3.5: Marxism

Question 1

Marxists do not agree with Functionalists that society is based on value consensus and operates for the benefit of all.
Instead, Marxists see a basic conflict of interests between a small powerful ruling class and the mass of the population, the working class.
The family is seen as one of the institutions that serve to maintain what?

Answer 1

The family is seen as one of the institutions that serve to maintain the position of the ruling class

Question 2

In industrial societies, there is a capitalist economic system.
This is based on the private ownership of economic institutions, for example what?

Answer 2

This is based on the private ownership of economic institutions, for example:

1. Banks
2. Factories

Question 3

In industrial societies, there is a capitalist economic system.
This is based on the private ownership of economic institutions, for example banks and factories.
In capitalist economies, investors finance the production of goods and services with the aim of making a profit.
These investors form a ruling class.
The subject class, the workers, produce goods and services and are paid wages for their labour.
The ruling class are seen to exploit the subject class, why?

Answer 3

The ruling class are seen to exploit the subject class, because they gain profit from the labour of the workers

Question 4

Marxists argue that the family, like many other institutions in capitalist societies, serves to do what?

Answer 4

Marxists argue that the family, like many other institutions in capitalist societies, serves to:

1. Maintain the power of those with wealth
2. Preserve the existing economic system

Question 5

Exploitation

Answer 5

Exploitation is paying workers less than the value of their labour

Question 6

Exploitation is paying workers less than the value of their labour.
According to Marxists, exploitation is the process whereby the bourgeoisie do what?

Answer 6

According to Marxists, exploitation is the process whereby the bourgeoisie extract surplus:
1. Value
Or,
2. Profit
from the labour of the proletariat

Question 7

Ideological state apparatuses

Answer 7

Ideological state apparatuses control people’s:

1. Ideas
2. Values
3. Beliefs

Question 8

Ideological state apparatuses control people’s ideas, values and beliefs.
What do ISAs include?

Answer 8

ISAs include:

1. Religion
2. Mass media
3. Education
4. Family

Question 9

Ideological state apparatuses control people’s ideas, values and beliefs.
ISAs include religion, mass media, education and family.
What would functionalists call these?

Answer 9

Functionalists would call these agencies of socialisation

Question 10

False class consciousness

Answer 10

False class consciousness is:

1. A Marxist theory that people are unable to see things as they really are, especially exploitation, oppression and social relations
2. The hypothesized inability of the human mind to develop a sophisticated awareness of how it is developed and shaped by circumstances

Question 11

Capitalism

Answer 11

Capitalism is an:
1. Economic
2. Political
system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state (government)

Question 12

Communism

Answer 12

Communism is a:
1. Theory
Or,
2. System of social organisation
in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs

Question 13

Bourgeoisie

Answer 13

The bourgeoisie is:
1. Relating to
Or,
2. Belonging to
the upper/middle class of society (rich, powerful, capitalists)

Question 14

Proletariat

Answer 14

The proletariat is the labouring class, especially the class of industrial workers, who:

1. Lack their own means of production
2. Therefore sell their labour to live

Question 15

What are the Marxist functions/roles of the family?

Answer 15

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are:

1. Inheritance of property
2. A unit of consumption
3. Ideological functions

Question 16

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in a what way?

Answer 16

Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way

Question 17

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, what was there?

Answer 17

Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism

Question 18

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, what?

Answer 18

Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production

Question 19

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on what?

Answer 19

Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour

Question 20

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - what were there?

Answer 20

Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were:
1. Sexual free-for-alls
2. Promiscuous hordes
(polygamous relationships)

Question 21

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, what happened?

Answer 21

As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality

Question 22

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (what), until societies reached their most advanced stage?

Answer 22

As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage

Question 23

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of what?

Answer 23

As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife)

Question 24

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife).
What did Engels link the evolution of monogamy with?

Answer 24

Engels linked the evolution of monogamy with the development of the idea of private property

Question 25

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife).
Engels linked the evolution of monogamy with the development of the idea of private property.
Historically, property in most societies was held by males and passed down to their male heirs, usually their sons.
What did monogamy ensure?

Answer 25

Monogamy ensured that any children born were the legitimate heirs of the father

Question 26

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife).
Engels linked the evolution of monogamy with the development of the idea of private property.
Historically, property in most societies was held by males and passed down to their male heirs, usually their sons.
Monogamy ensured that any children born were the legitimate heirs of the father and avoided what?

Answer 26

Monogamy:

1. Ensured that any children born were the legitimate heirs of the father
2. Avoided the complications associated with polygyny about which wife’s children should inherit property

Question 27

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife).
Engels linked the evolution of monogamy with the development of the idea of private property.
Historically, property in most societies was held by males and passed down to their male heirs, usually their sons.
Monogamy ensured that any children born were the legitimate heirs of the father and avoided the complications associated with polygyny about which wife’s children should inherit property.
This is linked to Bourdieu’s 3 types of capital and also Crompton, because class reproduction links to ascribed status.
Engels argued that in the earliest societies, women held power, but as humans learned to herd animals, what did men do?

Answer 27

Engels argued that in the earliest societies, women held power, but as humans learned to herd animals, men:

1. Took control of the livestock
2. Therefore became the first property owners

Question 28

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife).
Engels linked the evolution of monogamy with the development of the idea of private property.
Historically, property in most societies was held by males and passed down to their male heirs, usually their sons.
Monogamy ensured that any children born were the legitimate heirs of the father and avoided the complications associated with polygyny about which wife’s children should inherit property.
This is linked to Bourdieu’s 3 types of capital and also Crompton, because class reproduction links to ascribed status.
Engels argued that in the earliest societies, women held power, but as humans learned to herd animals, men took control of the livestock and therefore became the first property owners.
Engels argued that the result of this was to do what?

Answer 28

Engels argued that the result of this was to make women mere chattels (or possessions) of their husbands

Question 29

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife).
Engels linked the evolution of monogamy with the development of the idea of private property.
Historically, property in most societies was held by males and passed down to their male heirs, usually their sons.
Monogamy ensured that any children born were the legitimate heirs of the father and avoided the complications associated with polygyny about which wife’s children should inherit property.
This is linked to Bourdieu’s 3 types of capital and also Crompton, because class reproduction links to ascribed status.
Engels argued that in the earliest societies, women held power, but as humans learned to herd animals, men took control of the livestock and therefore became the first property owners.
Engels argued that the result of this was to make women mere chattels (or possessions) of their husbands, another form of what?

Answer 29

Engels argued that the result of this was to make women mere chattels (or possessions) of their husbands, another form of private property

Question 30

The Marxist functions/roles of the family are inheritance of property, a unit of consumption and ideological functions.
Inheritance of property:
Engels argued that the family had developed in an evolutionary way.
Even before industrialisation, in the earliest societies, there was primitive communism, a shared mode of production.
Engels suggested that there had also been no restrictions on sexual behaviour - there were sexual free-for-alls and promiscuous hordes (polygamous relationships).
As societies became more complex, more restrictions were placed on sexuality, first in the form of polygyny (one man with several female partners), until societies reached their most advanced stage with the development of monogamy (marriage between one husband and one wife).
Engels linked the evolution of monogamy with the development of the idea of private property.
Historically, property in most societies was held by males and passed down to their male heirs, usually their sons.
Monogamy ensured that any children born were the legitimate heirs of the father and avoided the complications associated with polygyny about which wife’s children should inherit property.
This is linked to Bourdieu’s 3 types of capital and also Crompton, because class reproduction links to ascribed status.
Engels argued that in the earliest societies, women held power, but as humans learned to herd animals, men took control of the livestock and therefore became the first property owners.
Engels argued that the result of this was to make women mere chattels (or possessions) of their husbands, another form of private property.
With the rise of monogamy, women’s role, especially in wealthy bourgeois (or middle-class) families, was simply to do what?

Answer 30

With the rise of monogamy, women’s role, especially in wealthy bourgeois (or middle-class) families, was simply to:

1. Provide their husbands with heirs
2. Raise those children to adulthood