Marxism
Contents
GENERAL..................................................................................3
Tips............................................................................................................................................................... 3
Texts............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Definitions.................................................................................................................................................... 4
THEORY OF HISTORY.................................................................4
What is his theory?....................................................................................................................................... 4
Specific texts........................................................................................................................................................4
Basis in production...............................................................................................................................................5
History in stages...................................................................................................................................................5
The development thesis.......................................................................................................................................6
Class struggle........................................................................................................................................................7
Predictive element...............................................................................................................................................7
Cohen’s interpretation.................................................................................................................................. 8
Functional explanation.........................................................................................................................................9
Any criticisms?.............................................................................................................................................. 9
Issues of clarity.....................................................................................................................................................9
Circularity.............................................................................................................................................................9
Is the base distinguishable from the superstructure?.......................................................................................10
Too deterministic...............................................................................................................................................10
Predictions haven’t come true...........................................................................................................................13
What does Marx think about revolution?.................................................................................................... 14
Limitations in his writings about revolution......................................................................................................14
Types of revolution............................................................................................................................................15
Revolution in Russia...........................................................................................................................................15
THEORY OF STATE...................................................................16
Different accounts of the state.................................................................................................................... 16
Traditional view of the function of the state.....................................................................................................17
Instrumental account of the state.....................................................................................................................17
Class-balance account of the state....................................................................................................................18
Abdication account of the state.........................................................................................................................19
The State Under Communism...................................................................................................................... 20
Why does it seem like Marx thought the state would disappear?....................................................................20
Why is Marx so reluctant to say very much about the state under communism?...........................................20
Dictatorship of the Proletariat...........................................................................................................................20
Transition Phase.................................................................................................................................................21
, The State under Full Communism......................................................................................................................21
THEORY OF IDEOLOGY.............................................................23
What is meant by ideology?........................................................................................................................ 23
What is a theory of ideology?...................................................................................................................... 24
What is his theory?..................................................................................................................................... 24
What is ideology according to Marx?................................................................................................................24
His Theory in General.........................................................................................................................................25
Illusion Theory....................................................................................................................................................25
The Functionalist Model....................................................................................................................................27
Ruling Class Theory............................................................................................................................................28
Are these bits consistent?..................................................................................................................................29
Difficulties interpreting Marx’s theory of ideology.......................................................................................29
ALIENATION............................................................................29
What is alienation?..................................................................................................................................... 29
What is fetishism?....................................................................................................................................... 30
What is objectification?............................................................................................................................... 31
Alienation under capitalism........................................................................................................................ 31
Lack of self-actualisation....................................................................................................................................32
Fetishism- the productive forces come to control the workers........................................................................32
Alienation before capitalism....................................................................................................................... 33
Alienation under communism..................................................................................................................... 33
EXPLOITATION........................................................................33
What is exploitation?.................................................................................................................................. 33
Exploitation under capitalism...................................................................................................................... 34
Exploitation before capitalism..................................................................................................................... 35
Exploitation under communism................................................................................................................... 35
Is exploitation morally problematic according to Marx?..............................................................................35
Does exploitation motivate?....................................................................................................................... 36
REVOLUTIONARY MOTIVATION.................................................36
Marx’s account of revolutionary motivation................................................................................................ 36
,Task of socialists......................................................................................................................................... 39
Criticisms of his account.............................................................................................................................. 39
Can’t explain revolutionary consciousness among other classes......................................................................39
Revolution is a public good (so is capitalism)....................................................................................................40
Possible solutions to the public good problem..................................................................................................40
JUSTICE................................................................................... 42
Defining justice........................................................................................................................................... 42
Possible views about capitalism and justice................................................................................................. 42
Did not condemn capitalism..............................................................................................................................42
Condemns capitalism but not as unjust.............................................................................................................43
Did condemn capitalism as unjust.....................................................................................................................44
Did Marx think that communism was more just?......................................................................................... 45
Why did Marx try to avoid claims about justice?.......................................................................................... 45
Deceptive self-understanding...................................................................................................................... 46
ACHIEVEMENTS OF CAPITALISM................................................46
Makes socialism possible............................................................................................................................ 46
Freedom from engulfment.......................................................................................................................... 47
UTOPIAN SOCIALISM................................................................47
What is utopian socialism?.......................................................................................................................... 47
Praise for the utopian socialists................................................................................................................... 48
How is this compatible with the criticism?........................................................................................................48
What criticisms do Marx and Engels make?................................................................................................. 51
Problems with evidence.....................................................................................................................................51
Foundational vs non-foundational criticisms.....................................................................................................51
Foundational (maybe focus on these)...............................................................................................................51
Non-foundational...............................................................................................................................................55
General
Tips
Texts
The Civil War in France 1871
o Context
Pamphlet written as an official statement of the General Council of the
International
o Content
, o Drawbacks
The German Ideology 1845
o Context
o Content
o Drawbacks
Earlier work so less developed views
The communist manifesto
A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy 1859
o Context
o Content
Outline of Marx’s theory of history
o Drawbacks
Definitions
Capitalism
o Main aspects-
Goal of production is the accumulation of capital
Immediate producers own their own labour power but no other productive
forces
o Leopold- ‘A form of social organisation around an economic structure in which
immediate producers own their own labour power (but no other productive force); and
the goal of production is the accumulation of capital’
Class-
o Marx rejects definitions in terms of incomes, occupation or status
More sympathetic to account based on terms of property endowments (i.e.,
ownership of the means of production), exploitation (i.e., whether forced to
work for others), market behaviour (whether buy or sell labour power) or a
combination.
o Dominant account- a member of a social class beings to it by virtue of their position
within social relations of production (depends on property endowments) (Leopold)
o A class is a group of individuals standing in a similar relation of effective control over
productive forces.
Relations of production- relations of economic power i.e., the power that people have or do not
have over the productive forces
Forces of production- means of production (e.g., machinery, factories) combined with labour
power (including knowledge and skill)
Superstructure- political and legal institutions of society
Theory of history
What is his theory?
Specific texts
In the German Ideology
Problem- early text so theory of history not yet fully developed
Argues that the internal structure of a nation ‘depends on the stage of development reached by
its production and its internal and external intercourse’
Focuses on idea of history as being split into different stages
o Was a common idea at the time
Contents
GENERAL..................................................................................3
Tips............................................................................................................................................................... 3
Texts............................................................................................................................................................. 3
Definitions.................................................................................................................................................... 4
THEORY OF HISTORY.................................................................4
What is his theory?....................................................................................................................................... 4
Specific texts........................................................................................................................................................4
Basis in production...............................................................................................................................................5
History in stages...................................................................................................................................................5
The development thesis.......................................................................................................................................6
Class struggle........................................................................................................................................................7
Predictive element...............................................................................................................................................7
Cohen’s interpretation.................................................................................................................................. 8
Functional explanation.........................................................................................................................................9
Any criticisms?.............................................................................................................................................. 9
Issues of clarity.....................................................................................................................................................9
Circularity.............................................................................................................................................................9
Is the base distinguishable from the superstructure?.......................................................................................10
Too deterministic...............................................................................................................................................10
Predictions haven’t come true...........................................................................................................................13
What does Marx think about revolution?.................................................................................................... 14
Limitations in his writings about revolution......................................................................................................14
Types of revolution............................................................................................................................................15
Revolution in Russia...........................................................................................................................................15
THEORY OF STATE...................................................................16
Different accounts of the state.................................................................................................................... 16
Traditional view of the function of the state.....................................................................................................17
Instrumental account of the state.....................................................................................................................17
Class-balance account of the state....................................................................................................................18
Abdication account of the state.........................................................................................................................19
The State Under Communism...................................................................................................................... 20
Why does it seem like Marx thought the state would disappear?....................................................................20
Why is Marx so reluctant to say very much about the state under communism?...........................................20
Dictatorship of the Proletariat...........................................................................................................................20
Transition Phase.................................................................................................................................................21
, The State under Full Communism......................................................................................................................21
THEORY OF IDEOLOGY.............................................................23
What is meant by ideology?........................................................................................................................ 23
What is a theory of ideology?...................................................................................................................... 24
What is his theory?..................................................................................................................................... 24
What is ideology according to Marx?................................................................................................................24
His Theory in General.........................................................................................................................................25
Illusion Theory....................................................................................................................................................25
The Functionalist Model....................................................................................................................................27
Ruling Class Theory............................................................................................................................................28
Are these bits consistent?..................................................................................................................................29
Difficulties interpreting Marx’s theory of ideology.......................................................................................29
ALIENATION............................................................................29
What is alienation?..................................................................................................................................... 29
What is fetishism?....................................................................................................................................... 30
What is objectification?............................................................................................................................... 31
Alienation under capitalism........................................................................................................................ 31
Lack of self-actualisation....................................................................................................................................32
Fetishism- the productive forces come to control the workers........................................................................32
Alienation before capitalism....................................................................................................................... 33
Alienation under communism..................................................................................................................... 33
EXPLOITATION........................................................................33
What is exploitation?.................................................................................................................................. 33
Exploitation under capitalism...................................................................................................................... 34
Exploitation before capitalism..................................................................................................................... 35
Exploitation under communism................................................................................................................... 35
Is exploitation morally problematic according to Marx?..............................................................................35
Does exploitation motivate?....................................................................................................................... 36
REVOLUTIONARY MOTIVATION.................................................36
Marx’s account of revolutionary motivation................................................................................................ 36
,Task of socialists......................................................................................................................................... 39
Criticisms of his account.............................................................................................................................. 39
Can’t explain revolutionary consciousness among other classes......................................................................39
Revolution is a public good (so is capitalism)....................................................................................................40
Possible solutions to the public good problem..................................................................................................40
JUSTICE................................................................................... 42
Defining justice........................................................................................................................................... 42
Possible views about capitalism and justice................................................................................................. 42
Did not condemn capitalism..............................................................................................................................42
Condemns capitalism but not as unjust.............................................................................................................43
Did condemn capitalism as unjust.....................................................................................................................44
Did Marx think that communism was more just?......................................................................................... 45
Why did Marx try to avoid claims about justice?.......................................................................................... 45
Deceptive self-understanding...................................................................................................................... 46
ACHIEVEMENTS OF CAPITALISM................................................46
Makes socialism possible............................................................................................................................ 46
Freedom from engulfment.......................................................................................................................... 47
UTOPIAN SOCIALISM................................................................47
What is utopian socialism?.......................................................................................................................... 47
Praise for the utopian socialists................................................................................................................... 48
How is this compatible with the criticism?........................................................................................................48
What criticisms do Marx and Engels make?................................................................................................. 51
Problems with evidence.....................................................................................................................................51
Foundational vs non-foundational criticisms.....................................................................................................51
Foundational (maybe focus on these)...............................................................................................................51
Non-foundational...............................................................................................................................................55
General
Tips
Texts
The Civil War in France 1871
o Context
Pamphlet written as an official statement of the General Council of the
International
o Content
, o Drawbacks
The German Ideology 1845
o Context
o Content
o Drawbacks
Earlier work so less developed views
The communist manifesto
A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy 1859
o Context
o Content
Outline of Marx’s theory of history
o Drawbacks
Definitions
Capitalism
o Main aspects-
Goal of production is the accumulation of capital
Immediate producers own their own labour power but no other productive
forces
o Leopold- ‘A form of social organisation around an economic structure in which
immediate producers own their own labour power (but no other productive force); and
the goal of production is the accumulation of capital’
Class-
o Marx rejects definitions in terms of incomes, occupation or status
More sympathetic to account based on terms of property endowments (i.e.,
ownership of the means of production), exploitation (i.e., whether forced to
work for others), market behaviour (whether buy or sell labour power) or a
combination.
o Dominant account- a member of a social class beings to it by virtue of their position
within social relations of production (depends on property endowments) (Leopold)
o A class is a group of individuals standing in a similar relation of effective control over
productive forces.
Relations of production- relations of economic power i.e., the power that people have or do not
have over the productive forces
Forces of production- means of production (e.g., machinery, factories) combined with labour
power (including knowledge and skill)
Superstructure- political and legal institutions of society
Theory of history
What is his theory?
Specific texts
In the German Ideology
Problem- early text so theory of history not yet fully developed
Argues that the internal structure of a nation ‘depends on the stage of development reached by
its production and its internal and external intercourse’
Focuses on idea of history as being split into different stages
o Was a common idea at the time
