Intro Flashcards
Marxism based on Karl Mark born 1818-1883 in Germany. Died in London.
From when to when did Karl Marx live?
Marxism is a conflict theory based on the idea that society is at conflict with each other: the conflict between the rich and the poor.
What is the basic premises of Marxism? What is this theory called?
Marx created a political & economical philosophy based on what he observed. it was not the same as expressed in the form of communism practiced in the former Soviet Union.
What did Marx create? Is communism as it was practiced in the Soviet Union Marxism?
Marxism was Karl Marx’s idea about how to create a more equal and just society which was the opposite of capitalism.
What did Karl Marx want to achieve? What was the opposite of Marxism?
Karl Marx described capitalisms as follows: a small minority having private ownership of the majority of the means of production. Few people owing most of the factories and businesses. These corporations aren’t owned by the owners & employees but only the owners.
What is a the underlying assumption of Marx’s theory? Who own the means of production?
History: until about 1700 people owned the land. Then governments passed enclosure acts in the 17 and 1800 and ordinary people lost the right to live on the common land. They had to leave and move to the towns and cities which were growing because of the industrial revolution.
Previously people were free to grow their own food and keep animas on the commons land now they had to find work in the cities. Often children were used as cheap labor. The industrial revolution really brought about the capitalistic way of thinking.
What happened historically to the people in the 17 and 1800 ds? What brought about the capitalist thinking and system? What changed for the common people living o commo land?
The industrial revolution created two classes of people: the factory owners called the Bourgeoisie or middle class by Marx and the working class people.
What happened during the industrial revolution compared to the feudal system before it?
Across from the bourgeoisie was the proletariat which was exploited and suppressed by the factory owners and Marx described the whole system as unfair and trying to keep the working class people suppressed.
Another name for the working class people according to Marx and what did he think of capitalism as a system?
The capatitalistic system according to Marx tries very hard to keep the poor poor and make the rich even richer.
What does capitalism do to the poor and the rich according to Marx?
capitalism is caught in this loop of the rich needing workers but not giving them power.
What is the basic conflict in capitalism?
Marx also believed that through education and personal development some members of the proletariat will understand the system and start to change it.
Through which means did Marx think members of the proletariat would understand the system and change it?
Marx believed that at some point the proletariat would rise up through a revolution and overthrow capitalism and establish a new system where all people were equal and everyone owned the factories etc. He called this new system communism.
How did Marx think this system could be changed by the workers? And what would replace it?
Marx identified the following problems with capitalism:
1. alienated workers i.e. factory workers doing horrible jobs that they could not identify with
Now made even worse with specialization which ups the productivity but lowers the possibility of satisfaction from work.
What was the first issue that Marx identified with the working situation of most workers?
Marx claimed that modern work leads to alienation - Entfremdung between that which we truly are as a person and what we can contribute to the world and what our work is all about.
Describe the alienation Marx talked about.
2 we can be cast aside by rising costs new technologies , everyone is replaceable, which creates an emotional upheaval in us because we all want a sense of belonging and security. Marx saw more than just the economics, looked at the psychological impact as well.
What was another issue with capitalism he saw in regards to job security?
