Unit 1: Marxism

Alienation

Isolating one from where they belong

Marx thought that workers were being alienated in capitalist societies

Atheism

Doesn’t believe in deities

Marx viewed all religion as a human creation → atheism is central to his philosophy

Eduard Bernstein

German social democratic politician; socialist theory

Critic of Marx

Bourgeoisie

The middle class

Marx: Bourgeoisie is the capital class

Capitalism

Economic/political system where the economy is driven by profit and private ownership

Marx says this is the stage before socialism; capitalism creates class conflict and eventually revolution

Class struggle

Conflict between diff. social classes (esp. workers and ruling class in a capitalist society)

Marx says this is the inevitable outcome of capitalism/the revolution to socialism; this is the origin of all struggles throughout history and the basis of human conflict and eventually innovation

Communism

The stage following socialism in which social classes and private property were abolished

Marx/Engels made this from the materialism aspect of history. However, their prediction of communism was proved wrong as no countries follow this system of communism

Dialectic

The theory of development and universal relations

Comes from Hegelian idealism; turned into a science by MEngels; describes human society/though and development

Dialectical materialism

The material world drives social and historical development through continuous conflict and resolution

Defined by Mengels

Friedrich Engels

German philosopher; friend/collaborator with Marx

Considered the co-founder of Marxism

German idealism/classical German philosophy

Knowledge>materialism

Basis for Marxist thought, but contradicted Marx’s ideals by claiming that economic motivation isn’t the driving force of the working system

Georg Wilheilm Friedrich Hegel

German philosopher who was the founder of dialectics

Marx was inspired by dialectics and expanded the theory when explaining and predicting history

Historical materialsim

A way of examining history and the relationship of human actions and the material conditions of society

Marx theorized that the ideals of humans are shaped on the conditions of society around them (inverse of Hegel’s original hypothesis)

Humanism

The prioritization of humans over anything else

Humanism can’t coincide with capitalism, as capitalism preys on the working class and is inherently dehumanizing

Industrial revolution

Rapid mechanization and innovation from mid 18th to mid 19th century; shift to materialism

Changed Marx and caused some to doubt the truth of Marx; changed the system of society and created class systems

Immanuel Kant

Founder of German idealism

Marx disagreed a lot, Kant provides many counterarguments

Lenin

Russian revolutionary, politician, political theorist. Led the October revolution, establishing the first socialist state

Lenin was inspired by Marx and agreed with Bernstein about how capitalism was changing incrementally; Lenin was however dead set on revolution and wrote works to inspire that

Proleteriat

The lower working class of citizens in a society

Society is mostly consisted of proletariats; MEngels thought that capitalism creates 2 classes (bourgeoisie and proletariat)

Revisionism

The critique of Marxism; the effort to fix it

Bernstein and Lenin; Bernstein stopped believing in the breakdown of capitalism and focused on incremental social change

Socialism

Political and economic system where property and means of production are owned publicly and controlled by the govt.

Supports the working class; related to communism; part of the ideas forming Marxism

Leon Trotsky

Political theorist who challenged Stalin’s totalitarian rule instead of opting for socialism

Opted for socialist ideas, he was a Marxist (and idolized MEngel’s work in political science)

Utopianism

The pursuit/desire for a perfect world; usually unrealistic/idealistic

19th century had many groups that founded off of utopianism — “heaven on earth”