Theory and Methods- Perspectives (Marxism) (3) Flashcards

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1
Q

What does Marxism mean?

A
  • key conflict theory that believes capitalist society is based on inequalities between the bourgeoisie (ruling capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class).
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2
Q

How do bourgeoisie maintain their position?

A
  • through hegemony + control of RSA.
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3
Q

What does hegemony mean?

A
  • the means by which the bourgeoisie maintain their dominance and control over the proletariat.
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4
Q

What does conflict theory mean?

A

-views society as consisting of groups with conflicting interests vying for dominance.

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5
Q

What does force of production mean?

A
  • materials + tech. used in production of goods + services.
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6
Q

What does the relation of products mean?

A
  • the relationships people enter in order to produce goods + services.
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7
Q

What does infrastructure mean?

A

-The economic base of society made up of the forces and the relations of products.

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8
Q

What does superstructure mean?

A

-rest of society that is largely shaped by infrastructure.

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9
Q

What does ruling class ideology mean?

A

-Set of beliefs that present a false picture of society and justify the position of RC.

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10
Q

What does false class consciousness mean?

A

-a false picture of the class system that concerns the exploitation on which it is based.

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11
Q

What does alienation mean?

A

-the cutting off of people from their work, the things they produce.

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12
Q

What does polarisation mean?

A

-growing gap between 2 classes
} income and wealth
} intermediate groups sink down to SC.

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13
Q

What does economic determinism mean?

A
  • idea that economic factors determine + shape human behaviour + structure of society.
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14
Q

What does dual consciousness mean?

A
  • idea that SC have 2 views on society
    1. RC hegemony
    2. true picture.
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15
Q

What does repressive state apparatus (RSA) mean?

A
  • social institutions that control the population by use of threat/force.
    } government, police, army
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16
Q

What does an ideological state apparatus (ISA) mean?

A

-mechanisms that transmit RC ideology
} enforces the submission of the SC.
i.e: education system, religion, family.

17
Q

What was Marxism key idea 1?

A
  • Historical materialism.

-economy was driving force in society ∴
social change is linked to the ways material is created/ distributed.

18
Q

What does historical materialism mean?

A

-Historical: the struggle between haves + haves not.

-Materialism: material needs i.e food, shelter.

19
Q

What was Marxism key idea 2?

A

-Structure of society.

20
Q

What was the structure of society?

A

SUPERSTRUCTURE:
-ways of thinking/ideologies.
-transferred from social institutions.

MEANS OF PRODUCTION:
-natural resources.
-tech, land.
} economic base
RELATION OF PRODUCTION:
-workers + owners.

21
Q

What was Marxism key idea 3?

A
  • stages of society.
22
Q

What are the stages of society?

A

-primitive communism

-slavery

-feudalism

-capitalism

-socialism

-communism

23
Q

What does primitive communism mean?

A
  • resources and property hunted or gathered are shared with all members of a group in accordance with individual needs.
24
Q

What does slavery mean?

A

-social practice of owning human beings as property.

25
Q

What does feudalism mean?

A

-landholders provide land to tenants in exchange for their loyalty and service.

26
Q

What does capitalism mean?

A

-division between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

27
Q

What does socialism mean?

A

-economic and political system based on collective ownership of the means of production.

28
Q

What does communism mean?

A

-an economic system based upon public ownership and a planned economy.

29
Q

What was Marxism key idea 4?

A

-Capitalism and exploitation.

30
Q

What are capitalism’s three distinct features?

A
  • Alienation of the worker from their product.
  • Concentration of the means of production.

-Low wages but high profits.

31
Q

What is Marxism key idea 5?

A
  • False class consciousness and revolution.
32
Q

How do the proletariat live in a false class consciousness?

A
  • maintained by the superstructure
    } controlled by bourgeoisie.
    } prevents revolution.
33
Q

F C C?

A
  • oppression by bourgeoisie is “normal”.
  • hard work -> social mobility.
  • RSA protect power of ruling class.
34
Q

Criticisms of Marxism:

A

-over simplified
-economic determinism
-out of date
-lack of revolution.