Sociology: Marxism

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This term relates to the forms of relationship involved between people involved in production (such as cooperation or private ownership and control - for example, whether workers are slaves or paid for their work).

Also known as the ruling class ideology, this is a set of ideas/beliefs of the most powerful groups in society, which influences the ideas of the rest of society (such as major institutions). Examples:

This is a structural theory/perspective of society. It sees society divided by conflict between 2 main opposing social classes (conflict theory), due to private ownership of the means of production. It is highly critical of capitalism, as it argues the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. The working class feel alienated and exploited. Although some structures such as religion and family provide some relief, they also make people accept their oppressed position (false consciousness)

May also be referred to as false class consciousness, this is described by Marxists as a failure by members of a social class to recognise their real interests, which are that they are being exploited and will need to rebel against the bourgeoisie.

Marx believed this political ideology would arise after a revolution against and overthrow of the bourgeoisie. This political ideology would change society to be equal, in which the means of production would be the common property of all, and would be without exploitation, without classes and without class conflict.

This term relates to people's capacity to work. People sell their labour power to the employer in return for a wage, and the employer buys only their labour power, and not the whole person.

This terms relates to seeing society as a structure which influences individuals to behave orderly and patterned ways. Marxism is often referred to as this because it sees parts of society as linked together in a structure.

This term relates to the extra value added by workers to products they produce, going to the employer as profit (extra money employers have on hand after paying wages).

This term relates to capitalists keeping wages low and getting maximum profits (exploitation), led to this between the 2 classes. For the workers, they wanted higher wages to have a better lifestyle, but that would mean less profits for the boss. The bosses wanted higher profits to expand their businesses and wealth, but this could only happen with low wages and forcing workers to work harder.

This is a social class of workers, who work for wages and don't own the means of production.

This term, sometimes referred to as the upper class, is used by Marxists to describe social class of owners of the means of production. They have control over the economy, so have power over all aspects in society, enabling them to rule over it.

This is an economic system characterised by private ownership of the means of production, which encourages the individual pursuit of profit. In this type of society, Marxists argue it is based on 2 social classes, the bourgeoisie (ruling class), who own the means of production, and proletariat (working class), who are exploited for their wage labour.

This term relates to the key resources necessary for producing society's goods.

This term relates to members of a social class becoming aware of their real interests and their exploitation. Marx believed this would happen in society eventually, and the workers would join together to act against the bourgeoisie through strikes, demonstrations and other forms of protest, leading to a revolution against and overthrow of the bourgeoisie.

A more commonly used term for this group of people nowadays would be capitalists. This group is the class of owners of the means of production in industrial societies. Their primary purpose is profit.