SOC 3353 Exam 1 Questions with Correct Answers Latest Update 2025/2026
Please describe Hegel's concept of the dialectic (in your own words). - Answers Hegel's concept
of the dialectic focuses on the idea that our society is filled with contradictions and by studying
these contradictions and how they are developed, we can better understand the real world.
Hegel also believed that contradictions in dialectics could be used to understand changes in
history.
How did Marx reform Hegel's ideas regarding the dialectic? - Answers Marx reformed Hegel's
ideas regarding the dialectic by looking beyond the contradictions of our society and looking at
real life situations to understand our society. Marx did not believe Hegel's ideas that
contradictions were used to understand changes in our history.
What is alienation from Marx's point of view and how is this concept related to capitalist
production? - Answers From Marx's point of view, alienation the estrangement of people from
their human nature to work for their own direct benefit as a result of a capitalistic society.
Although we are autonomous human beings, in a capitalistic society, the purpose of labor has
shifted from the worker determining and directly benefiting from goods and services to working
for the benefit of the boss or company. This alienation in a capitalistic society cause people to
be unable to express themselves, leading the unproductive members of society.
What are the four basic components of alienation? (Marx) - Answers The first is that workers
are alienated from their productive activity, meaning that workers do not produce things based
on their needs but the needs of the capitalist.
The second is the alienation from the product. Alienation from the product refers to workers not
owning the finished product, but the capitalist owning the product. Although the worker made
the product, they are expected to purchase it just like a regular customer and profit from the
product go to the capitalist.
The third basic component of alienation is alienation from fellow workers. In this capitalistic
society, workers may find it hard to work as a team due to isolation caused by technology or
given specific tasks to complete. Competition is also created to see who can produce more
products or give better service. Workers are given rewards and reprimands, pitting employees
against each other.
The fourth basic component of alienation is alienation from human potential. Capitalistic
society can cause workers to feel like machines and less like human beings.
What are the stages of development of the division of labor discussed by Marx? - Answers The
first form is tribal ownership, which is the hunter/gatherer stage. Families travel in order to hunt
and gather food. This was the beginning development stage and not many developments were
made.
The second stage is communal and state ownership. In this stage, families and tribes came
, together to form communities. This stage also saw the controlling of slaves and permanent
homes.
The last stage is feudal and estate property. In this stage, there are larger communities with an
established hierarchy and means of production.
What did Marx say about class conflict and social progress? - Answers Marx said although
Germany was modernizing and industrializing, the industry was unregulated and that individuals
were dying in factories. He believed that the industry was creating a divide between two classes;
the proletariat and the bourgeois. Marx said that the proletariat was being exploited by the
bourgeois capitalists system and there was a divide between the poor and the healthy. However,
he did believe that this divide was larger in the feudal times, so he did think things were getting
better. He thought the revolution (conflict) was the engine of change and progress.
What did Marx mean by the social relations of production? - Answers When Marx referred to the
social relations of production, he meant that an individual must be able to engage in the
"creative progress" and not be "alienated" in order for their occupation (or life) to be fulfilling.
This separation from production or productive activity can separate an individual from fulfilling
his or her own potential.
What did Karl Marx mean by "class consciousness?" - Answers When these individuals "wake
up" and realize these conditions, they have what is called "class consciousness." Marx thought
that when the proletariat realized unfair labor they would rise up through a revolution.
What is class consciousness? (Marx) - Answers Marx's term for awareness of a common
identity based on one's position in the means of production. The proletariat will assume class
consciousness when workers realize that they are being exploited by the bourgeoisie then a
proletariat revolution will be inevitable.
What are Marx's two economic classes and how do they relate to each other? - Answers -
Bourgeois (capitalists) are the owners of capital, purchasing and exploiting labor power using
the surplus value from employment of this labor power to accumulate or expand their capital.
-Proletariat (laborers) are owners of labor power with no other resources or their than their
ability to work with hands, bodies and minds. They have no property and must find work to
provide for their families.
The relationship between workers and capitalist appear to be equal but the relationship is
exploitive and contradictory. Both required in production while one is exploited.
What are the Hegelian Dialectics and how did they inform Marx's ideas? - Answers Thesis and
antithesis clash and come together to form a new synthesis this informs marxs in this ideology
helgian believes society is fueled by ideas marxs believes in material wealth and progress.
Please describe Hegel's concept of the dialectic (in your own words). - Answers Hegel's concept
of the dialectic focuses on the idea that our society is filled with contradictions and by studying
these contradictions and how they are developed, we can better understand the real world.
Hegel also believed that contradictions in dialectics could be used to understand changes in
history.
How did Marx reform Hegel's ideas regarding the dialectic? - Answers Marx reformed Hegel's
ideas regarding the dialectic by looking beyond the contradictions of our society and looking at
real life situations to understand our society. Marx did not believe Hegel's ideas that
contradictions were used to understand changes in our history.
What is alienation from Marx's point of view and how is this concept related to capitalist
production? - Answers From Marx's point of view, alienation the estrangement of people from
their human nature to work for their own direct benefit as a result of a capitalistic society.
Although we are autonomous human beings, in a capitalistic society, the purpose of labor has
shifted from the worker determining and directly benefiting from goods and services to working
for the benefit of the boss or company. This alienation in a capitalistic society cause people to
be unable to express themselves, leading the unproductive members of society.
What are the four basic components of alienation? (Marx) - Answers The first is that workers
are alienated from their productive activity, meaning that workers do not produce things based
on their needs but the needs of the capitalist.
The second is the alienation from the product. Alienation from the product refers to workers not
owning the finished product, but the capitalist owning the product. Although the worker made
the product, they are expected to purchase it just like a regular customer and profit from the
product go to the capitalist.
The third basic component of alienation is alienation from fellow workers. In this capitalistic
society, workers may find it hard to work as a team due to isolation caused by technology or
given specific tasks to complete. Competition is also created to see who can produce more
products or give better service. Workers are given rewards and reprimands, pitting employees
against each other.
The fourth basic component of alienation is alienation from human potential. Capitalistic
society can cause workers to feel like machines and less like human beings.
What are the stages of development of the division of labor discussed by Marx? - Answers The
first form is tribal ownership, which is the hunter/gatherer stage. Families travel in order to hunt
and gather food. This was the beginning development stage and not many developments were
made.
The second stage is communal and state ownership. In this stage, families and tribes came
, together to form communities. This stage also saw the controlling of slaves and permanent
homes.
The last stage is feudal and estate property. In this stage, there are larger communities with an
established hierarchy and means of production.
What did Marx say about class conflict and social progress? - Answers Marx said although
Germany was modernizing and industrializing, the industry was unregulated and that individuals
were dying in factories. He believed that the industry was creating a divide between two classes;
the proletariat and the bourgeois. Marx said that the proletariat was being exploited by the
bourgeois capitalists system and there was a divide between the poor and the healthy. However,
he did believe that this divide was larger in the feudal times, so he did think things were getting
better. He thought the revolution (conflict) was the engine of change and progress.
What did Marx mean by the social relations of production? - Answers When Marx referred to the
social relations of production, he meant that an individual must be able to engage in the
"creative progress" and not be "alienated" in order for their occupation (or life) to be fulfilling.
This separation from production or productive activity can separate an individual from fulfilling
his or her own potential.
What did Karl Marx mean by "class consciousness?" - Answers When these individuals "wake
up" and realize these conditions, they have what is called "class consciousness." Marx thought
that when the proletariat realized unfair labor they would rise up through a revolution.
What is class consciousness? (Marx) - Answers Marx's term for awareness of a common
identity based on one's position in the means of production. The proletariat will assume class
consciousness when workers realize that they are being exploited by the bourgeoisie then a
proletariat revolution will be inevitable.
What are Marx's two economic classes and how do they relate to each other? - Answers -
Bourgeois (capitalists) are the owners of capital, purchasing and exploiting labor power using
the surplus value from employment of this labor power to accumulate or expand their capital.
-Proletariat (laborers) are owners of labor power with no other resources or their than their
ability to work with hands, bodies and minds. They have no property and must find work to
provide for their families.
The relationship between workers and capitalist appear to be equal but the relationship is
exploitive and contradictory. Both required in production while one is exploited.
What are the Hegelian Dialectics and how did they inform Marx's ideas? - Answers Thesis and
antithesis clash and come together to form a new synthesis this informs marxs in this ideology
helgian believes society is fueled by ideas marxs believes in material wealth and progress.
