Karl Marx’s ideas

• Marxism is a perspective based on the ideas of who (1818-83).

• Like Durkheim, Marx saw what 2 things in world

• Also like Durkheim, Marx believed that it was possible to do what , describing his theory as what

• Unlike functionalists, , Marx did not see progress as what . Instead, he saw historical change as what

• After his death, Marx's ideas came to form the basis of what

• Marxism is a perspective based on the ideas of Karl Marx (1818-83).

• Like Durkheim, Marx saw the harm caused by the modern industrial society that was taking shape in 19th century Europe and the promise of progress to a better world that it held.

• Also like Durkheim, Marx believed that it was possible to understand society scientifically and that this knowledge would point the way to a better society indeed, describing his theory as 'scientific socialism'.

• Unlike functionalists, , Marx did not see progress as a smooth and gradual evolution. Instead, he saw historical change as a contradictory process in which capitalism would increase human misery before giving way to a classless communist society in which human beings would be free to fulfil their potential.

• After his death, Marx's ideas came to form the basis of communism

Marx idea’s

what are the 7 of Karl Marx’s ideas

1. historical materialism

2. class society and exploitation

3. capitalism

4. class consciousness

5. ideology

6. alienation

7. the state revolution and communism

Marx idea’s- historical materialism

• what is Materialism

• To do this, they use the forces of p___, . In early human history, what were these forces , but over time, people developed what

• As the forces of production improve, what also change.

• Eventually, a division of labour emerges, leading to the separation into two classes: - what are they From this point, production is controlled by who

• what does Marx call the combined forces and relations of production

• In modern society, we live under what type of mode of production. This mode of production forms what , which in turn shapes all other parts of society — the s___ of institutions, ideas, beliefs, and behaviours that come from the base. This includes things like what

• Essentially, historical materialism is the idea that history moves forward because of changes in the economic base, and this then shapes everything else in society (the superstructure like religion, education, law).

Marx idea’s- historical materialism

• Materialism is the idea that humans have basic material needs like food, clothing, and shelter, and they must work to meet these needs.

• To do this, they use the forces of production, In early human history, these forces were simply human labour, but over time, people developed tools and machines to help with production.

• As the forces of production improve, the social relations of production also change.

• Eventually, a division of labour emerges, leading to the separation into two classes: a class that owns the means of production and a class of labourers. From this point, production is controlled by the owners to serve their own interests.

• Marx calls the combined forces and relations of production the mode of production. In modern society, we live under a capitalist mode of production. This mode of production forms the economic base of society, which in turn shapes all other parts of society — the superstructure of institutions, ideas, beliefs, and behaviours that come from the base. This includes things like religion, law, education, and the state.

• Essentially, all in all, what is historical materialism ?

Marx idea’s- class society and exploitation

• At the beginning of human history how did ownership work

• what does Marx call this early stage

• As what developed , what appeared.

• In these societies, who owns the means of production and exploits the l____ of others by doing what — the extra goods produced beyond what workers need to survive.

Marx identifies three class societies, each with its own form of exploitation- what are they ?

Marx idea’s- class society and exploitation

• At the beginning of human history, there were no classes, private ownership, or exploitation — everyone worked and shared equally.

• Marx calls this early stage ‘primitive communism’.

• As the forces of production developed, different types of class societies appeared.

• In these societies, a singular class owns the means of production and exploits the labour of others by controlling the surplus product — the extra goods produced beyond what workers need to survive.

Marx identifies three class societies, each with its own form of exploitation:

• Ancient society - based on the exploitation of slaves legally tied to their owners

• Feudal society - based on the exploitation of serfs legally tied to the land

• Capitalist society - based on the exploitation of free wage labourers.

Marx idea’s- capitalism

• Capitalism is based on what division . It has three key features :

• First, what the difference between slaves and the proletariat . However, they only receive enough to s___, while the bourgeoisie do what

• Second, competition among capitalists leads and creates what? Competition also drives s___ producers into the w___ class and pushes wages down, causing the immiseration (p____) of the now m___ proletariat.

• Third, capitalism constantly expands the forces of production to make more p___ concentrating production into bigger units and using technology to deskill workers. Together, concentration of ownership and deskilling create what — society does what , as Marx says, “face each other as t___ w___ c__.”

Marx idea’s- capitalism

• Capitalism is based on a division between the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). It has three key features :

• First, unlike slaves, the proletariat are legally free but separated from the means of production, so they must sell their labour power for wages. However, it they only receive enough to survive, while the bourgeoisie take the surplus value — the profit made from what the workers produce.

• Second, competition among capitalists leads to the concentration of ownership into fewer hands, creating giant transnational corporations. Competition also drives small producers into the working class and pushes wages down, causing the immiseration (poverty) of the now majority proletariat.

• Third, capitalism constantly expands the forces of production to make more profit, concentrating production into bigger units and using technology to deskill workers. Together, concentration of ownership and deskilling create class polarisation — society splits into a small capitalist class and a large working class that, as Marx says, “face each other as two warring camps.”

Marx idea’s- class consciousness

• According to Marx, how does capitalism sows the seeds of its own destruction.

• As a result, the proletariat moves from being merely what? to becoming what? - aware of what need?

Marx idea’s- class consciousness

• According to Marx, capitalism sows the seeds of its own destruction. - By polarising the classes, bringing the proletariat together in ever-larger numbers, and driving down their wages, capitalism creates the conditions under which the working class can develop a consciousness of its own economic and political interests in opposition to those of its exploiters.

• As a result, the proletariat moves from being merely a class in itself (one whose members occupy the same economic position), to becoming a class for itself, whose members are class conscious - aware of the need to overthrow capitalism.

Marx idea’s- ideology

• For Marx, the class that owns the means of production also owns and controls the means of mental production - what does this mean?

• The i____ that produce and spread ideas, such as what 3 things?, all serve what by producing ideologies - what are ideologies ?

• Ideology fosters what? in the subordinate classes and helps to sustain class inequality. However, as capitalism i____ the workers, so they develop class consciousness. They see t____ capitalist ideology and become conscious of their true position as 'w___ s___'.

Marx idea’s- ideology

• For Marx, the class that owns the means of production also owns and controls the means of mental production - the production of ideas. The dominant ideas in society are therefore the ideas of the economically dominant class.

• The institutions that produce and spread ideas, such as religion, education and the media, all serve the dominant class by producing ideologies - sets of ideas and beliefs that legitimise (justify) the existing social order as desirable or inevitable.

• Ideology fosters a false consciousness in the subordinate classes and helps to sustain class inequality. However, as capitalism impoverishes the workers, so they develop class consciousness. They see through capitalist ideology and become conscious of their true position as 'wage slaves'.

Marx idea’s- alienation

• Marx believes that our true nature is based on what?

• Alienation is the result of what? why does Alienation exist in all class societies?

• However, under capitalism alienation reaches its peak, for two reasons:

  1. Workers are completely s___ from and have no control over what?

  2. The division of labour is what: the worker is reduced to an u___ l___ mindlessly repeating what

• Marx also sees r___ as originating in the alienation of human labour

Marx idea’s- alienation

• Marx believes that our true nature is based on our capacity to create things to meet our needs.

• Alienation is the result of our loss of control over our labour and its products and therefore our separation from our true nature. Alienation exists in all class societies, because the owners control the production process for their own needs.

• However, under capitalism alienation reaches its peak, for two reasons:

  1. Workers are completely separated from and have no control over the forces of production.

  2. The division of labour is at its most intense and detailed: the worker is reduced to an unskilled labourer mindlessly repeating a meaningless task.

• Marx also sees religion as originating in the alienation of human labour

Marx idea’s- alienation

• Marx defines the state as like what? which exist to do what?

• They use the state to do what 3 things?

• Any class that wants to become the d_____ e_____ class must do what?

• While past revolutions were what? Marx believed the proletarian revolution would be what?

• This revolution would be what 5 things? It would also end a____, with humans regaining c___ over their work.

  Marx predicted the proletarian revolution would ultimately w___ and c____ would spread worldwide, starting in the most a____ c___ societies. However, he gave little detail on what?

Marx idea’s- the state, revolution and communism

• Marx defines the state as ‘armed bodies of men’ like the army, police, prisons, and courts, which exist to protect the interests of the class of owners, the ruling class.

• They use the state to defend their property, suppress opposition, and prevent revolution.

• Any class that wants to become the dominant economic class must overthrow the ruling class with a revolution.

  While past revolutions were one minority replacing another, Marx believed the proletarian revolution would be the first where the majority overthrows the minority.

• This revolution would abolish the state, create a classless communist society, end exploitation, replace private ownership with social ownership, and shift production from profit to meeting human needs. It would also end alienation, with humans regaining control over their work.

  Marx predicted the proletarian revolution would ultimately win and communism would spread worldwide, starting in the most advanced capitalist societies. However, he gave little detail on how exactly this would happen, leading to ongoing debate among Marxists.

criticisms of marx- marxism view of class

〤- Marx has a s____, o____-d____ view of inequality

• he sees what as the only important division.

• W____ argues that what can also be important sources of i____, independently of class.

• Similarly, feminists argue what

〤- Marx's t___-c___ model is also s____.

• Weber s___-d____ the p___ into what , and includes a white-collar middle class of office workers and a petty bourgeoisie (small capitalists).

〤- what has not occurred.

• Instead of the middle class being swallowed by what , what has happened while the industrial working class has s___, at least in Western societies.

• On the other hand, the proletariat in countries such as China and India is growing as a result of globalisation.

criticisms of marx- marxism view of class

〤- Marx has a simplistic, one-dimensional view of inequality

• he sees class as the only important division.

• Weber argues that status and power differences can also be important sources of inequality, independently of class.

• Similarly, feminists argue that gender is a more fundamental source of inequality than class.

〤- Marx's two-class model is also simplistic.

• Weber sub-divides the proletariat into skilled and unskilled classes, and includes a white-collar middle class of office workers and a petty bourgeoisie (small capitalists).

〤- Class polarisation has not occurred.

• Instead of the middle class being swallowed up by an expanding proletariat, it has grown, while the industrial working class has shrunk, at least in Western societies.

• On the other hand, the proletariat in countries such as China and India is growing as a result of globalisation.

criticisms of marx- e____ d___

〤- Marx's b___-superstructure model is criticised for d____

• the view that economic factors are what

• Critics argue that this fails to recognise what

criticisms of marx- economic determinism

〤- Marx's base-superstructure model is criticised for economic determinism

• the view that economic factors are the sole cause of everything in society, including social change.

• Critics argue that this fails to recognise that humans have free will and can bring about change through their conscious actions.

The 'two Marxisms'

• Since what , the absence of r____ in the West has led many Marxists to reject what?

• Instead, they have tried to explain what .

We can identify two broad approaches to these questions, which G___ (1973) describes as:

• H____ or c____ Marxism This has some similarities with action theories and interpretive sociology.

• s___ or s___ Marxism As its name indicates, this is a structural approach and has similarities with positivist sociology.

The 'two Marxisms'

• Since Marx's death in 1883, the absence of revolutions in the West has led many Marxists to reject the economic determinism of the base-superstructure model.

• Instead, they have tried to explain why capitalism has persisted and how it might be overthrown.

We can identify two broad approaches to these questions, which Gouldner (1973) describes as:

• Humanistic or critical Marxism : This has some similarities with action theories and interpretive sociology.

• Scientific or structuralist Marxism: As its name indicates, this is a structural approach and has similarities with positivist sociology.

The two Marxism

Humanistic or critical Marxism	Scientific or structuralist Marxism
Example: Antonio Gramsci	Example: Louis Althusser
Draws on Marx's early writings, where he focuses on alienation and people's subjective experience of the world.	Draws on Marx's later work, where he writes about the laws of capitalist development working with 'iron necessity' towards inevitable results.
Marxism is a political critique of capitalism as alienating and inhuman, and a call to overthrow it.	Marxism is a science. It discovers the laws that govern the workings of capitalism.
Voluntarism: humans have free will. They are active agents who make their own history. Their consciousness and ideas are central in changing the world.	Determinism: structural factors determine the course of history. Individuals are passive puppets - victims of ideology manipulated by forces beyond their control.
Socialism will come about when people become conscious of the need to overthrow capitalism. Encourages political action, believing the time is always ripe for Tends to discourage political revolution.	Socialism will come about only when the contradictions of capitalism ultimately bring about the system's inevitable collapse.

The two Marxism

Humanistic or critical Marxism	Scientific or structuralist Marxism
Example: A____ G___	Example: L___ A____
Draws on Marx's e___ writings, where he focuses on an____ and people's subjes___ctive experience of the world.	Draws on Marx's l____ work, where he writes about the l___ of c___ development working with 'iron necessity' towards inevitable results.
Marxism is a p___ critique of c___ as alienating and inhuman, and a call to o___ it.	Marxism is a s___. It discovers the l____ that govern the workings of c___.
Voluntarism: What does this mean?	Determinism: What does this man?
Socialism will come about when? Encourages p____ a___, believing the time is always ripe for Tends to discourage p___ r____.	Socialism will come about only when.