week 2 wt - marxism Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is historical materialism?
a methodological approach to the study of society, economics, and history
first articulated by Karl Marx
looks for the causes of developments and changes in human societies in the means by which humans collectively produce the necessities of life
posits that the economic base (the mode of production) fundamentally shapes the superstructure (ideology, politics, culture).
Define “mode of production.”
the way a society organizes its economic activity
encompasses both the forces of production (the technological means and human labor power used to produce goods) and the relations of production (the social relationships that govern the ownership and control of the means of production)
examples include feudalism, capitalism, and socialism.
Explain the concept of “class struggle” in Marxist theory.
the conflict of interests between the different social classes that arise due to their opposing positions in the mode of production.
in capitalist societies, the primary class struggle is between the bourgeoisie (the owners of capital) and the proletariat (the wage laborers).
Marx argued that class struggle is the driving force of historical change.
What is the “superstructure” in Marxist theory?
the non-economic institutions and ideas in a society, including its legal and political systems, culture, religion, and ideology
Marx argued that the superstructure is shaped by the economic base and serves to legitimize and reproduce the existing relations of production.
How does Marx define “ideology”?
the dominant ideas and beliefs in a society that serve to mask or distort the underlying relations of power and exploitation
ideology functions to legitimize the rule of the dominant class + to prevent the subordinate classes from recognizing their true interests -> eg religion as the opium of the masses
What is “alienation” in Marxist thought?
the estrangement of workers from their labor, the products they produce, their fellow workers, and their own human potential under capitalism
Marx identified four main types of alienation: alienation from the product,
from the process of labor,
from other workers,
and from oneself.
Link to Ferguson ‘expectations of modernity’ (zambian mine workers) and Allison’s ‘precarious Japan’ (social isolation, lonely deaths) -> marxist approach to neoliberalism.
Explain Marx’s theory of “surplus value.”
the difference between the value a worker produces and the wage they receive.
Marx argued that capitalists extract surplus value from workers by paying them less than the full value of their labor.
surplus value is the source of capitalist profit and accumulation.
How does Alpa Shah apply Marxist theory in her analysis of Maoism in India?
Shah uses Marxist theory to understand the persistence of Maoism in India by examining the political and economic conditions that give rise to revolutionary movements.
emphasizes the importance of reintegrating analyses of political economy into theories of social change and understanding the ideological underpinnings of Maoist movements, particularly their appeal to marginalized groups like Adivasis.
she focuses on how the “muck of the past” shapes revolutionary futures.
What is Michael Taussig’s contribution to Marxist anthropology?
explores the ideological reactions of peasants to capitalist penetration, focusing on how they interpret and resist the imposition of wage labor.
work on “Devil’s Labor” examines how peasants in South America attribute increased productivity to a pact with the devil, reflecting their alienation from capitalist relations (copare to Weber and the protestant ethic).
he also discusses the “baptism of money” as a means to understand the creation of interest-bearing capital.
According to Kathleen Gough, what are the key features of “primitive communism”?
drawing on Marxist perspectives, she examines early human societies, suggesting that many practiced forms of “primitive communism.”
key features include communal ownership of resources, egalitarian social relations, and production for use rather than profit.
these societies often lacked strong hierarchies and class divisions.
What ethnographic context does Kathleen Gough use to discuss “primitive communism”?
draws on her fieldwork among the Nayars of Kerala, South India, and other anthropological studies of kin-based societies.
describes how land and resources were often held communally, with production and distribution organized around kinship groups rather than private property.
Gough highlights the absence of rigid class divisions and the collective management of resources, arguing these societies exemplify “primitive communism” as theorized by Marx and Engels.
How does Gough’s ethnography challenge the idea of a universal evolutionary path toward capitalism?
her detailed studies of South Indian matrilineal societies show that communal ownership and egalitarian relations persisted well into the colonial period, contradicting the notion that all societies inevitably progress toward private property and capitalism.
she demonstrates that colonialism and state intervention, rather than internal evolution, often disrupted communal systems and imposed capitalist relations.
What is the central ethnographic setting in Michael Taussig’s “The Genesis of Capitalism Amongst a South American Peasantry”?
based in the Cauca Valley of Colombia, where he studied rural peasants who had recently been incorporated into capitalist wage labor on sugar plantations.
He documents their beliefs about the devil and money, showing how these beliefs express anxieties and critiques about the new capitalist order.
How do Colombian peasants in Taussig’s study interpret wage labor and capitalist productivity?
Peasants believe that extraordinary productivity and wealth are achieved through a pact with the devil, a metaphor for the alienating and exploitative nature of wage labor.
The “baptism of money” ritual is seen as a way to make money “breed” more money, reflecting a local understanding of interest and capital accumulation as unnatural and morally suspect.
What does Taussig’s analysis of “the baptism of money” reveal about peasant critiques of capitalism?
The ritual of baptizing money, believed to make it multiply, is a symbolic critique of capitalist accumulation and the mysterious power of money to generate more money (interest).
Taussig argues that these beliefs are not simply “superstitions” but are sophisticated commentaries on the social and moral consequences of capitalist relations.
What is the ethnographic focus of Alpa Shah’s work on Maoism in India?
based on long-term fieldwork among Adivasi (indigenous) communities in Jharkhand, eastern India, where she lived in a Maoist guerrilla stronghold.
she documents everyday life, political mobilization, and the appeal of Maoist ideology among marginalized rural populations.
How do Adivasi experiences of dispossession and exploitation shape their support for Maoism, according to Shah?
Adivasis’ historical experiences of land loss, state violence, and economic marginalization make Maoist promises of justice and redistribution compelling.
Maoist mobilization draws on local grievances and memories of past injustices, blending Marxist ideas with indigenous concerns to create a powerful revolutionary movement.
How does Shah’s ethnography illustrate the concept of the “muck of the past”?
Shah uses the phrase “muck of the past” (from Marx) to describe how histories of oppression, caste, and colonialism continue to shape present struggles.
In her fieldwork, she observes how Maoist activists and Adivasi villagers reinterpret their histories to justify and energize revolutionary action, showing that the past is not simply a burden but a resource for imagining radical futures
