Possible Marx Essay Questions

Question 1

What is Marx’s account of historical materialism? How is it related to his views about the need for the State and our ideas about justice? Why does he hold that capitalism, for all its problems, is not unjust? What does he mean by this? Explain.

Answer 1

• historical materialism- theory that history and societies are driven or evolve because of their material conditions (modes of production, technology) material conditions would determine economic activity and social classes and that would determine everything else including the end of the society. this is contrasted with other theories where ideas drive history things like freedom which is kinda what hegel thought in a weird way. democracy, equality, religion or like weber thought power and charismatic peeps.
• the state makes it possible for the current mode of production to fulfill its historical role
• History is a series of stages that correspond to the development of economic systems and the growth of “forces of production.”
- history is the growth of productive power
• Economic relations of production (capitalism, feudalism, slave economies) and also social and political relations (the Family, State, etc.) are determined by the forces of production.
• Forces of production are (1) Means of Production (MP) =tools, machines, land, raw materials; (2) Human Labor Power=our productive capacities: strength, skill, knowledge, science, technology.
- essential to his view of history and economic development
• [Means of Production+Labor Power]—>[Economic Base][Superstructure]
• Forces of Production determine the economic base or Relations of Production most suited to Forces of Production, and that in turn determines the superstructure most suited to sustaining the economic base or system.
• Role of the State=a necessary means for sustaining relations of production, including ownership and control over MP.

Question 2

What does Marx mean by alienation, exploitation, and ideological consciousness? If we assume that a full communist society is a society without those features, what social institutions and general conditions there does Marx suppose makes their elimination possible? Explain.

Answer 2

• alienation =
• exploitation =
• ideological consciousness =