Topic 6 - Marxism

Question 1

What is the main principle of Marxism?

Answer 1

It is a conflict theory that believes the whole world is based around the conflict between the Proletariat and the Bourgeoisie.

Question 2

What did Marx say about society and how the economy is important?

Answer 2

The idea of a superstructure and base.

1) Economic base - includes the means of production and the means of production.
2) The superstructure - which consists of social facts e.g. family, education.

This superstructure is controlled by the base structure e.g. the economy.

Question 3

What is meant by class consciousness?

Answer 3

The exploitation pushes workers to develop a consciousness and challenge capitalist interests, ultimately revolution.

Question 4

What is meant by the fake class consciousness?

Answer 4

Capitalism spreading an ideology through institutions that prevent workers from seeing the ‘truth’. (being exploited)

Question 5

What is meant by Alienation?

Answer 5

Where workers face alienation from things that they produce and that they have no control over what they produce just carrying out repetitive acts.

Question 6

What is the Repressive State Apperatus?

Answer 6

The state using its monopoly of violence to control society and prevent revolution.

Question 7

What does Gramsci (Humanistic) suggest about society?

Answer 7

1. Indivduals are more active than passive in society.
2. The idea of Hegemony - with the ruling class maintain power through coercive and hegemonic control (preventing revolution).
3. Ruling class hegemonic control is never complete due to too few in power.
4. Proletariat needs to create their own counter-hegemony to challenge the proletariat dual consciousnesses.

Question 8

How does Althusser (Scientific) critic other marxist theories?

Answer 8

1. Criticized humanistic Marxism - structure determines everything.
2. Criticized Marx - there are three levels of control with economic, political and ideological.

Question 9

What does Althusser (Scientific) suggest about society?

Answer 9

1. Capatlism needs to collapse before socialism works.
2. People are incapable of having revolutionary ideas in a capitalist society.
3. RSA + ISA
4. The Bourgeois maintain control on all three levels of society.

Question 10

How might Marxism be relevant today?

Answer 10

1. Alienation at work e.g. Amazon
2. TNC’s global explotation
3. Evidence of elite control e.g. Grenfell

Question 11

What are external critics of Marxism?

Answer 11

1. Welfare state - debate weather capitalism is exploitative.
2. More complex class structures
3. Work is less alienating for the self-employed
4. Failure of communism in Eastern Europe.
5. Post-modernists suggest that people are free and not under false consciousness