Marxism

Question 1

Dialectical Materialism

Answer 1

Thesis–> Antithesis–>Synthesis
-You start with a theory (THESIS), opposing view of theory (ANTHITHESIS), this conflict between ideas (SYNTHESIS), that idea then become the NEW thesis and the process starts over

Question 2

The of Unity of Opposites

Answer 2

the thesis contains within itself these internal contradictions that will generate its opposite

Question 3

Law of the Transformation of Quantity and Quality

Answer 3

small incremental quantitate changes that build up on top of each other until you end up with something that is a different kind of thing than what you started with

Question 4

Bourgeoise

Answer 4

Owning class

Question 5

Law of Negation of the Negation

Answer 5

The thesis is negate/destroyed by the antithesis but then then the antithesis is negated by the synthesis

Question 6

Relations of Production

Answer 6

• Relations between those who control the forces of production and those who do not control the forces of production
• this is how we end up with classes

Question 7

Substructure

Answer 7

(der Uberbau)

• most important part
• consists of the economic system

Question 8

History of class struggle is

Answer 8

This is the history of all thing according to Marx

Question 9

Superstructure

Answer 9

(der Unterbau)

-contains the culture, arts, religion, political and legal system

Question 10

5 Basic Models of Production

Answer 10

1) Primitive Communism: share everything)
2) Slavery: one class controls the labor and the tools
3) Feudalism: based on ownership of land
4) Capitalism: money became more important than land
5) Socialsim: working class will rise up against oppressors, everything is owned by the working class

Question 11

Iron Law of Wages

Answer 11

wage rate is a function of the subsistent cost plus the replacement cost

Question 12

Suplus Value

Answer 12

difference between what the product is sold for and what is paid to the workers to produce that product

Question 13

Law of Accumulation of Capitalism

Answer 13

• 1st part of the 3 Laws of Capitalism

- competition forces the firms in the owning class to invest in new technology/ accumulate capitol

Question 14

Law of Concentration of Capitol

Answer 14

• 2nd part of the 3 Laws of Capitalism
• firms invest in bad technology—> the go out of business
• ->they are no longer part of the owning class –> now part of the working class which gets bigger–> owning class gets smaller and smaller
• bigger business that invited in good technology have less competition

Question 15

Law of Increasing Misery

Answer 15

• 3rd part of the 3 Laws of Capitalism
• new technology cuts down on jobs and makes things cheaper and easier so people get paid less
• Working class feels mistreated by owning class
• reach the point where the majority of people are so miserable that they have nothing left to lose they rise up and seize control of the owning class

Question 16

Dictatorship of the Proletariate

Answer 16

Job is to destroy the owning class/the bourgeoise by

1) Killing them or
2) Taking away what they own

Question 17

False Consciousness

Answer 17

• working class sees their enemy not as the owning class but as the other group in the working calls (ex. white vs black)
• in reality all the workers are being oppressed by the owning class

Question 18

Alienation

Answer 18

• people become alienated by their (everyone works on separate parts)
• if you are alienated you’ll be miserable and make everyone else miserable
• solution to alienation is a social revolution

Question 19

Georges Sorel–to bring about change you need what two things

Answer 19

1) A myth: some kind of narrative that explained things

2) Violence: mostly strikes

Question 20

Vanguard of the Proletariate

Answer 20

break through the defense of the regime through propaganda, violence

Question 21

Proletariat

Answer 21

The working class

Question 22

Democratic Centralism

Answer 22

• free discussion of any issue at the lower levels

- once the central committee makes a decision there can be no more talk about it