Marxism

Question 1

Karl Marx

Answer 1

To understand how society works, you need to accept that the driving force behind it is economic basis 
The capitalist industrial infrastructure ( production ) shapes the superstructure (social institutions) which transit ruling class ideology

Question 2

False consciousness

Answer 2

The ability to reproduce capitalist ideology through law, education, religion and mass media prevents the workers from recognising the reality of their exploitation

Question 3

Humanistic Marxism

Answer 3

Gramsci - focuses on the role of the superstructure and ideology and arguing that the capitalist state couldn’t impose its will on the population and the bourgeoise have won the consent to rule from society because the agencies that make up the superstructure such as education and mass media have successfully persuaded society of the legitimacy

Question 4

The Frankfurt school

Answer 4

Adorno - workers rationally chose to work in conditions which they recognise as exploitative because they want a career

Question 5

Marcuse

Answer 5

Stresses the role of mass or popular culture in the exploitation of the working class. The role of popular entertainment was to distract the working class from inequality

Question 6

Structuralist Marxism

Answer 6

Althusser argued that capitalist societies were made up of four components:

• economic system that sources inequality
• ideological state apparatuses such as education and the media which disseminate the ruling class idealogy
• political system which can exercise repressive power
• repressive state apparatuses

Question 7

Evaluation of humanistic Marxism

Answer 7

Accused of understating the influence of economic factors and overstating free will+ choice . Instead workers have no choice but to consent to rule by the bourgeoisie if the alternative is starvation

Question 8

Globalisation

Answer 8

Marxism may be undermined by globalisation as evidence suggests that people in the UK who occupy zero-hour jobs do not define themselves in terms of their work

Question 9

Evaluation of Marx

Answer 9

Has a simplistic, one dimensional view of inequality - Weber argues that status and power differences can also be a source of inequality e.g power elite can rule without owning the means of production i.e Soviet Union