consent
false class consciousness explains people often dont realise their exploitation through concessions they recieve , creating a form of instituionalised depency
