Marxism✔️

Question 1

Who came up with this theory?

Answer 1

Karl Marx - considered to be on the worlds greatest intellectualist.

Question 2

What does Karl Marx’s work represent?

Answer 2

A critique of industrial capitalism. Before the industrial revolution, there were inequalities in society but the development of a Capitalist society heightened this.

Question 3

Why is Capitalism?

Answer 3

A society based on individual and private ownership and wealth. It is an economic industry where trade and industry are privately owned rather than owned by the state.

Question 4

Within a Capitalist society…

Answer 4

It is inevitable that there will be huge inequalities in income and wealth - it is made of a two class system.

Question 5

Class of Owners:

CLASS 1/2

Answer 5

The Capitalists and owners of industry - they’re rich and the ruling class. The bourgeoisie. Top of the hierarchy.

Question 6

Class of Non-Owners:

CLASS 2/2

Answer 6

The workers, the labouring class who lack power and wealth. The subordinate class - the proletariat.

Question 7

What kind of society is a Capitalist society?

Answer 7

Extremely hierarchical and in-egalitarian society.

Question 8

How do the two classes in a Capitalist society depend on eachother?

Answer 8

The owners need workers (the non owners are the workers) and the workers need employers to make money (the owners are the employers)

Question 9

The dependent relationship between the ruling class and workers leads to…

Answer 9

Exploitation because the ruling classes can make the subordinates work even longer with a lower salary - workers have no choice.

Question 10

Why do the workers endure the exploitation they receive, according to Marx?
How?

Answer 10

Due to FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS - they are delluded and blinded to the real nature of their problems

because of the ruling class ideology (the ruling class people influence how people think and dominate them e.g. by propaganda)

Question 11

Marx predicts that…

Answer 11

Over time, the prolateriot would gain full class consciousness and they would unite and cause a revolution leading to Communism which is his ideal society.

Question 12

Why do Marxists critique the family?

Answer 12

Because they believe that the way the family functions supports Capitalism.

Question 13

How do families encourage and reproduce hierarchical in-egalitarian relationships?

Answer 13

Children observe the hierarchy at home - it becomes the norm for people to be above and for others to be subordinate (e.g. parents at the top) and when they leave home, the in-egalitarian society is normal. They have been trained to accept it and not rebel.

Question 14

How do families act as a safety valve dampening down discontentment?

Answer 14

After workers have an exploitive day at work, they may go home and ‘rant’ to their family who will calm them down and make them feel better. Their wives are known to be “takers of shit.” He says it cushions the effects of Capitalism as it doesn’t deal with the issue - temporary fix. He wants people to stand up for themselves.

Question 15

How do families cause a Reproduction of Labour Power?

Answer 15

The family produce a centre of relaxation and rest in their home so workers can relax and return to work each day fit and healthy so they can be productive again. It’s a constant cycle.

Question 16

How have families become a unit of consumption?

Answer 16

Families used to be a unit of production before the industrial revolution. Now, families are materialistic. Purchasing keeps the Capitalist economy ticking and supports it. Capitalist media targets children who pester their parents to buy them things - propaganda.

Question 17

3 Brief criticisms of Marx’s critique of the family:

Answer 17

• not all families can be a unit of consumption as they may not afford it.
• some families may not have a hierarachy and teach kids that everyone is equal and should be treated the same - stereotyping.
• not all families provide support when a worker has a bad day, bad family relationships / families may advise you to stand up for yourself rather than ‘cushioning’ the issue.

Question 18

What was published not long after Marx’s death?

Answer 18

“The origin of the family, private property and the state” by Engels who was Marx’s life long friend.

Question 19

What did Engels do in his book?

Answer 19

He linked economic changes in the family and sexual relationships arguing that the monogamus nuclear family developed the emergence of private property.

Question 20

Examples of economic changes:

Answer 20

Industrialisation

The development of an Capitalist society

Question 21

According to Engels, how did early human beings live?

Answer 21

There was no concept of private property, everyone shared everything - no need to establish the paternity of children.

Question 22

Society was …

Answer 22

Matriarchal

Question 23

Why was paternity not an important issue in the early days according to Engels?

Answer 23

As people were so collective, everything was based on sharing. There was no nuclear structure and everyone was a community. No private property meant that there was no ‘heir’ to pass it to.

Question 24

What did the development of property ownership cause?

Answer 24

Patriarchal system produced - women were housewives & men were ‘bread winners’

Society become patrilineal - property passed down male. Marriage became vital so they could have children etc.

Question 25

Bourgeois :

Answer 25

Capitalist society .

Reflects the ruling classes .

Question 26

Monogamus:

Answer 26

Having one sexual partner forever.

Question 27

Matriarchal :

Answer 27

Society ran by women.

Question 28

Prior to the development of a Capitalist society…

Answer 28

Society was collective and communal and responsibility was shared.

Question 29

Private properties meant that…

Answer 29

Families formed their own private units rather than being a unit in conjunction with society.