Marxism: Basic Principles...
"Marxism" is a perspective that involves a number of differing "sub-perspectives" (that is,
whilst there tends to be a general agreement about the need to construct a critique of
Capitalist society, there are major disagreements between writers working within this
perspective). keeping this in mind, we can summarise some of the main Marxist ideas in
the following terms:
1. Marxism emphasises the idea that social life is based upon "conflicts of interest". The
most fundamental and important of theses conflicts is that between the Bourgeoisie
(those who own and control the means of production in society) and the Proletariat
(those who simply sell their labour power in the market place of Capitalism).
2. Unlike the Functionalist version of Structuralist sociology, the concept of social class is
more than a descriptive category; social class is used to explain how and why
societies change. Class conflict represents a process whereby change comes about
through the opposition of social classes as they pursue what they see to be their
(different and opposed) collective interests in society.
3. Marxism is a political theory who's main concern is twofold:
a. To expose the political and economic contradictions inherent in Capitalism (for
example, the fact that while people co-operate to produce goods, a Capitalist class
appropriates these goods for its private profit).
b. To point the way towards the establishment of a future Communist society.
4. Fundamentally, there are considered to be two great classes in Capitalist society
(the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat). However, at any given moment a number of class
fractions will exist (that is, subdivisions of each main class). For example, the
Bourgeoisie might be subdivided into:
The Haute (High) Bourgeoisie (owners of large companies),
The Petit (Small) Bourgeoisie (owners of small businesses) and
The Professions (people who, while not owners of the means of production, help to
control the day-to-day running of industries).