Sociological Theories - Marxism Flashcards
What do conflict theories see society as being made up of?
Two or more groups with competing and incompatible interests.
What are the two main conflict theories studied in sociology?
Marxism and feminism.
How does interactionism view conflict in society?
It recognizes conflict but does not see society as fundamentally based on one specific conflict.
Who developed one of the most influential theoretical frameworks in social sciences?
Karl Marx.
What was the focus of Karl Marx’s critique?
Capitalism.
What did Marx observe about capitalism during his life?
It created unprecedented poverty and a society divided by social class.
What did Marx believe would ultimately destroy capitalism?
A communist revolution.
What is the exploitative nature of work in a capitalist society according to Marx?
The bourgeoisie employ the proletariat to produce items for profit.
What is ‘surplus value’ in Marx’s theory?
The difference between the value produced by labor and the actual wages paid to workers.
True or False: Marx believed that capitalism benefits all members of society equally.
False.
What contradiction exists at the heart of capitalism according to Marx?
Workers are also customers; making them poor leads to economic crises.
What do traditional Marxists believe about the proletariat’s acceptance of bourgeois rule?
They consider it normal, unavoidable, or even desirable.
What term did Louis Althusser use to describe how bourgeois ideology is transmitted?
Ideological state apparatuses.
What is ‘false class consciousness’?
A misguided view of one’s own position in society due to bourgeois ideology.
What happens if the proletariat becomes class conscious?
They may revolt or strike against the ruling class.
