2. At the end of this module, you
should be able to:
• Explain the theories on Marxism
• Analyze the basic concept and
principles of Marxism theories
• Appreciate personal and social
experiences using the theories of
Marxism
3. MARXISM
- is a sociological, political, and
economic philosophy that is
based on the ideas and theories
of Karl Marx(1818-1883).
7. KEY CONCEPTS IN
MARXISM
SOCIAL INEQUALITY
In a capitalist society, oppression and
exploitation are among the social inequalities
that exist between the bourgeoisie and the
proletariat.
10. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels
Their most notable work together was Communist Manifesto. The
communist manifesto provides a sociological perspective in
understanding the history.
Moreover, the communist manifesto points to an organized proletariat
class who would revolt against the bourgeoisie by amassing political
power. This is the aim of communism as argued by Marx and Engels –
that workers unite to overthrow the
bourgeoisie supremacy and ultimately allow the proletariat freedom from
subjugation. Thus, communism would prevent oppressors from exploiting
the working class in order to gain profit.
11. Vere Gordon Childe
Childe used Marxist economics as a tool in distinguishing periods of
prehistory and in tracing the evolution of Western civilization.
Production is central to Marxist economics because it is the means by
which human living is maintained and sustained. It is through the
process of production where the bourgeoisie and the proletariat
engage with one another and where
exploitation and oppression occur.
12. Theodor Adorno
His most notable work, Dialectics of Enlightenment (1944), was made
in collaboration with Marx Horkheimer (1895-1973) who was also a
German philosopher. In this collaborative work, capitalist ideology was
seen as focusing on commodities so that consumers would find
necessity in buying material goods. Marx called this effect of capitalist
ideology as fetishism of commodities.
13. Slavoj Zizek
Zizek expounded on ideology and how it directly affected everyday
reality. He argued that reality is constructed by ideology itself. For Zizek,
ideology is reflected in ordinary language. Zizek explains that ideology
blankets society with beliefs that paradoxically have no believers. The
Slovenian philosopher further elaborates on how ideology is used by the
capitalist to
extract more profit from the masses; however, Zizek points out that this
extraction is now done in a more subtle way.
