Family : Marxist - Revolution and Communism

• Revolution and Communism

  Marx thought that one day the circumstances would arise in which the workers did become aware of their exploitation. They would develop class consciousness (an awareness of their real interests and their exploitation) and would join together to act against the bourgeoisie through strikes, demonstrations and other forms of protest. This would eventually lead to a revolution against and overthrow of the bourgeoisie.
• Revolution and Communism

  The means of production would then be put in the hands of the state and run in the interests of everyone, not just of the bourgeoisie. Marx foresaw this leading to a new form of society which he called communism. This new communist society would be an equal society, in which the means of production would be the common property of all, and would be without exploitation, without classes and without class conflict.
• Revolution and Communism

  Marx therefore saw society based on the exploitation of one large class by a small group of owners, creating social classes with opposing interests, and inequalities of wealth and power in society, Rather than seeing society functioning harmoniously as the functionalists do, Marxists see society based on conflict between rival social classes (class conflict) with social institutions serving to maintain the interests of a ruling class. However, like functionalists, Marxists see the behaviour of individuals as still largely determined or moulded by social institutions.