Karl Marx

historical materialism

• Marx believed that material (economic) conditions shape history, rather than ideas or human nature alone.

• societies progress through economic stages driven by class struggles:

  1. primitive communism

  2. slavery

  3. feudalism

  4. capitalism

  5. socialism

class struggle

• history is defined by conflicts between social classes

• in capitalist societies, the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) exploit the proletariat (working class).

• this conflict will eventually lead to a workers’ revolution, overthrowing capitalism and establishing a classless society

Capital (3 volumes) → Volume 1: A critique of Political Economy - the process of production of capital

Marx’s most important work

labor theory of value and exploitation

• value comes from labor

• under capitalism, workers produce more value than they are paid for (surplus value), which capitalists take as profit

• this creates exploitation, as workers are alienated from the products of their labor

theory of alienation (Entfremdung)

explains how capitalism estranges workers from their labor, the products they create, other people, and themselves. Marx argued that under capitalism, workers lose control over their work, making them feel powerless and disconnected from their human essence

the base (economic structure)

• includes the forces of production (technology, labor, resources) and the relations of production (class relations, ownership of means of production)

• the base determines how society operates and influences all other aspects of life

superstructure (cultural and political institutions)

includes laws, politics, religion, art, philosophy, and ideology. the superstructure arises from the base and serves to maintain and justify the existing economic order.

the base determines how society operates and influences all other aspects of life

the superstructure, in turn, reinforces the base, ensuring the ruling class maintains control. institutions like the government, media, and education promote ideas that justify the current economic system (ie., capitalism promotes ideas of individualism and meritocracy)

history of class struggle

society has always been divided into oppressors and the oppressed, with class conflict driving historical change

capitalism exploits the working class

the bourgeoisie (capitalists) accumulate wealth by exploiting the proletariat (workers), paying them less than the value they produce

abolition of private property

private ownership of the means of production enables exploitation and should be replaced with collective ownership

the goal is a classless, stateless society

once class distinctions disappear, there will be no need for political power, and society will be based on communal cooperation.

the need for a proletarian revolution

the working class must overthrow the bourgeoisie through revolution to establish a socialist society