Outline the Contribution of Marxism to Our Society
OUTLINE THE CONTRIBUTION OF MARXISM TO OUR UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIETY
Marxism is an ideology based on the economic and political theories of Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels. Karl Marx who was born in Germany in 1818 was a revolutionary whose ideas on society were the foundation of communism. Under modern capitalism the means of production, such as factories, land, and technology are controlled by a small minority who Marx called the bourgeoisie. Production is carried out by the working class, known as the proletarians who have to sell their labour or face poverty or starvation. Taken together these two classes form the economic base of society, what Marx called the substructure. Marx saw that there was conflict between these two divisions and that this could only be resolved by a revolution, which would lead to a classless society, where the means of production would be held collectively. All Marx’s theories use social class as a starting point for analysis. In this essay we will explore two areas where Marx’s theories have had influence, crime and deviance and education. Marx saw the bourgeoisie as controlling these institutions. Marxists believe that these institutions form part of the superstructure of society with the economy as its base. Marx believed that crime was a product of poverty and the law is manipulated by the ruling class for their own protection. Marx saw society controlled through socialisation and threat. In the process of socialisation through education, media and religion the WC are programmed to accept a society who support a capitalist, political and economic system designed to protect the bourgeoisie. A study by (West et al 1973) of 411 boys followed from age eight to eighteen found that poverty, large family size, low intelligence, bad parenting and having a parent with a criminal record where all factors in youth criminality. If more than three of these contributing factors were present, subjects were six times more likely to have a
Marxism is an ideology based on the economic and political theories of Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels. Karl Marx who was born in Germany in 1818 was a revolutionary whose ideas on society were the foundation of communism. Under modern capitalism the means of production, such as factories, land, and technology are controlled by a small minority who Marx called the bourgeoisie. Production is carried out by the working class, known as the proletarians who have to sell their labour or face poverty or starvation. Taken together these two classes form the economic base of society, what Marx called the substructure. Marx saw that there was conflict between these two divisions and that this could only be resolved by a revolution, which would lead to a classless society, where the means of production would be held collectively. All Marx’s theories use social class as a starting point for analysis. In this essay we will explore two areas where Marx’s theories have had influence, crime and deviance and education. Marx saw the bourgeoisie as controlling these institutions. Marxists believe that these institutions form part of the superstructure of society with the economy as its base. Marx believed that crime was a product of poverty and the law is manipulated by the ruling class for their own protection. Marx saw society controlled through socialisation and threat. In the process of socialisation through education, media and religion the WC are programmed to accept a society who support a capitalist, political and economic system designed to protect the bourgeoisie. A study by (West et al 1973) of 411 boys followed from age eight to eighteen found that poverty, large family size, low intelligence, bad parenting and having a parent with a criminal record where all factors in youth criminality. If more than three of these contributing factors were present, subjects were six times more likely to have a