1.1.1
Marxism
Marxism
Marxism
Karl Marx believed that working class people suffer from false class consciousness; they are unaware of the exploitation they experience.
False class consciousness
False class consciousness
- The ruling class are seen to be acting for the benefit of society and the working class accept and share this view, due to the influence that the Superstructure (which includes institutions like religion, education and family) has on the public.
- Marx refers to this as the false class consciousness as they are totally unaware of the exploitation that they are facing.
Althusser
Althusser
- Althusser takes a structural view to society and is therefore similar to Marx.
- However, he also criticises Marx for his economic deterministic beliefs and comes up with his own explanations of how the ruling class control the working classes.
- He argues that society is based on three interlocking systems that drive capitalism forward.
Interlocking systems
Interlocking systems
- Economic system:
- Produce all material goods.
- Political system:
- Organises society, passes laws and provides leadership.
- Ideological system:
- Provides all the ideas and belief systems that are followed by the population.
Gramsci
Gramsci
- Gramsci is often referred to as a ‘Humanistic Marxist’ because he believed the proletariat can influence social change through developing their own ‘hegemony’ rather than waiting for economic changes that Marx referred to.
- He suggested that the proletariat would construct a ‘counter-hegemony’ to provide people with an alternative way of life to the capitalist state.
Capitalism alternatives
Capitalism alternatives
- Within this framework would emerge working class intellectuals; a group of well-educated working class individuals who could show the proletariat an alternative to capitalism.
- In short, the only way to influence a revolution is by winning the hearts and minds of the proletariat and give them something to believe in.
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
Jump to other topics
1Theory & Methods
1.1Sociological Theories
1.2Sociological Methods
2Education with Methods in Context
2.1Role & Function of the Education System
2.2Educational Achievement
2.3Relationships & Processes Within Schools
3Option 1: Culture & Identity
3.1Conceptions of Culture
3.2Identity & Socialisation
3.3Social Identity
3.4Production, Consumption & Globalisation
4Option 1: Families & Households
4.1Families & Households
4.2Changing Patterns
4.3The Symmetrical Family
4.4Children & Childhood
5Option 1: Health
5.1Social Constructions
5.2Social Distribution of Healthcare
5.3Provision & Access to Healthcare
5.4Mental Health
6Option 1: Work, Poverty & Welfare
6.1Poverty & Wealth
7Option 2: Beliefs in Society
7.1Ideology, Science & Religion
7.2Religious Movements
7.3Society & Religion
8Option 2: Global Development
8.1Development, Underdevelopment & Global Inequality
8.2Globalisation & Global Organisations
8.3Aid, Trade, Industrialisation, Urbanisation
9Option 2: The Media
9.1Contemporary Media
9.2Media Representations
10Crime & Deviance
10.1Crime & Society
10.2Social Distribution of Crime
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