Theory and Methods- Perspectives (Marxism) (3) Flashcards
(34 cards)
What does Marxism mean?
- key conflict theory that believes capitalist society is based on inequalities between the bourgeoisie (ruling capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class).
How do bourgeoisie maintain their position?
- through hegemony + control of RSA.
What does hegemony mean?
- the means by which the bourgeoisie maintain their dominance and control over the proletariat.
What does conflict theory mean?
-views society as consisting of groups with conflicting interests vying for dominance.
What does force of production mean?
- materials + tech. used in production of goods + services.
What does the relation of products mean?
- the relationships people enter in order to produce goods + services.
What does infrastructure mean?
-The economic base of society made up of the forces and the relations of products.
What does superstructure mean?
-rest of society that is largely shaped by infrastructure.
What does ruling class ideology mean?
-Set of beliefs that present a false picture of society and justify the position of RC.
What does false class consciousness mean?
-a false picture of the class system that concerns the exploitation on which it is based.
What does alienation mean?
-the cutting off of people from their work, the things they produce.
What does polarisation mean?
-growing gap between 2 classes
} income and wealth
} intermediate groups sink down to SC.
What does economic determinism mean?
- idea that economic factors determine + shape human behaviour + structure of society.
What does dual consciousness mean?
- idea that SC have 2 views on society
1. RC hegemony
2. true picture.
What does repressive state apparatus (RSA) mean?
- social institutions that control the population by use of threat/force.
} government, police, army
What does an ideological state apparatus (ISA) mean?
-mechanisms that transmit RC ideology
} enforces the submission of the SC.
i.e: education system, religion, family.
What was Marxism key idea 1?
- Historical materialism.
-economy was driving force in society ∴
social change is linked to the ways material is created/ distributed.
What does historical materialism mean?
-Historical: the struggle between haves + haves not.
-Materialism: material needs i.e food, shelter.
What was Marxism key idea 2?
-Structure of society.
What was the structure of society?
SUPERSTRUCTURE:
-ways of thinking/ideologies.
-transferred from social institutions.
MEANS OF PRODUCTION:
-natural resources.
-tech, land.
} economic base
RELATION OF PRODUCTION:
-workers + owners.
What was Marxism key idea 3?
- stages of society.
What are the stages of society?
-primitive communism
-slavery
-feudalism
-capitalism
-socialism
-communism
What does primitive communism mean?
- resources and property hunted or gathered are shared with all members of a group in accordance with individual needs.
What does slavery mean?
-social practice of owning human beings as property.
