Marxism and Its Principles

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts related to Marxism, including the theory of class struggle, alienation, and the dynamics of capitalism.

Alienation

A social ill characterized by separation between individuals and their productive activities, resulting in disconnection from their own human nature.

Class Struggle

The historical conflict between different socioeconomic classes, predominantly between the bourgeoisie (owners of production) and the proletariat (working class).

Surplus Value

The excess value produced by labor over the cost of labor, which is appropriated by capitalists as profit.

Dialectical Materialism

A Marxist framework that contends that material conditions and class relations drive historical change, rather than ideals or concepts.

Means of Production

The resources necessary for the production of goods, including land, labor, and capital.

Proletariat

The working class that does not own the means of production and must sell its labor to survive.

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class that owns the means of production and exploits the labor of the proletariat.

Ideological Superstructure

The collection of social institutions (like laws, culture, and religion) that reflect and serve the interests of the ruling class.

Historical Materialism

The Marxist theory that material conditions and economic factors primarily shape societal structures and historical development.

Communism

A classless, stateless society where all property is commonly owned, aimed at fulfilling individual needs.

Capitalism

An economic system where trade, industry, and the means of production are largely privately owned and operated for profit.

Economic Determinism

The theory that economic forces shape social and political structures, often leading to class conflicts.

Alienation from Labor

A condition in capitalist societies where workers become estranged from the products of their work, contributing to a loss of identity and fulfillment.

Labor Theory of Value

The theory that the value of a commodity is determined by the socially necessary labor time required to produce it.

Revocation of Private Property

Marx's concept that abolishing private ownership of the means of production is essential to achieve communism.

Socialism

A transitional stage towards communism, advocating collective or governmental control of the means of production to mitigate exploitation.

Class Consciousness

The awareness of one's social class and its interests, especially regarding the struggle against oppression by the ruling class.

Alienation

A social ill characterized by separation between individuals and their productive activities, resulting in disconnection from their own human nature.

Class Struggle

The historical conflict between different socioeconomic classes, predominantly between the bourgeoisie (owners of production) and the proletariat (working class).

Surplus Value

The excess value produced by labor over the cost of labor, which is appropriated by capitalists as profit.

Dialectical Materialism

A Marxist framework that contends that material conditions and class relations drive historical change, rather than ideals or concepts.

Means of Production

The resources necessary for the production of goods, including land, labor, and capital.

Proletariat

The working class that does not own the means of production and must sell its labor to survive.

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class that owns the means of production and exploits the labor of the proletariat.

Ideological Superstructure

The collection of social institutions (like laws, culture, and religion) that reflect and serve the interests of the ruling class.

Historical Materialism

The Marxist theory that material conditions and economic factors primarily shape societal structures and historical development.

Communism

A classless, stateless society where all property is commonly owned, aimed at fulfilling individual needs.

Capitalism

An economic system where trade, industry, and the means of production are largely privately owned and operated for profit.

Economic Determinism

The theory that economic forces shape social and political structures, often leading to class conflicts.

Alienation from Labor

A condition in capitalist societies where workers become estranged from the products of their work, contributing to a loss of identity and fulfillment.

Labor Theory of Value

The theory that the value of a commodity is determined by the socially necessary labor time required to produce it.

Revocation of Private Property

Marx's concept that abolishing private ownership of the means of production is essential to achieve communism.

Socialism

A transitional stage towards communism, advocating collective or governmental control of the means of production to mitigate exploitation.

Class Consciousness

The awareness of one's social class and its interests, especially regarding the struggle against oppression by the ruling class.

Common criticisms of Marx and communism

Historical failures of communist states (authoritarianism, economic inefficiency, human rights abuses), suppression of individual freedoms, utopian ideals being impractical in practice, and the potential for totalitarianism.

Why capitalist states demonize Marxist thought

Marxist thought critiques capitalism's inherent exploitation and advocates for its overthrow, thus threatening the established power structure, wealth distribution, and legitimacy of capitalist states and the ruling class.

Marx's view on the importance of a 'good' society

A 'good' society, for Marx, would allow individuals to achieve their full human potential, overcome alienation, and live in freedom and dignity, free from exploitation.

Marx's view on society's path to perfection

Marx believed that existing class-divided societies, particularly capitalism, are inherently flawed with exploitation and alienation, preventing true human flourishing and thus not naturally steering towards perfection or happiness for all.

Marx's interest in societal change

Marx was interested in understanding the fundamental causes of great societal changes (material conditions, class struggle) to articulate a path towards a more just, classless society and end historical patterns of exploitation.

Centrality of work in Marxist thought

Work is central for Marx because he believed it is how humans transform nature and themselves, expressing creativity and fulfilling their species-being. Under capitalism, work becomes alienated and exploitative.

Role of private property in capitalism

The doctrine of private property, specifically private ownership of the means of production, is central to capitalism because it enables the capitalist class to control productive resources and appropriate surplus value from labor.

Wealth accumulation through private property

Owners of private property, especially the means of production, accumulate wealth by employing labor, paying workers less than the value they create (surplus value), and appropriating the difference as profit.

Hegel's view on social change

Hegel saw social change as a dialectical process driven by the clash of ideas (thesis, antithesis, synthesis), moving society towards a higher state of self-consciousness and freedom, with the State embodying reason.

Feuerbach's concept of God

Feuerbach argued that God is a projection of humanity's idealized qualities (love, wisdom, power) onto an external being, leading humans to alienate themselves from their own inherent potential.

Detrimental effects of idealizing God (Feuerbach)

According to Feuerbach, attributing humanity's highest qualities to God impoverishes human experience by making people feel weak and dependent, preventing them from realizing their full potential.

Marx's definition of social class

Marx defines social class primarily by one's relationship to the means of production: whether one owns them (bourgeoisie) or sells their labor to those who do (proletariat).

Forces of Production

The combination of the means of production (tools, technology, raw materials) and human labor power (skills, knowledge,effort) used to produce goods.

How surplus value functions in production

Surplus value arises from workers producing more value than they receive in wages. This 'excess' value, embedded in the product, is appropriated by the capitalist, forming the basis of profit.

Profit (Marxist perspective)

Under capitalism, profit is the monetary expression of the surplus value extracted from the labor of the working class by the owners of the means of production.

Class Conflict in Marx's theory

The antagonism arising from the opposing material interests of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, where the capitalist class benefits from exploiting the working class, leading to an inevitable struggle.

The state's role in class society (Marx)

For Marx, the state typically functions as an instrument of the ruling (dominant) class, upholding its interests, maintaining the existing social order, and suppressing the oppressed class.

Marx's view on the state's naturalness

Marx believed the state is not a natural or eternal entity but a historical product of class antagonisms. Its existence is tied to the need to manage and perpetuate class exploitation.

Ideological control by the dominant class

The dominant class uses its control over institutions (like education, media, religion) to propagate ideas and values (ideological superstructure) that legitimize its rule and obscure the reality of exploitation, making it seem natural or just.

Religion as a tool of exploitation (Marx)

Marx saw religion as the 'opium of the people,' distracting the exploited class from their suffering and true material conditions by promising salvation in an afterlife, thus discouraging revolutionary action against their oppressors.

Economic Substructure (Base)

The economic foundation of society, consisting of the forces of production (technology, labor) and relations of production (class relations, property ownership), which determines the ideological superstructure.

Marx on justice and wealth distribution

Marx argued that our understanding of 'justice' and 'fairness' is not independent but shaped by the prevailing economic conditions and existing distribution of wealth, which serves to legitimize the established order.

Historical evolution of class structures (Marx)

Marx traced class structures from ancient slave societies to feudalism (lords/serfs), and then to capitalism (bourgeoisie/proletariat), seeing each as a distinct mode of production characterized by specific forms of exploitation and conflict.

Marxist Socialism

For Marx, socialism is the revolutionary transition phase following the overthrow of capitalism, characterized by the proletariat seizing control of the state and the means of production, laying the groundwork for a classless, communist society.

Socialism vs. Communism (Marxist view)

Socialism is seen as a transitional phase involving state control and collective ownership to eliminate class and exploitation, whereas communism is the final, classless, stateless society with common ownership 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.'

Marx on the social construction of human nature

Marx believed that human nature is not fixed but is shaped by the specific historical and material conditions of the society one lives in, especially the mode of production and class relations.

State of Nature (in social philosophy)

A hypothetical concept in social philosophy referring to human existence prior to the formation of organized society or government, often used to theorize about human nature and the necessity of social contracts.

Social Contract Theory

The idea that individuals implicitly or explicitly agree to surrender some of their freedoms in exchange for the protection and benefits of an organized society and government.

Production and need fulfillment under Communism

Under communism, production would be organized communally to meet human needs rather than for profit, following the principle 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.'

The 'Good Life' in Marxist thought

For Marx, the good life involves overcoming alienation, engaging in fulfilling and creative work, realizing one's full human potential (species-being), and enjoying genuine community in a classless society.

Capitalism's inefficiencies and wastefulness (Marx)

Capitalism is inefficient due to crises of overproduction, competition leading to redundant production, misallocation of resources towards luxury goods, and the unemployment of productive labor.

Capitalism's irrationality (Marx)

Marx saw capitalism as irrational because it creates immense wealth while simultaneously generating poverty, alienation, and economic crises, prioritizing profit over human needs and well-being.

Thomas Wall's argument for capitalism's injustice

According to Thomas Wall, capitalism is unjust because it systematically allows capitalists to appropriate the surplus value created by workers, leading to inherent exploitation and unequal distribution of wealth and power.

Types of Alienation (Marx)

Marx identified four types: alienation from the product of labor, from the act of production (the labor process), from one's species-being (human essence), and from other human beings.

Lack of worker freedom under capitalism (Marx)

Workers are not free under capitalism because they are compelled to sell their labor power to survive, lack control over the production process or its products, and are subjected to the dictation of the capitalist class.

Absence of the state in communism (Marx)

Under communism, with the abolition of private property and class divisions, there would be no need for the state as an instrument of class oppression, leading to its 'withering away.'

Work in a Communist Society (Marx)

In a communist society, work would be a voluntary, creative, and fulfilling activity, aimed at satisfying collective needs and individual self-realization, free from exploitation and coercion.

Private vs. Personal Property (Marxist)

Marx distinguished between private property (means of production, used to exploit labor) which is abolished under communism, and personal property (consumer goods, dwellings) which individuals would still own.