Untitled Flashcards Set

Alienated Labour

A concept in Marx's critique of capitalism that reflects the separation of individuals from their work, the products of their labor, and their own humanity.

Political Economy

The study of the relationships between labor, capital, and class dynamics within a capitalist mode of production.

Alienation

The estrangement of individuals from their work, the products of their labor, their own self, and other workers under capitalism.

Vital Activity

The essential actions through which humans express their nature as creative and social beings.

Species Being

Marx's term for the essence of humanity connected to the ability to transform nature and create useful objects.

Commodities

Goods that are produced for exchange and have value primarily due to the labor expended to produce them.

Commodity Fetishism

The perception of commodities as having intrinsic value, obscuring the social relations of production behind their exchange.

Labor-Power

The sum of a person's physical and mental abilities used in producing goods and services.

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class that owns the means of production and is characterized by the pursuit of profit.

Proletariat

The working class, which sells its labor-power and is increasingly exploited under capitalism.

Class Struggle

The ongoing conflict between different classes, particularly between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.

Means of Production

The facilities, tools, resources, and labor used to produce goods and services in an economy.

Surplus-Value

The difference between the value produced by labor and the actual wages paid to the laborer, seen as profit for the capitalist.

Estrangement from Product

The first type of alienation where the worker becomes disconnected from the object produced.

Estrangement from Activity

The second type of alienation where the worker's productive activity is seen merely as a means of survival.

Estrangement from Human Nature

The third form of alienation, where workers feel disconnected from their essence as creative beings.

Estrangement from Others

The fourth form of alienation where the worker feels antagonized by the capitalist due to ownership structures.

Means of Subsistence

The basic resources necessary for survival, which humans must produce under specific social and physical conditions.

Technological Innovations

Advancements that revolutionized production and communication, contributing to the rise of capitalism.

Divisions of Labor

The assignment of different parts of a manufacturing process or task to different people to improve efficiency.

Revolutionary Class

A class that seeks to abolish the existing social systems rather than simply securing a position within it.