Lesson 6

1. Marxist/communist analysis
L/Ob: to understand the
Marxist/communist analysis of
socialism
L/Ou: developed explanations
of each part of each section.

2. Task 2:Fundamentalist socialism
Marxist/communist
analysis;
•historical materialism
('base/superstructure';
scientific theory of
history/society);
•dialectical change (internal
contradictions in society;
historical inevitability);
•class analysis (class conflict as
•We have already touched on
various parts of
Marxism/Communism.
•Your task is to produce a
presentation, explaining all of these
points in detail.
•You need to be able to explain
what these concepts are to the
others in the group.
•You will therefore need to research
these ideas, through reading the
book or elsewhere.
•Then you need to add this
information into a presentation.
•Your presentation needs to be
detailed but also thorough- see
hand out for guidance.

3. Historical materialism ('base/superstructure';
scientific theory of history/society)
•Marx conducted a scientific analysis of different
societies over time.

4. Dialectical change (internal contradictions
in society; historical inevitability)
•There have always been
conflict between groups in
society- long struggle
between the oppressed vs.
the oppressor etc…
•4 stages of history (e.g.
primitive communism,
feudalism etc. when this
happened)
•Marx believed this would

5. Class analysis (class conflict as motor
of history; surplus value; class
consciousness)•Alienation- workers are separated from the product of their
work, the process of their work, their fellow workers and
themselves.
•Class conflict as motor of history: He defined class in terms
of economic power- specifically “where people stand with
relation to the means of production”. Two great classes facing
each other…“The history of all hitherto societies is the history
of class struggle”- classes are the agents of change.
•Surplus value- in order to make profit, need to pay workers
less than the value of what they’re making. This would lead to
more being produced than could be bought and inevitably lead
to poverty/unemployment in w/class and conditions in which
they would revolt.
•Class consciousness- Where the working class gains
awareness of the conditions and interests of itself and has
willingness to pursue them. This would potentially be created
by the cyclical nature of capitalism mentioned above and lead
to a revolution.

6. Stages of history; collapse of capitalism (proletarian
revolution); transition from capitalism to communism
(dictatorship of proletariat; 'withering away' of state)
•The collapse of capitalism would occur when the
forces of production had expanded to the limits
capitalism would allow.
•However, a proletarian revolution would only
occur if the subjective conditions of the
proletariat becoming “class conscious” occurred
as well.
•Once the bourgeoisie had been removed, the
transition from capitalism to communism would
be led by a temporary “dictatorship of the
proletariat” to ensure the gains of the revolution
were safeguarded.
•Once they were in place they could oversee the
transition to full communism and then once this
was complete the state would “wither away”.

7. Nature of communism (politics of ownership;
abolition of private property/capitalism;
absolute equality)
•politics of ownership; no private ownership or free
markets. Private ownership keeps capitalism going and should
be abolished.
•abolition of private property/capitalism; Private
ownership creates greed/materialism, antagonises workers
through not sharing wealth.
•absolute equality; They believe in equality between all
through a classless society, egalitarianism- equality of outcome.

8. 20th-century communism (vanguard party; state
collectivisation; central planning).
•Bolsheviks in Russian revolution- became Communist party.
•Spread to other countries through first half of 20th Century.
Leadership from Moscow and based on Soviet Communism.
•Based heavily on interpretations of Marxist theory by two leaders; Lenin and Stalin.
•Russian revolution was different to how Marx had envisaged. Did not take place in westernised
countries like UK etc., but in mainly rural countries like Russia/China with small urban
proletariat.
•Lenin claimed hard for proletariat to understand and move into full class consciousness
without aid of individuals with intellectual knowledge of Marxist theory.
•Central feature of Leninism was- he proposed the need for “Vanguard party” who could be
“armed with Marxism” to “awaken the proletariat to its revolutionary potential”.
•Lenin proposed need for Vanguard party to be organised by principles of “Democratic
centralisation”- a supposed balance between freedom of discussion and strict unity of action.

9. The Bolsheviks- a vanguard party
•Took power in 1917 as a
vanguard party.
•If they were acting on
behalf of the proletariat as
class struggle in inevitable.
•It order for communism to
be achieved, need for
dictatorship of proletariat
to maintain gains of
revolution and suppress

10. Stalinism
•Stalin was another heavy
influence on Soviet Union.
•Dramatic political and economic
upheaval- 5 year plans brought
rapid industrialisation, eradication
of private enterprise, and the
collectivisation of agriculture.
Millions of peasant had to give up
their land and work for state
farms.
•Economic Stalinism was “state

11. Homework for socialism:
•Why do socialists support collectivism and how
have they done it? (15 marks)
•Why did Marx believe that capitalism was
doomed to collapse? (15 marks)
•Why did socialists believe in gradualism and
why has gradualism failed? (45 marks)
• To what extent have socialists favoured the
common ownership of wealth? (45 marks)
(Summer 2012)