Functionalism/Marxism

Functionalist
1. Society like an organism/system
2. Value consensus
3. Social solidarity
4. Socialisation
Marxism (Karl Marx)
1. A conflict theory (between classes)
2. The state, throughout history, has been the device for the
exploitation of the masses by the dominant class and will inevitably
be superseded by a socialist, classless society.
3. Through capitalism, the ruling classes (bourgeoisie) exploit the
working class (proletariat)
4. Pyramid of capitalism
5. Person is exploited if they perform more labour than needed to
produce the goods they need.
6. Exploiter performs less labour than needed to produce the goods
they consume.
7. Ie: A miner, hard labour, little pay. Manager of mining factory little
work, loads of pay.
8. Alienation person estranged from their natural humanity. Marxists
view this as a direct result of capitalism.
9. Military a mechanism for alienation as it creates separation
between groups.
10.
Private inventory has freedom.
Materialism capitalism way of giving you means to buy the latest
IPhone, feeds capitalism.
Society does not consist of individuals, but expresses the sum of
interrelations, the relations with in which these individuals stand Marx
Periodization (stages to class struggle)
1. Primitive communism co-operative tribal societies
2. Slave society development of aristocracy
3. Feudalism higher class evolves into capitalism
4. Capitalism creates employment for proletariat
5. Socialism workers gain class consciousness
6. Communism a classless and stateless society, BUT not apparent
around the world (Ie: China controls peoples religion)
Class
Proletariat people who dont own production means, but sell their
labour power
Bourgeoisie own production means, buy labour of proletariat
Petit Bourgeoisie - employ labourers but work as well (family
business)

Lumpenproletariat criminals, beggars, people with no stake in the

economy, prostitutes
Landlords historically important, still own some land and power
Peasants disorganised

Class

consciousness
Awareness of society
Awareness of knowing who they are
Society in a state of fake consciousness
Marxists believe people who believe their lives are better than they
actually are
People need to acknowledge how crap their lives are before they
can change them
People are asleep, dreaming they are awake

Ideology
A system of ideas/ideals, especially one which forms the basis of
economic or political theory and policy
Ie: Islamic state
Marx Ideology is a process accomplished by the so called thinker
consciously, it is true, but with false consciousness. The real motive
impelling him remain unknown to him
The ideologies we possess are the ideology of the ruling class.
What we do with our life controlled by working class creates a
false consciousness.
Globalisation
Expansion of global linkages
Growth of global consciousness
LEDC/MEDC
Internet/International community
Through the mask of unity and peace ruling class are conspiring to
create a one world government and one world bank
The masses of the planet will be chipped and worked under a false
freedom
No one is more hopelessly enslaved than someone who falsely
believes they are free
Freedom of speech but speech monitored, cant say certain things
Ie: David Cameron wants to monitor snapchat for terrorists
Criticisms of Marxism
Reject idea that socialism can only be accomplished through conflict
and revolution
Some have rejected some of the fundamentals of Marxist theory.
These are the theories of historical materialism and the labour
theory of value.