Marxism: Sociology

Question 1

The Economic Base consists of:

Answer 1

The means of production and the relations of production

Question 2

What is the ‘means of production’?

Answer 2

Something that produces society’s goods: land, factories

Question 3

What is the ‘relations of production’?

Answer 3

Who controls production: relationships between owners and non-owners

Question 4

The superstructure is:

Answer 4

Includes social institutions: family and education.
Determined by the economic system.

Question 5

What do Marxists believe?

Answer 5

We live in a capitalist society.

Question 6

What is Capitalism?

Answer 6

A system of wage-labour and commodity production for sale, exchange and profit, rather than for the needs of the producers.

Question 7

What did Marxists believe about Capitalism?

Answer 7

Marxists say that society has been a device for the exploitation of the working class by the dominant ruling class.

Question 8

Bourgeoisie

Answer 8

The ruling class: a small, wealthy class of owners of the means of production. (their aim is to make profit)

Question 9

Proletariat

Answer 9

The working class: a much larger, poorer class of non-owners.
They have no means of production, so they have to sell their labour to the bourgeoisie in exchange for a wage or a salary.

Question 10

False Consciousness

Answer 10

The proletariat failed to see that they were being exploited by the bourgeoisie.

Question 11

Class Conflict

Answer 11

The conflict that arises from the differences of the social classes. For example, the bourgeoisie and the proletariats.

Question 12

Ideology

Answer 12

A set of beliefs or ideas to reflect and justify the interests of the social group

Question 13

Dominant Ideology

Answer 13

The set of ideas and beliefs of the most powerful groups in society, which are then influence the ideas of the rest of the society.

Question 14

False Consciousness

Answer 14

Failure by a social group to recognise their real interests.

Question 15

Class Consciousness

Answer 15

The awareness by a social group to recognise their real interests.

Question 16

Communism

Answer 16

An equal society, without social class or conflict, the means of production are the common property of all

Question 17

Ascribed status

Answer 17

a status given to an individual through being born into that status

Question 18

Alienation

Answer 18

the estrangement of people from aspects of their human nature as a consequence of living in a stratified society into social classes

Question 19

Means of Production

Answer 19

the means used to produce goods and services, including the social relations between workers, technology and other resources.