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Karl Marx & Marxist Theory Presented by: Christine P. Lee Hassan Khannenje

Topics
Who was Karl Marx?
Key Concepts and Ideology
Criticism of Marxist ideas
Neo-Marxism
Influence of Karl Marx’s theory on the modern world system
Contribution of Marxist theory to the study of conflict

Who was Karl Marx?
Marx was born into a German Bourgeois family on May 5, 1818.
He is widely referred to as a philosopher, political-economist and journalist
Karl Marx was married to Jenny von Westphalen, the educated daughter of a Prussian baron on June 19, 1843. They had seven children, three of whom survived to adulthood.
Karl Marx’s close friend and fellow scholar was Fredrich Engels, the eldest son of a German textile manufacturer.
Karl Marx died March 14, 1883. He was buried in Highgate Cemetery, London, on 17 March 1883. The message carved on Marx's tombstone is: "WORKERS OF ALL LANDS, UNITE”.

Short Clip on Communist Ideology
Communist Ideology

Key Concepts
Historical Materialism: This is the idea that development is contingent on the emergence and maintenance of social classes (bourgeois- owned the means of production: capitalists and; proletariat- laborers/working class), ideologies and political structures. Materialism dictates our consciousness
Exploitation: Marx believed that Capitalism can only thrive on the exploitation of the working class.
Alienation: The workers are forced to sell their labor to the Capitalist in order to survive.
Superstructure: is the particular form through which human subjectivity engages with the material substance of society.
Substructure: the economic base.

Key Concepts
Human Nature: Marx believed that there was a real contradiction between human nature and the way that we must work in capitalist society.
Dialecticism: The belief that everything has two sides. The basic idea is the centrality of contradiction and reality is a study of contradictions.
Dialectical analysis: social facts and social values are intertwined and the study of social phenomena is value-laden
Economic Determinism: belief that social developments are ultimately caused by economic factors.

Key Concepts
Capitalism: Marx believed that capitalism is not only an economic system it is a political system
Fetishism of Commodities: social relationships are defined by the values that are placed on commodities (wares offered for exchange).
Surplus Value: the profit difference between what the good is sold for and what it actually cost to make.
Class Struggles: Marx believed that conflict produces class and inherently class produces conflict.

Ideology
1. Ideas that naturally emerge out of everyday life with capitalism and reflect reality in an inverted manner.
2. Marx believed there was a system of ruling ideas that are in place to hide the contradictions in society.
Marx does not believe people are free under capitalism because they do not have control over their own labor and products of their labor, neither does equality exists.
Marx believed that religion was used to blind people to the injustices and oppression that they were suffering under capitalism, thus making it more bearable.
Political Ideology: COMMUNISM- the establishment of a classless, stateless social organization, based upon common ownership of the means of production- in which the state “withers away”.
EXCERPT FROM THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO
3:46

Summary
Society is rooted around contradictions that create a dialectic- comprised of antithetical forces that generate social change
Labor is sold as a commodity which leads to alienation
Accumulation of capital rests on exploitation of the proletariat
Resulting contradictions leads to a class conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat
Struggle and strife is the engine of progress and social conflict was the core of historical process
The struggle leads at a revolution in which the capitalists are overthrown-resulting in classless society

Neo-Marxism
20 th century term that most loosely may be applied to a variety of scholars, whose work has been influenced by classical Marxist
They share a common point of departure and subject matter in Marx’s social theory and the social order of 20 th century Capitalism.
They are concerned more with culture and ideology rather than, economics.

Neo-Marxist Scholars and Theories
Conflict theorists e.g.. Dahrendorf believed like Marx that the social structure is important in defining conflict- his focus on positions and authority rather than work
George Lukacs: ‘Western Marxism’
Gramsci: ‘Cultural Hegemony’
Social Functionalism: Society is a system that must fulfill certain functional roles
Social Structuralism: Individuals live according to the dictates of society, human behavior is determined/ influenced by society

Neo-Marxist Scholars and Theories
Critical Theories: criticized different aspects of social and intellectual life to more accurately explain society.
Jurgen Habermas: ‘Communicative action’- communication is the foundation of all sociocultural life and human sciences.
Immanuel Wallerstein: ‘World systems’- 2 types: (1) World Empire and (2) the modern Capitalist world-economy
Andre Gunder Frank;Paul Baran-Neo-Marxist dependency theorists
Concepts : Periphery, semi periphery and Core .

Contributions of Marxism
Elaboration of the conflict model of society, specifically his theory of social change based on antagonisms between classes
The idea that power originates primarily in economic production
Concern with the social origins of alienation
Understanding of modern capitalism
Welfare state

Discussion
Criticism of Marxist Ideas
Critically discuss Marxist interpretation of society
Neo-Marxism
Differentiate between Classical Marxism and Neo Marxism
Influence of Karl Marx’s theory on the modern world system
What is the relevance of Marxist ideas on Modern society?
Contribution of Marxist theory to the study of conflict
What have we learnt from Marxist ideas in our study of the causes of conflict.

For Your Information
You can view our presentation materials along with information and resources on Marx at:
www.chrilee.blogspot.com
Thank You!!

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by chrilee on Jan 24, 2007

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