Marxism

• Infrastructure

  The economic system
• Superstructure

  made up of social institutions e.g. family, education, religion
• False class consciousness-

  Ruling class ideology suggests that society is meritocratic causing the W/C to fall under a false class consciousness as they are unaware they are being exploited
• Evaluation-

  -Marxists put too much emphasis on conflict

  -marx reduces all social behaviour to class relationships (economic reductionism)

  -Marx predicted a polarisation (small rich minority, extremely poor majority) however there has been massive middle class growth which was not anticipated
• Repressive and ideological state apparatus-

  -Repressive- coercive institutions such as the police and the army

  -Ideological- education, mass media and religion

  These institutions socialise the W/C into passive acceptance of their exploitation (false class consciousness)
• Behaviour isn't always shaped by the economic system- Gramsci

  Believes ideas could exist independently of the infrastructure and superstructure which could challenge the hegemony or cultural dominance of the bourgeoisie
• What type of theory is marxism

  macro, structual and conflict
• 3 distinctive functions of capitalism

  1. The poletariat are legally seperated from the means of production (alienation), they have to sell their labour power to the ruling class in return for labour
  2. The means of production is in the hands of TNCs, comp forces capitalists to pay the lowest wage possible
  3. Capitalism continually expands the forces of production in pursuit of profit
• Scientific marxism

  • Althusser- ideological state apparatus
  • determinism - we lack free will
  • Capitalism will collapse when the inevitable contradictions cause the system to collapse
  • we will then turn to communism
• Humanistic marxism

  • Gramsci- we have free will
  • Capitalism will collapse when the proletariat gain class consciousness and develop a counter hegemony
  • e.g. that capitalism is unfair and overthrow the system