Theory and Methods- Marxism Flashcards
What do conflict theorists believe about society?
That there’s a conflict of interest between different groups in society
What does Marx say?
There are 2 conflicting classes in capitalist society- the ruling class (bourgeoisie) who control the means of production and the working class (proletariat)
What does Marx say that the means of production make up?
The economic base of society
What is economic determinism?
The economic base determines the superstructure (institutions in society)
What do Marxists believe is the job of the superstructure?
To legitimise the position of the ruling class- institutions are set to stop the working class gaining power, and to make it seem okay for the ruling class to own and control everything
What is the false consciousness that Marx talks about?
Proletariat aren’t fully aware of the oppression they suffer and how to break free from it
What does Marx say about revolution?
It is the only way for the proletariat to recognise how they have been oppressed and a socialist/communist society would then emerge
What does Neo-Marxism focus on?
Ideology
What are the branches of Neo-Marxism?
Humanistic Marxism and structuralist Marxism
Who developed humanistic Marxism?
Gramsci
What did Gramsci focus on?
Hegemony
What is hegemony?
The domination of ruling class ideology in society
What does Gramsci argue about social control?
It doesn’t just come from economics, it also comes from ideas
Why do the working class consent to the ideas of the ruling class according to Gramsci?
Because the ruling class controls the means of producing ideas so their ideas become dominant
What is coercion?
Maintaining power through the police, army, etc
Is consent or coercion a more crucial way of maintaining power in the modern world?
Consent
How did Gramsci say that people would have to rise up?
Intellectually by developing counter-hegemony with a completely new idea of how to organise society
Who is an important figure in structuralist Marxism?
Althusser
What does Althusser say?
People can’t come up with new ideas about society and this ability is a lie created by society’s ideological state apparatuses which are closely controlled by the state
What does Althusser say that the two important structures in society?
Political and ideological- each structure is partly independent
When does Althusser believe capitalism would be overthrown?
When the economic, political and ideological structures contradicted one another
How is Marxism criticised for being deterministic?
It assumes that oppression is inevitable for working class until there is a revolution
How is traditional Marxism criticised for only focusing on class conflict?
Ethnicity and gender are largely sidelined
How is the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe being used as evidence for flaws in Marxist theory criticised?
Many argue that Eastern Europe didn’t have true communism anyways
What highlights the lack of conflict?
The increased affluence and consensual nature of many Western societies
How does Weber criticise Marxism?
He rejects Marx’s idea that owners vs workers was the only important division- people were also divided by class, status and political grouping
