Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844

These flashcards cover key concepts discussed in Karl Marx's 'Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844', focused on estranged labor, politics of economy, alienation, and definitions central to Marx's critique of capitalism.

Estranged Labor

Marx's concept describing how the worker is alienated from the product of their labor, leading to the devaluation of both labor and the worker.

Alienation

The process by which individuals become estranged from their labor, products, and fellow humans due to capitalist industrial relations.

Political Economy

The study of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services and their relationship to laws and government; often criticized by Marx for failing to explain the nature of private property.

Private Property

Property owned by individuals or corporations, which Marx argues arises from estranged labor and leads to class divisions.

Monopoly

A market structure in which a single seller controls the entire supply of goods or services; contrasted with competition.

Avarice

Extreme greed for wealth or material gain, which, according to Marx, drives the competition in political economy.

Division of Labor

The assignment of different parts of a manufacturing process or task to different people to improve efficiency, which leads to alienation in workers.

Exchange-value

The value of an item based on its ability to be exchanged for other goods and services, as opposed to its use-value.

Capitalist

A person who uses their wealth to invest in trade and industry for profit, often contrasted against the working class in Marx's theories.

Species-being

A concept in Marx's philosophy which signifies man's essence, including his ability to produce and create freely, as opposed to being reduced to commodity status.

Commodification

The process of turning goods, services, ideas and people into commodities to be bought and sold in a market.

Crisis of Capitalism

A situation in which capitalism reaches an inherent contradiction leading to economic downturns, often due to overproduction and the alienation of labor.

Surplus Value

The difference between what workers are paid and the value of the goods they produce; a key concept in Marx's critique of capitalism explaining exploitation.

Estranged Labor Concept

The idea that labor in capitalism becomes externalized, causing workers to lose ownership and connection to their own output.

Proletariat

The working class in a capitalist society, which owns no means of production and must sell their labor to survive.

Bourgeoisie

The capitalist class that owns the means of production and employs wage labor.