marxism

marx and engels' materialist conception of history

sees the human story as an ever-changing conflict over the production of material needs such as food, water, clothing, and shelter. conflict occurs because the social relations of production involve the owners of the means of production and the labour power of workers.

historical materialism

marx and engels describe the unstable, dialectical process of conflict and change that is the driving force of human history.

primitive communism

marx and engels argue that humans lived in classless hunter-gatherer communities before the modes of production became problematic.

communism

marx argues that the historical process of ever-changing modes of production will end when a system without conflict is achieved.

capitalism

current mode of production based on money, creating a contradiction of interests between the ruling capitalist class and the working class.

capitalist class

marx's term for the owners of private property (means of production) who employ workers and decide the value of labour and wages.

proletariat

marx's term for the working class that must sell their labour to survive.

surplus value

marx's term for the profit or extra money that capitalists accumulate by paying workers minimal wages.

class conflict

marxists believe workers' interests (high wages, short hours) conflict with the capitalists' interests (low wages, long hours).

capitalism as exploitation

marxists argue workers are not paid the true value of their labour, and capitalism leads to alienation.

alienation

marx's term for the disconnection workers feel from their work due to repetitive, meaningless tasks, causing disillusion and seeking solace in crime, alcohol, drugs, or religion.

ideological conditioning

marxists argue that workers accept capitalist exploitation due to the superstructure of society (state, media, education, religion) that creates false consciousness.

false consciousness

marx's term for workers being unaware of their exploitation and accepting capitalism as normal.

revolution

marx argues that capitalism will eventually create the proletariat as a conscious revolutionary force to end capitalism and transition to communism.

historical journey

marx argues that humanity's progress will move from primitive communism to modern-day communism.