Marxism

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  • Marxism
    • Key points
      • structural theory - has a macro approach that looks at the whole of society and sees people as moulded and shaped to become the products of society
      • conflict theory - based on disagreement in society and sees conflict as the main feature of society. society is divided into a weaker group and a powerful group
      • Based on the views of Karl Marx
    • Main beliefs
      • society was divided by social class into two groups; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat
      • we live in a capitalist society - an economic system where all of the means of production are privately owned and sold for profits
      • the relationship between the classes is unequal
      • they rely on each other for survival
      • Marx believed capitalism would end by the proletariat starting a revolution against the bourgeoisie and taking over the MOP resulting in a communist society
    • Proletariat
      • exploited by the bourgeoisie by being paid unfair wages
      • dont own anything so they sell their labour to earn money to survive
      • they are unaware of being exploited - in a state of FCC
      • they have been socialised into RCI - norms and beliefs and values that only benefit the bourgeoisie and capitalism
      • they are socialised into capitalist norms and values because the bourgeoisie also control the superstructure
      • Marx believed they would rebel against the ruling class in the form of a revolution
      • socialised into believing; work hard, good people work, dont rebel, obey the rules, follow orders
    • Bourgeoisie
      • the ruling and more powerful class in society
      • Owned all of the means of production; factories, land, raw materials, machinery
      • exploited the bourgeoisie by paying them unfair wages
      • Socialised the proletariat into RCI by controlling the superstructure of society
      • relies on the subject class to work for them because they had no intention of working themselves
      • Owns the economic base which shapes society
    • Structure of society
      • the two parts of society are the economic base (MOP) and the superstructure (institutions)
      • the economic base represents capitalism and shapes the rest of society creating the superstructure
      • the superstructure socialises people into RCI and FCC making them become ideal workers for the Bourgeoisie
      • the proletariat work for the bourgeoisie because they need the money and they live by RCI
      • the proletariat carry on working which maintains the economic base and superstructure
    • strengths
      • we live in a capitalist society
      • people today are still stuck in dead end jobs that alienates them from exhaustion
      • people can be pressured into certain jobs which they dont like
      • Lack of job satisfaction for many people
      • there has been many examples of exploitation in the work place all over the world and it still happens in other countries
      • there are higher levels of competition for certain jobs
      • many zero hour contracts today
      • people might not have the right skills for certain jobs
      • there aren't enough jobs to go round
    • Weaknesses
      • Many people are self employed therefore they aren't ruled over by anyone
      • Society isn't as harsh as when Marx was alive - welfare system
      • we aren't forced to work
      • we have laws and workers rights and minimum wage
      • businesses want to treat workers well so it doesn't damage their image and to give them good publicity
      • we have highly varied jobs in society today
      • we have trade unions
  • Proletariat - suffering
    • False class consciousness- the proletariat are unaware that they are being exploited because the institutions of society socialise them into RCI
      • Becoming aware of their exploitation would lead to class consciousness
    • Polarisation - the relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat moving further away from each other because of the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer
    • alienation - a large sense of exclusion and separation. caused because their work made them physically and mentally exhausted. caused by lack of control of work and long tedious hours of labour
    • Mind control - the method used by the bourgeoisie in order to make them comply with their capitalist norms and values and RCI
      • Ruling class Ideology - a set of beliefs that only benefit the capitalist system and the bourgeoisie
    • Proletariat
      • exploited by the bourgeoisie by being paid unfair wages
      • dont own anything so they sell their labour to earn money to survive
      • they are unaware of being exploited - in a state of FCC
      • they have been socialised into RCI - norms and beliefs and values that only benefit the bourgeoisie and capitalism
      • they are socialised into capitalist norms and values because the bourgeoisie also control the superstructure
      • Marx believed they would rebel against the ruling class in the form of a revolution
      • socialised into believing; work hard, good people work, dont rebel, obey the rules, follow orders

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