Was Marx.pdf

Was Marx Right?
10/18/21, 11:39 AMOpinion | ÔI Am the Portrait of Downward MobilityÕ - The New York
TimesPage 3 of 26https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/17/opinion/inequality-
economy-1980.htmlEvery time IÕve gotten a little bit of momentum, everything just grinds
to ahalt.ÓLauren Bruce, Madison, Wis. Higher education administratorMy financial situation
is vastly worse than that of my parents, who were40 when I was born.
economy-1980.htmlThey always owned houses and had new cars, never worried
aboutseeing a doctor, benefited from solid pensions and preached thatcollege was the
secret to their success. (Their tuition in 1960sArkansas was about $250 a semester.) There
were opportunities forthem that they were able to take advantage of. There was a ladder.
I'mnot sure that ladder exists any more.I put myself through college, graduating with a
reasonable $40,000 indebt and an education degree right into the beginning of the
recession.The debt has ballooned, after IÕve gotten halfway through a masterÕsdegree, to
about $70,000, despite my paying it back for almost 15years.ItÕs hard with student loans
because thereÕs so much animus and kindof shame wrapped up in it. So much of culture
tells you, ÒThis was yourdecision, you took out the money, you should have known that you
weregoing to pay it back.Ó These are predatory loans. I went to a stateschool and took out a
reasonable amount of loans and then graduatedinto a recession where I just couldnÕt pay
them.There was no recognition at all in 2008 of people like me who came outof school and
immediately had to go into forbearance and defermentand were just racking up interest for
the duration while we were tryingto get jobs. I ended up working in a call center for the next
seven oreight years. I could not get a job that had anything to do with my degreeat all.I have
always worked, sometimes two, three, four jobs and side gigs ata time, and did so with a
can-do attitude because we needed it and ithad to be done. But with student loans, it was
like throwing money intoa black hole.
economy-1980.htmlAt this point my payments donÕt even cover the interest. ItÕs so, so
fargone. And thereÕs no getting out of it. ItÕs like a black cloud over yourhead.When my
oldest child was little, I scratched our way into a great schoolsystem that was fed by a rich
neighborhood, and he frequently foundhimself the kid with a bad haircut in secondhand
clothes sitting next tofine-boned doctorsÕ children with BMWs in the school parking

lot.Now he is college age, and I canÕt help him. So then weÕre talking abouttwo generations
of student loans compounded for a college degree thateveryone agrees my son needs to
succeed in life.This is the second big recession for us. ItÕs not like I can just pull outmoney
from my 401(k). I emptied my 401(k) to pay for what I neededduring the last
recession.Every time IÕve gotten a little bit of momentum, everything just grinds toa
halt.My opinion is that because of the infrastructural changes, the policydecisions that were
made between 1963, when my parents were incollege, and when it was time for me to start
making big decisionsaround 2000, the deck was fully stacked against individuals and
loadedfor big corporate entities to consolidate money and power at theexpense of us.I don't
think it was that way for my parents when they were young.The life I envisioned having
when I decided to follow in my fatherÕs footstepshas not materialized.ÓErick Axcell,
Lawrence, Kan. Pharmacist
economy-1980.htmlIÕm a pharmacist like my dad. I ended up taking over his store, which
hestarted a few months before I was born. I grew up in it. ThereÕs picturesof me on the
pharmacy counter when I was 7 weeks old.The life I envisioned having when I decided to
follow in my fatherÕsfootsteps has not materialized. My worries about job security, and if
the
economy-1980.htmlstore will be able to stay open in the future, are constant stressors.It's
nothing like when my dad started. George W. Bush and theMedicare Part D program really
changed things. Now insurancecompanies are just squeezing you so hard. The big guys
obviously writeall the rules so it's just constantly a challenge.Our pharmacy is allowed to
stay open during this crisis. WeÕreconsidered an essential business. Originally the sales
went sky highbecause everybody was stocking up, which is good because they donÕthave to
come back in. But we wonÕt see these people for 30 to 90 days.ItÕs all changing so fast Ñ
who knows what will happen 30 days fromnow?It has opened my eyes about government
systems. My wife and sisterhave both filed for unemployment. I think people are realizing
that, youknow, there is a reason for government interaction and help at times.Hopefully
after this administration, especially after the pandemic andeverything, maybe people will
see that thereÕs a reason for safety nets.Health care just has to be universal. ItÕs not just
freeloading. You need itbecause you have to have it to survive.WeÕre thinking about having
kids. I grew up with three kids in ourfamily.I canÕt imagine having three kids now and
living the samelifestyle that my dad lived with my mom. Just financially, I donÕt see anyway
that we would be at the level that they were back then, with thecosts of education, health
care, mortgage and everything else. Youworry about bringing somebody into a world thatÕs
a much worse worldthan you even imagined was possible.I didnÕt want to put myself in a
situation where I would have to struggleÉ I
economy-1980.htmlwanted to break the cycle.ÓChristopher Thomas, Alexandria, Va. Poet

and teaching artistI grew up in a two-bedroom home in the Õ80s. My mother was a
singleparent with five children. I am the youngest of the five. We were neverwithout
anything, but we were also very mindful of what we had. There
economy-1980.htmlwas struggle there.But there wasnÕt any sign of doubt or worry. We
learned at a really earlyage to appreciate all that we got. It actually made me
appreciateeverything I have now. I worked for it all, yes, but IÕm also content withwhat I
have.I lost my mother when I turned 10 years old. My brother and I moved inwith my older
sister and her husband. He and I were abused. I beganwriting poetry at age 13 because I
couldnÕt bear the emotional painanymore. I began writing to escape all that.I am very
fortunate to have the opportunity of being a teaching artistand a public speaker with no
college education. Most of my work iscentered on child abuse prevention awareness, Black
Lives Matter andthe L.G.B.T.Q. community. I teach workshops on being who you are.
Thepower of poetry is so ignored. I want to keep going because art doessave lives.My
mother worked literally until the day she died. She had no healthinsurance, no pension plan,
no 401(k). Looking back on it, it breaks myheart, knowing that she didnÕt have an
opportunity to have thosebenefits available for her.I am very fortunate to have those things.
ThatÕs something that IÕvewanted for myself. I didnÕt want to put myself in a situation
where Iwould have to struggle, not have anything to fall back, not have a plan inplace. I
wanted to break the cycle.A lot of Americans do not have those things. That is something I
havenever understood, especially in this day and age. I think things likehealth care and
retirement plans should be automatically put into place
TimesPage 10 of
26https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/17/opinion/inequality-economy-
1980.htmlfor people.If you want a world full of future doctors, lawyers, senators,
presidents,then education should be free. You want American children to go tocollege, to go
to school, but they have to pay for it. Why? You shouldnot charge for education. And student
loan debt? Abolish it. If we haddebt forgiveness in America, I honestly think financially we'd
be betteroff. I really do.My parents very much believe that you can pull yourself up by
yourbootstraps.ÓMelissa Haddock, Florence, Ala. Administrator
TimesPage 11 of
1980.htmlI really, really hope that this pandemic changes things in our countryand stresses
the need for health care for all and more equality ingeneral.My parents, a mechanic and a
waitress in rural Alabama, were able topurchase a home and land and save money for the
future. When I was a
TimesPage 12 of
1980.htmlchild we lived in a trailer, but they transformed it room by room into athree-

bedroom house with multiple levels and chicken coops andgreenhouses and all kinds of
stuff. I live week to week and rent.I am an admin, which you think would be a decent living.
You should beable to afford a car payment and a house payment. I mean, thatÕs whatmy
parents could have done. It was more affordable; their fair wageswent further. But that is
not something thatÕs a reality for me.I donÕt have health insurance. IÕve been opting out of
my companyÕscoverage because it costs so much. Our wages have not gone up thatmuch
and IÕm single. ItÕs really hard to afford a place just on my ownand thereÕs no way I could
afford the upkeep of owning a home.My parents very much believe that you can pull
yourself up by yourbootstraps. And thatÕs great when you have the resources to do that.But
what about when we donÕt? What about when you donÕt have a bigfamily or a church that
is that safety net for you? There is no resourcebeyond my job. If I donÕt hustle and make the
money, then weÕrehomeless. We need universal basic income and Medicare for all.I quit
school about two months before I graduated. Then I got my G.E.D.and started university
after I already had two kids and started goingthrough a divorce. Things happened, and I had
to withdraw fromschool. And that left me owing money to a university. I havenÕt beenable
to pay that money back.My 19-year-old son has special needs, and he has been in long-
termcare with the state. He is secure, thank God. Definitely a factor inreturning custody to
the state for his care was that I needed toguarantee that it wasnÕt all on me. He needed
more than what onesingle person could provide.
TimesPage 13 of
1980.htmlWhen the coronavirus hit, the state was either going to cut off visits orsend him
home to quarantine. And so they sent him home. IÕve beenable to spend a lot of time with
him and so thatÕs been really nice.I already worked from home before this. The biggest
change isimpressing upon my 18-year-old daughter the importance of socialdistancing.
That has been the toughest part. I live in northwesternAlabama. WeÕre a red state. Being
careful is for Democrats andsnowflakes. So IÕve seen a lot of misinformation, a lot of people
postingmemes about how this is no worse than the flu.My daughterÕs prom was two weeks
into quarantine. She dressed up.The cat was her date, and we took pictures.My daughter is
talking about maybe going into the military so that shehas some stability and free college so
she doesnÕt take on that loan forschool. SheÕs talking about waiting a little bit to go to
college. I justwant her to have meaningful work and when she gets sick she can goget health
care.I would just really love for her to have a better country than what wehave right now.I
have done better than my parents. I had the luxury of starting here.ÓIngrid Thompson,
Bronx Advertising copywriter
TimesPage 14 of
1980.htmlMy parents instilled the importance of an excellent education. Althoughmy
parents were educated and did well for themselves, as Jamaicanimmigrants they had to
reinvent themselves when they came here. Ihave done better than my parents. I had the
luxury of starting here.I feel that in my family in particular the mind-set has always been

thateach generation held the responsibility to set the next generation up foreven more
success than the last. That is something I hope to instill inour children: You work hard, and
you don't forget your roots and whereyour family has come from. You never take an
education oropportunities for granted. That in itself is building generational wealthbecause
you're setting a mind-set for gratitude.Having a level playing field for education is
important. I love the idea offree preschool for all. Things like state colleges offering free
tuition isalso an excellent idea. A lot of people just canÕt afford college.
TimesPage 15 of
1980.htmlIÕm still working now. We have what you call a mother-in-law type ofhouse. My
mother is with us and sheÕs able to help with our son, who is2. At the beginning of the
lockdown it was really, really hard because Ifelt like I was doing more work than I would
normally in a regular weekat the office. I shared that sentiment on Facebook and Instagram,
and alot of people were like, ÒWe are totally vibing with you. Everyone feelsthe same way.Ó
Fortunately we have a yard so we can go outside andrun around with our son.But there are
other things, too. My father-in-law died this month fromcardiac arrest. Because of Covid,
funeral planning is so much moredifficult. He has many daughters and sons and nieces and
nephews,grandkids and a great-grandson. And they can't come and say theirfinal goodbyes.
It's mentally stressful. I'm doing my best to be positive.I think my kids donÕt have even the
opportunities I did.ÓLaura Rekuc, Allen Park, Mich. Nurse
TimesPage 16 of
1980.htmlI still live in the same city I grew up in. We live in a smaller home. I paymore than
my parents did for my mortgage. Taxes have increased,medical expenses have increased,
groceries have increased. The costof living has definitely tripled, at least.My dad was a
general manager for a trucking services company. He had
TimesPage 17 of
1980.htmlhis high school certificate. My mom was an accountant. She went intothe field at
19. She was successful and very monetarily secure by thetime she was 40, and my dad, too.
My parents became successful andwere able to climb the ladder without having a college
background.I am a single mom raising five children. My health insurance costs, eventhough
I'm a nurse, are substantial. When I got divorced, my cost forhealth coverage went to $600 a
month. That's just to have insurance Ñthat doesn't mean deductible, co-pays. I still depend
on my parents toassist me financially.IÕm a home-care nurse. ItÕs extremely stressful. We
donÕt know whatweÕre walking into. I am currently living away from my children
becauseof not knowing if IÕm going to be bringing home the virus.ItÕs very difficult. I have
a 2-year-old who wants to see Mama every day.We live in a 1,000-square-foot home. ItÕs
very crowded. So thereÕs not away to actually isolate myself there. I would say everybody
who worksin the health care arena Ñ doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists,janitorial staff,

environmental services Ñ weÕre all risking our lives.As a nurse, I have my associateÕs
degree, and in order to climb thecorporate ladder or become more financially secure I
would need to goback to school, which means more student debt.I think my kids donÕt have
even the opportunities I did. My oldest sonand daughter both chose the college avenue.
TheyÕre not really givenan opportunity to be financially secure when they start a job,
becausethey start negative. My son will be starting out, by the time hegraduates, almost
$60,000 in debt.The government could hammer down on these schools that are
TimesPage 18 of
1980.htmlcharging an excessive amount of money for a college education. Therecould be a
set limit on how much they could charge.There is no sense of security. ItÕs just not the
same.IÕm probably making quite a bit more money now than I would be if I wasliving
where my parents live.ÓBrent Blood, Renton, Wash. Software architect
TimesPage 19 of
1980.htmlI grew up in a very small town in Pennsylvania, lots of farming andfactory jobs,
that sort of thing. My parents both had fairly blue-collarjobs. My mom worked for the Post
Office, and my father worked at afactory that makes trailers, the things pulled behind 18-
wheelers.Because I'm an employee in a tech field that has a lot more opportunity
TimesPage 20 of
1980.htmland there's quite a bit of money in it, I'm doing better than I expected tobe. We're
saving pretty rapidly. We own our home outright. I've hadpretty little trouble moving up in
the ranks of the company consideringI'm only 40 years old. I'm probably making quite a bit
more money nowthan I would be if I was living where my parents live.My brother works at
the same factory that my dad did and thatÕsabsolutely fine for him. He seems to enjoy
himself. I just wanted to getinto technology. After college, I moved out to Seattle because
that waswhere there was a lot of tech opportunity, and IÕve been out here eversince.The
Seattle tech scene is really booming. IÕve been fairly fortunate withthe company that I
worked for. I was already working from home plenty.As far as my own take on this crisis, I
really havenÕt been negativelyimpacted by it, other than my social life is kind of suffering at
this point.WeÕre not going out to eat. But that seems like a pretty slight thing toworry about
right now.I had been hoping to retire in about five years. WeÕll have to see how themarket
turns around with this right now. Hopefully, in the time frame Ihad in mind things will come
around again.My parents migrated from Mexico so their future children could have a
betterlife Ñ and we have.ÓSonya Poe, Carrollton, Texas Executive asssistant
TimesPage 21 of
1980.htmlMy parents migrated from Mexico so their future children could have abetter life

Ñ and we have.I was born in Texas, in a suburb of Dallas. My dad worked for a hotel.
Hewould work overnight, and he worked a lot of hours. My mom was apart-time real-estate
agent.
TimesPage 22 of
1980.htmlTheir goal for us was always: Go to school, go to college, so that youcan get a job
that doesn't require you to work late at night, so that youcan choose what you get to do and
take care of your family. We'refortunate to be able to do that.I was the first one to go to
college in my family. College was really eye-opening and just kind of a shock to my system. I
did struggle a little bit.I had to have a job. I worked retail for a lot of hours and that kind of
gotin the way of studying and taking the classes I wanted. It was acompletely different
experience from other peopleÕs.My life now is definitely a lot calmer, a lot more centered
on what I wantto do.We are very thankful and blessed to not worry about money kind of
atall. I always feel guilty saying that because my parents are always sostressed about
money. My husband has a good job. I have a good job.WeÕre kind of in a better position and
we only have one child.We always imagine that each generation gets better than the last
one.IÕm not sure. I think a lot depends on what we do with the cost ofcollege so you donÕt
have $100,000 in debt when youÕre finished with it.I do see some things to be hopeful
about. Young people are reallygetting involved more in politics and voting. Hopefully, our
governmentand our society can be run by people who are younger and have ideasabout
how to help everyone and move forward Ñ for everyone to bebetter, not just corporations
or rich people.ItÕs impossible to get unemployment benefits. IÕve been trying every day
allday.Ó
TimesPage 23 of
1980.htmlGabriel Rivera, Bronx Commercial driverIÕve lived in the Bronx all my life. We
grew up in the projects. My parentsmoved from a small town in Puerto Rico to New York in
the late Õ60s,early Õ70s. My father was a handyman. He is retired now. He put in 30years as
a handyman and now heÕs collecting retirement benefits along
TimesPage 24 of
1980.htmlwith my mother.My parents bought a house in the Bronx about 25 years ago. I
rent aroom in an apartment.I drive a school bus, which pays OK. But since Covid-19 took
hold, Ihaven't been working. And it's impossible to get unemploymentbenefits. I've been
trying every day all day.So now IÕm looking for work, and IÕm taking whatever comes my
way.NobodyÕs taking buses now Ñ the touring bus, the school buses. Thecity bus ridership
is so low. IÕm sure theyÕre not hiring. For now, itÕs astruggle.I have some college. I would
like to go back eventually. Teachers wouldalways compliment my writing. I remember my
professor telling me thathe was looking forward to reading more of my writing. I thought
thatwas nice.If college was free, or at least if was much more affordable, I wouldhave

finished.I just can't imagine how free college wouldn't really improve thecountry. Can you
imagine? Everybody has a chance to get a college-level education?I knew that it was going
to be an uphill battle. It got worse and worse andworse.ÓDaniel Okamura, Las Vegas
Graduate student
TimesPage 25 of
1980.htmlI am the portrait of downward mobility.I grew up in a pretty solidly middle- to
upper-middle-class family. I wasthe youngest of three kids. I know that my father was
makingsomewhere around $100,000 a year, and my mom worked on and off.By the time my
parents were 40, I was 3 years old. They already owned
TimesPage 26 of
1980.htmla significant portion of their house. My parents wanted me and mysiblings to
follow our interests, because my dad got to follow hisinterest. He was actually interested in
engineering.I began as a newspaper reporter. I knew that it was going to be an uphillbattle.
It got worse and worse and worse. Finally, in 2007-2008, friendswho I knew through
journalism said: "You have to leave California,because there's no jobs there. There are still
jobs in New York."I packed up my little Corolla, and I drove across the country in 2008.
Istopped in Cleveland and turned on the TV. The first thing thatÕs on TVis a talking head
saying economists now agree that we have been inrecession since December of last year.
And I was like, ÒOh, great. DonÕttell me IÕm moving right during a recession.Ó I get into
New York, andalmost immediately thereÕs hiring freezes everywhere.With my masterÕs, I
became an adjunct professor and barista, receivingMedicaid and SNAP benefits. Now I am in
a Ph.D. program, deferringloan payments, and watching yet another job market shrink
before myeyes.No joke, I have supplemented my graduate school income by going ongame
shows. On "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," I walked away with$20,000. That has really,
really helped me during things like summer,because we're not paid over the summer.
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Professor Michel Estefan SOCI 100: Classical Sociological Theory Winter 2023 1/6 Was
Marx Right? Instructions for Midterm Project Most social theories worth studying are
neither completely correct nor completely mistaken. They are a mix of ideas that are useful
for understanding our world and ideas that need to be revised or thrown out entirely. This
midterm project is designed to help you develop the skill and value of thoughtful
ambivalence, that is, the ability to assess theories with more nuance, by pointing out what is
useful and what is unhelpful about them. You will develop this skill by deciding what Marx
got right about capitalism and what he got wrong. Your midterm project is due on Monday,
February 20 by 11:59pm. Please upload your project in the corresponding module on
Canvas. If you have any issues uploading your project, you may send it directly through
email to both me and your TA. The midterm is worth 20% of your final grade. The
instructions below take you through each step you should take to develop your project.
Step 1: Read the Ten Economic Portraits Published in The New York Times In April 2020,
The New York Times asked some of its readers in their 40s how they were doing financially
compared to how their parents were doing in their 40s. The newspaper then published an
article with ten of these “economic portraits “ (they received nearly 500 in total). The first
step in developing your midterm project is to read these ten portraits, which you will find
on Canvas. Step 2: Decide Whether Marx Was Right (on a Scale from 1-3)? Think carefully
about the economic lives of the people that you just read. Based on these portraits, the
readings you’ve done by Marx, and your own experience and viewpoints, do you believe
Marx presented an accurate description of capitalism? I don’t want you to answer this
question in terms of ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ I want you to score Marx’s theory on a scale from 1 to 3,
with 1 meaning that Marx was mostly wrong and 3 meaning that he was mostly right. For
every point you give Marx’s theory, you must identify a specific argument or idea you

believe he got right, explain that argument or idea, and support it with information from the
portraits. Similarly, for every point you don’t give him, you must identify an argument or
idea you think he got wrong, explain it, and support it with information from the portraits.
You can also give Marx half-points, in which case you have to state both what you think he
got right and what he got wrong concerning a certain argument or idea. You may choose to
discuss any argument or idea from Marx’s work, including his views on ideology, class
struggle, class polarization, primitive accumulation, the relation between political equality
and economic inequality, or any other argument or idea found in any of the readings by
Marx that you did for this class.
Professor Michel Estefan SOCI 100: Classical Sociological Theory Winter 2023 2/6 The key
is that for each point, half point, or no point you give his theory you must select a specific
argument or idea from Marx’s work, explain it, state whether you believe he’s right or
wrong about that argument or idea, and support your analysis with information from the
portraits. You might say something like this: “Marx argued that capitalism increases
inequality. For example, on p.X of the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels state that…
What the authors are saying in this passage is that… I believe Marx was right about this
because… In fact, one of the portraits illustrates this since [name of person] is...” In the
example above, the first three sentences explain the argument or idea in Marx’s theory that
you selected. The fourth sentence states your position about that argument (was Marx right,
half-right, or wrong?). The last sentence draws on the portraits to support your view. If you
give Marx’s theory a score of three, you must mention three things you believe he got right
about capitalism. If you give it a score of two, you must point out two things he got right
about capitalism and one he got wrong. If you give it a score of one, you must point out one
thing he got right and two he got wrong. If you give Marx half-points, you have to state what
you think he got right and what he got wrong concerning a certain argument or idea. Step
3: Present Your Analysis as a Theory Map or a Mini-Ted Talk The final step is to present
your analysis integrating Marx’s theory of capitalism with the information provided in the
economic portraits. You can present your analysis as a theory map or a mini-Ted Talk.
Regardless of the format, the central goal is to explain the things you believe Marx got right
and the ones you believe he got wrong and to draw on the economic portraits to illustrate
your views. Your work should contain at least three specific page citations from Marx’s
work and three citations from any of the economic portraits. You can draw the citations
from Marx’s work from any of the assigned readings and you should draw from at least two
different readings in total. Ideally, you will support your view about each point in your
score with one citation from Marx and one citation from the economic portraits. You can
include more citations if you like, but the latter numbers are the minimum. You will also
have to include a reference list regardless of the format you choose. In-text citations and
reference list entries should follow the style guide produced by the American Sociological
Association (ASA). You will find a description of this style in the document titled “Quick Tips
for ASA Style,” which has been uploaded to Canvas. This is how The New York Times
article should be listed in your references list:
Professor Michel Estefan SOCI 100: Classical Sociological Theory Winter 2023 3/6 Kelley,
Lora. 2020. “‘I Am the Portrait of Downward Mobility.’” The New York Times, April 17.

Below, you’ll find further instructions for each format. Theory Map At its most basic level, a
theory map is a visualization that presents the main ideas of a theory and how they are
connected to each other using images, text boxes, lines, arrows, and other visual cues. Your
map should represent what you believe Marx got right and what he got wrong about
capitalism. In other words, it should represent the score on a 1-3 scale you gave the theory
and draw on the information found in the economic portraits. You can hand-draw your map
and submit it as a photograph or you can produce it on a digital device using any software
you like. The only exception to this is AI software such as DALL-E. If you chose to use a
digital device and decide to use images instead of or in addition to text boxes, you can create
the images yourself or use existing images you find online. For images that are not public
domain, include a reference to the source where you obtained them in your reference list.
You may create a single map that illustrates all the points in your score or create a separate
map for each point. In addition to the map itself, you must submit a summary of your map
that includes a total of three specific citations from any of the works we read by Marx (or
Marx and Engels) to support your analysis and three citations from the economic portraits.
As I mentioned above, ideally, you will support your view about each point in your score
with one citation from Marx and one citation from the economic portraits for a total of six
citations in your summary (three from Marx and three from the portraits). Your summary
should have no more than 1000 words. Even if you create more than one map to illustrate
your score, you only need to write one 1000-word summary. You should also include a
reference list that does not count toward the 1000-word limit following the ASA style guide.
Your summary should have the following general structure: 1. In one or two sentences,
present your score and a brief, general evaluation of Marx’s Theory. Here’s an example of
what this might look like: “I gave Marx’s theory of capitalism a score of 2 because Marx was
largely correct about X and Y, though he did get Z wrong.” 2. Explain each of the points in
your score, laying out the specific arguments and ideas from Marx’s work, whether he got
them right or wrong, and describing how you decided to illustrate them in your map. You
might say something like this: “Marx claims that under capitalism, people are ideologically
manipulated.
Professor Michel Estefan SOCI 100: Classical Sociological Theory Winter 2023 4/6 On p.XX
of [Title of Reading] he argues that… I don’t believe he got this right. In my map, I illustrate
Marx’s idea of ideology with the image of XX in the top-left corner of the map. But I place a
“≠” symbol between this image and the text box to the left of the symbol to indicate that
ideology does not necessarily produce the effect Marx thought it would. The text box to the
right of the symbol includes the name of [name of one of the people from the portraits]
because her views do not support the argument that she’s ideologically manipulated in any
way. In fact, she clearly states that…” 3. Throughout your summary, remember to describe
the text boxes and/or images in your map and how they are connected to each other, define
any key concepts you refer to in your map, and follow ASA style guidelines when citing
Marx’s work in the summary. The 1000-word summary should be written using 12pt font,
Times New Roman, double-spaced, and 1-inch margins. Mini-Ted Talk Your mini-Ted Talk
should be 6 minutes long. You may record yourself in video or record a series of images that
play as you present your analysis. I strongly suggest you write a script before recording

yourself. Make sure your script follows good presentation conventions: have a beginning, a
middle, and an end. Practice your presentation a few times before turning in the final draft
of the recording. This format DOES NOT require an additional written summary of any kind
because you will be referencing Marx’s work and the portraits verbally during your talk. For
example, you might say something like this: “In his piece on primitive accumulation, Marx
argues that… I believe he got this largely right. Several of the economic portraits published
in The New York Times show that… Laura Rekuc’s portrait is a strong illustration of this.
She tells us that…” Your talk should present the rating you gave Marx’s theory, explain each
point you believe he got wrong and each one you believe he got right while integrating some
of the information found in the economic portraits. The three references to Marx’s work and
the three references from the economic portraits should be stated as part of your talk. See
the example above for how you might do this. You must hand in a reference list that
presents the sources you cited following ASA formatting suggestions. You can hand this in
as a separate word or PDF file or you may include it as a slide at the end of your
presentation if you decide to record images as you deliver your talk.
Professor Michel Estefan SOCI 100: Classical Sociological Theory Winter 2023 5/6 This is
the rubric that will be used to grade your midterm project: Required Sections (6 pts) A –
Range (6 pts) Submission addresses three different ideas from Marx, awards each idea a
score ranging from 0-1 (0 = wrong; .5 = half-right; = 1 right) for a max total of 3 points for
all three ideas, discusses each idea and explains their score, cites Marx three times, cites the
economic portraits three times, and includes a reference list. Submissions that discuss three
different ideas, but cite Marx or the economic portraits only twice each may receive 5.5pts.
B – Range (5 pts) Submission discusses two or three different ideas from Marx or cites Marx
and the economic portraits two or three times each. The work includes a reference list. C –
Range (4 pts) Submission discusses only one or two ideas from Marx or cites Marx and the
portraits only one time each or does not include a reference list. D (.5 – 3 pts) Submission
discusses only one idea from Marx and there are no citations from Marx’s work or from the
economic portraits. F (0 pts) No project submission. Analysis (7 pts) A – Range (7 pts) The
work presents three distinct ideas from Marx’s work and the student’s analysis is well-
developed and supported by citations from Marx’s writings and the economic portraits. B –
Range (6 pts) The work presents two or three distinct ideas from Marx’s work but the
student’s analysis isn’t entirely clear or well-developed. Some citations are not well
integrated into the analysis or are a weak form of support for the student’s point of view. C
– Range (5 pts) The work presents only one or two ideas from Marx’s work and the
student’s analysis is poorly developed, or it is not properly supported by reasoning and
evidence from the New York Times portraits. D (.5 – 4 pts) The analysis is too unclear and
poorly developed. F (0 pts) There is no analysis in the work. Presentation and Clarity (7
pts) A – Range (7 pts) The theory map or mini-ted talk is coherently organized and easy to
follow. All sources are properly cited and listed in the reference list.
Professor Michel Estefan SOCI 100: Classical Sociological Theory Winter 2023 6/6 B –
Range (6 pts) The theory map or min-ted talk is coherently organized for the most part but
there are a few confusing elements in their design or presentation. Most sources are
properly cited and listed in the reference list. C – Range (5 pts) The theory map or min-ted

talk is often unclear or difficult to follow. Only some sources are referenced, or the reference
format is incorrect or inconsistently used. D (.5 – 4 pts) The theory map or mini-ted talk is
not well organized. They ideas are unclear and difficult to follow. Sources are not referenced
following proper formatting guidelines. F (0 pts) The content presented in the theory map
or mini-ted talk is unclear and does not follow a discernible logic. No references used.
Extensions for the Midterm If you require an extension on the midterm, fill out the google
form designed for this purpose that is on Canvas by Monday, February 20 at 11:59pm. You’ll
find the form under the tab that corresponds to the midterm. You may request an extension
of up to six days, meaning that you can hand in the midterm any day you select between
Tuesday, February 21 and Sunday, February 26. Midterms are due by 11:59pm on the day
you select. Your request will be accepted, no questions asked. Late midterms will not be
accepted if you do not fill out the form by the due date and they will not be accepted after
February 26. This policy is intended to be fair to all students while provide you with
flexibility you may need without policing the reasons that motivate your request and make
sure that you commit to completing the assignment in a reasonable timeframe.

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