marxism

Question 1

how do functionalism and marxist differ?

Answer 1

• Functionalism: Society works in harmony — institutions like family, school, and religion work together for the good of all.
• Marxism: Society is built on conflict — especially between the ruling class (bourgeoisie) and the working class (proletariat). The rich benefit at the expense of the poor.

Question 2

what does marx believe ?

Answer 2

• People must work to survive — to meet material needs (food, shelter, etc.).
• They use tools and means of production (land, factories, machines).
• Over time this leads to those who own means of productions and those who labor and are exploited
• The economic base (how goods are produced and who controls production) shapes everything else in society — called the superstructure. The superstructure includes: Education, Religion, Law, The state, Beliefs and values, and they all serve and reflect interest of ruling class
• As tools and production improved, class societies developed. Three major examples:
  Ancient society – slaves exploited by owners.
  Feudal society – peasants exploited by landlords.
  Capitalist society – workers exploited by capitalists.

Question 3

according to marx why is capitalism different from earlier class societies ?

Answer 3

• Workers (proletariat) are free, but they don’t own any means of production (factories, land, tools).
• Big companies crush small ones → Wealth and power become concentrated.
• Wages drop → Leads to immiseration (growing poverty) of the working class
• Capitalism constantly pushes growth and technology to stay competitive.
• As a result this leads to a growing class divide and this is called polarisation

Question 4

what does marx argue about class consciousness?

Answer 4

• At first, workers are just a “class in itself” – they don’t realise their shared oppression.
• Over time, they become a “class for itself” – they wake up and realise they need to overthrow capitalism.
  -This happens as wages fall, working conditions worsen, and workers are grouped together.

Question 5

how do the ruling class control ideas and what does it lead to according to marx?

Answer 5

• they also control ideas (via media, religion, education).
• They spread ideologies that justify the status quo and keep workers passive.
• This causes false consciousness – workers believe their situation is normal or fair.

Question 6

what are criticisms of marx?

Answer 6

• Marx sees class conflict (bourgeoisie vs. proletariat) as the only important division in society. There are other factors that matter to such as gender
• Two-class model is outdated: Weber argued there’s more than two classes for example
  Skilled vs unskilled workers,
  Middle class (office workers),
  Petty bourgeoisie (small business owners).
• Marx predicted the middle class would shrink and workers would become the majority. But in the West, the middle class has grown, and the industrial working class has shrunk
• Marx is accused of over-emphasising economics and ignoring human agency (free will, ideas, action).
  Example of alternative view:
  Weber argued that religious ideas (like Calvinism) helped start capitalism — not just economic forces.

Question 7

What does Gramsci argue ?

Answer 7

• the ruling class (bourgeoisie) maintains control not just through force, but by making its ideas seem normal, natural, and common sense. This is how they get people to consent to their rule

Question 8

According to Gramsci how do the ruling class stay in power ?

Answer 8

• Coercion – using force (e.g. police, courts, military) to control people.
• Consent (Hegemony) – using ideas and beliefs to make people accept inequality and capitalist rule as normal.

Question 9

According to Gramsci how do the working class have a dual consciousness?

Answer 9

• One part = influenced by ruling class ideology.
• Other part = shaped by their real life experiences of exploitation.

Question 10

What do workers need to do to other throw capitalism according to Gramsci ?

Answer 10

• Develop a new set of ideas to challenge the ruling class.
• producing organic intellectuals which are class-conscious workers who lead and educate others in revolutionary ideas.
• Must form a revolutionary political party to offer an alternative vision (e.g. socialism)

Question 11

Evaluation of Gramsci

Answer 11

• Explains why revolutions don’t always happen even during crises. And recognises the importance of ideas and culture, not just economics
• Some say he over-emphasises ideas and ignores power of the state (force and repression) and Economic pressure (e.g. fear of job loss)

Question 12

What does Althusser argue ?

Answer 12

• rejects Marx’s simple base-superstructure model, where economics (the base) determines everything else.
• argues that capitalism survives by reproducing itself through two kinds of state apparatuses
• Repressive State Appatatuses, E.g. police, army, courts, prisons who physically forces people to comply with capitalism.
• Ideological State Appatatuses, E.g. education, media, religion, family which persuades people to accept capitalism as natural and fair.

Question 13

Evaluation of Althusser

Answer 13

• Although Althusser rejects economic determinism, he replaces it with structural determinism. He believes everything is still determined — just by multiple structures (economic, political, ideological) rather than one. This limits human agency and underplays the role of conscious action.
• ignores the role of real working-class resistance and experience