Marxism

MARXISM
 ORIGIN: It developed from the works of 19th-century German philosophers Karl

Marx and Friedrich Engels.
 DEFINITION: A method of socioeconomic analysis that applies a materialist

interpretation of historical development, known as historical materialism, to
understand class relations and social conflict.
CORE CONCEPTS
THE MODES OF PRODUCTION IN MARXIST THEORY

According to Marxist theory, the "mode of production" is the core concept that describes how
a society organizes its economic activities and production. Marx identified several historical
modes of production that have shaped the social and political structures of different societies:
 Primitive Communism: In the earliest stage of human development, societies were
organized around primitive communism. These were hunter-gatherer communities
with collective ownership of resources and a lack of social stratification. There was no
surplus production, so there was no exploitation or class conflict.
 Asiatic Mode of Production: This mode was characterized by centralized, despotic
states controlling agricultural production. The state owned the land and means of
production, and peasants worked the land as virtual serfs. There was little private
property or class conflict.
 Slave Society:In slave societies, the means of production were owned by a ruling
class who controlled the labor of slaves. Slaves were considered property and had no
rights or ownership. This led to an antagonistic class relationship between the slave
owners and the enslaved.
 Feudalism: Under feudalism, land was the primary means of production, owned by a
landed aristocracy. Peasants worked the land as serfs, bound to the land and the lord
who owned it. This created a class division between the feudal lords and the
peasantry.
 Capitalism: The capitalist mode of production is defined by private ownership of the
means of production and the exploitation of wage labor. Capitalists own the factories,
machinery, and raw materials, while workers must sell their labor in order to survive.
This leads to an inherent conflict of interest and class struggle between the
bourgeoisie (capitalists) and the proletariat (workers).
Marx argued that each mode of production gives rise to a distinct social structure, class
system, and power dynamics. The transition from one mode to another, driven by the
development of productive forces, leads to revolutionary change and the overthrow of the
existing social order. This historical progression is a core tenet of Marxist theory. The mode
of production is thus the foundation that shapes the political, social, and cultural
superstructure of a society, according to the Marxist perspective. Understanding these
historical modes is crucial to Marxist analysis of social transformation.
MARXIST CLASS THEORY

In capitalist societies, Karl Marx identified two primary classes: the bourgeoisie and the
proletariat. The bourgeoisie, who own the means of production (land, factories, machinery,
etc.), and the proletariat, who only have their labor to sell, are inherently in conflict. This
conflict is a driving force of historical change and is central to Marx's theory of class struggle
and historical materialism.
Ownership of the Means of Production:
 Bourgeoisie: Own the means of production, including land, factories, machinery, and
other productive assets. They employ wage labor and derive their income primarily
from profit.
 Proletariat: Do not own any means of production and must sell their labor power to
survive. They are paid wages but do not receive the full value of their labor, as the
surplus value is appropriated by the bourgeoisie as profit.
Class Struggle:
 Conflict of Interest: The bourgeoisie seek to maximize profits by exploiting the
proletariat. This exploitation is inherent to the capitalist mode of production, where
the proletariat is forced to work for wages that are insufficient to meet their needs,
leaving the surplus value to be appropriated by the bourgeoisie.
 Historical Change: Marx believed that this class struggle was the driving force of
historical change. As capitalism develops, the disparity between the life conditions of
the bourgeoisie and the proletariat intensifies, leading to increased class consciousness
and collective political action by the proletariat.
Class Consciousness:
 Class in Itself: The proletariat initially lacks collective awareness of its economic
situation and does not actively work to change it. They are a "class in itself" but not
yet a "class for itself".
 Class for Itself: Through the struggle, the proletariat gains consciousness and becomes
aware of its social status. This transformation from a "class in itself" to a "class for
itself" is crucial for the proletariat to become a revolutionary force capable of
overthrowing the bourgeoisie.
Socialist Revolution:
 Overthrow of the Bourgeoisie: Marx predicted that the proletariat would eventually
overthrow the bourgeoisie in a socialist revolution. This revolution would establish a
classless society where the means of production are collectively owned and the
exploitation of the working class is eliminated.
 Communist Society: In a communist society, the free development of each is the
condition for the free development of all. Production would be for use rather than
profit, and there would be no class, no state, and no need for money.
Marx's theory of class struggle and ownership in capitalist societies is centered on the
inherent conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie exploit the
proletariat to maximize profits, leading to a class struggle that drives historical change. The
proletariat, initially a "class in itself," becomes a "class for itself" through the struggle and
gains the consciousness necessary to overthrow the bourgeoisie in a socialist revolution. This
revolution would establish a classless society where production is for use rather than profit.
While Marx's theory has been subject to criticism and extensions, it remains a foundational
concept in Marxist thought and continues to influence sociopolitical theories and analyses.
HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
Historical materialism is a theory of history developed by Karl Marx that analyzes societal
development based on the interaction between productive forces (technology, labor,
resources) and social relations (class struggles, power dynamics). It argues that how a society
produces and owns things determines its social, political, and cultural systems.
Marx believed that the material conditions of production (the mode of production) shape the
social, political and cultural superstructure of a society. In other words, the economic base
determines the ideological superstructure. For example, in feudal societies, the mode of
production was based on a system of land ownership and serfdom, which in turn shaped the
political and social structures of those societies.
DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM
The Foundations of Dialectical Materialism
 Dialectical materialism is a core tenet of Marxist philosophy that explains how social
progress and revolutionary change occur. It is based on the idea that reality is
fundamentally dialectical composed of contradictions and opposing forces that drive
development and transformation.
 At its core, dialectical materialism posits that the material world is in a constant state
of flux, with contradictions and conflicts inherent within every mode of production.
As the productive forces (technology, labor, resources) advance, they inevitably come
into conflict with the existing social relations (property ownership, class structure).
Contradictions Drive Social Change
 This contradiction between the productive forces and social relations is the driving
force behind social progress and revolutionary change. As the productive forces
develop, they begin to outgrow and undermine the existing social order, creating
tensions and crises within the system.
 For example, in capitalist societies, the development of new technologies and
production methods (the productive forces) comes into conflict with the private
ownership of the means of production (the social relations). This contradiction leads
to economic crises, class struggle, and eventually the potential for a proletarian
revolution to overthrow the capitalist system .
The Dialectical Process of Transformation
 According to dialectical materialism, this process of contradiction and resolution is a
dialectical one. The existing social relations are "negated" by the development of the
productive forces, leading to a new synthesis that resolves the contradiction, but also
contains new contradictions that will drive further change.
 This dialectical process of negation and synthesis is what Marx and Engels saw as the
engine of historical progress, leading to the eventual transformation of capitalist
society into a socialist or communist system based on collective ownership and the
abolition of class exploitation.
TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIETY
The ultimate goal of Marxism is the transformation of capitalist society into a socialist or
communist society, where the means of production are collectively owned and the
exploitation of the working class is eliminated. This would be achieved through a proletarian
revolution, after which the state would "wither away" and a classless, egalitarian society
would emerge.
Marx believed that as capitalism develops, it creates its own gravediggers - the proletariat, or
working class. As the contradictions of capitalism intensify, the proletariat would rise up and
overthrow the bourgeoisie, establishing a socialist society based on collective ownership and
democratic control of the economy.

Marxism

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Marxism

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Marxism

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MARXISM

 ORIGIN: It developed from the works of 19th-century German philosophers Karl

 DEFINITION: A method of socioeconomic analysis that applies a materialist

THE MODES OF PRODUCTION IN MARXIST THEORY

MARXIST CLASS THEORY

You might also like