6. Karl Marx was born on 5th May 1818 and died on 14th
March 1883 at the age of 64.
Marx is widely referred to as a Philosopher, Sociologist,
Political Economist, and a Journalist.
He is Know as Father of Scientific Socialism,
communism and conflict theory.
Karl Marx studied law , history , philosophy at the
university of Berlin , then University of Jena.
He wrote The Communist Manifesto and was the author
of Das Kapital, which together formed the basis of
Marxism.
7. In 1843, He married jenny von Westphalen, and the
couple move to Paris ,where Marx began to develop his
ideas about Economics and politics.
In 1848 ,Marx and His collaborator Friedrich Engles
published “The Communists Manifesto”, a revolutionary
pamphlet that called for the overthrow of capitalist
system and the establishment of a social society.
Marx’s most famous work is “Das Kapital” ,a three
volume study of capitalism.
9. Capitalism: Marx believed that capitalism is not only an economic
system but it is also a political system.
Class Struggles: Marx believed that conflict produces class and
inherently class produces conflict.
Exploitation: Marx believed that capitalism can only thrive exploitation
of the working class.
Aleination:The works are forced to sell their labour to th Capitalists to
survive
10. Dialectical Materialism: Theory that states historical and political
events are a result of the conflict of social forces and are interpretable
as a series of condradictions and their solutions.
Historical Materialism: Theory that locates historical change in the rise
of class societies and the way people work together to make their
livelihoods.
Communism. Communism suggests that everyone in society
contributes and works according to their ability , and gets back
everything according to their needs.
Socialism: Socialism suggests that contribution is made from everyone
according to their ability but they get back according to the size of their
contribution.
12. Class conflict theory:
Sociological theory.
Seeks to explain political and economic events in
terms of ongoing struggle over finite resources.
Marx emphasizes the antagonistic relationship
between social classes
13. According to Karl Marx, all history is the history of class
conflict. Different epochs are characterized by an
oppressed class seizing power and defeating an
oppressor class. When this happens , the previous
oppressed becomes a new oppressor, even as social
relations undergo significant changes. In Marx’s
understanding , a class is a social position that many
individuals have that defines both their labor and physical
sub-systems.The class conflict definition , then ,is the
struggle over the means to control society. Two class in
particular are important for understanding Marx’s theory,
the proletariat and the bourgeoisie.
Class & Class conflict:
14. Proletariat Vs Bourgeoisie:
The bourgeoisie are those who make their living
through property or through ownership of the
means of production.
The bourgeoisie according
to Karl , during middle ages was usually a
self-employed businessman such as a
merchant , banker, or entrepreneur.
The proletariat are people who earn a
wage for living, especially people who
dependent on manual , daily , or
casual labor.
16. According to Marx, social stratification divides society in to two classes and the
unequal distribution of wealth leads to discontent and ultimately to revolution
in the society. Ultimately to revolution in the society.
Marx presented a dichotomous model of class, he opined that with the
development in capitalist system, the middle class will disappear
When despite hard work and labor they would not be able to attain their
objectives ,they will join hands with subordinate class (proletariats) and thus
over-throw the ruling (proletariats) and thus over-throw the ruling class
(bourgeoisie).
Many thinkers explain inequality in the society ,Marx was the only one who
gave the ray of hope that his inequality will be demolished in the post-
capitalist society.
18. 1)Societies are not simply reflections of economic systems.
2)There are interest groups in societies that are unrelated to social
classes.
3)Those who possess power in capitalist society are not always those
with the highest income or the owners of the most property.
4)Conflict in a large modern society is rarely bipolarized.
5)Social conflict does not always lead to structural social change.
Criticism of Marx’s theory: