Through this we have learned that as working class, we expect and accept that we will be exploited by the ruling class in terms of our surplus value. This is known as a crisis of Hegemony. They go on to say that we have internalised the DVS to such an extent that any other value system seems absurd, resulting in a state of false class consciousness. Marx believed that we will see a social revolution which will overthrow capitalism and replace it with true communism. Marxism sees religion as a feature which is only relevant in a society based on class division I.E the ruling classes and the working classes.
It wasn’t until shortly after his death that Karl Marx’s ideology began to significantly influence socialist movements. Although relatively unknown during his lifetime he has become one of the fundamental economic and sociological figures of the modern era. Many of his theories and insights into the way society functions are still relevant in the expanding capitalist society that exists today. Marx was very critical of capitalism and the division in society between the bourgeoisie and proletariat classes, attempting to highlight the injustice and exploitation of the working class by the wealthy upper and middle class. Marx predicted that capitalism within a socioeconomic system would inevitably create internal tensions between social classes leading to its demise and replacement by a new system, communism.
- This criticism focuses on class oppression and looking at how different levels of society interact - It looks at what each text has to say about class relations - The class that owns the means of production is the most powerful  Venetian Senate owns everything - Each ruling class has a system of ideas that the other classes accept as the dominant outlook UNTIL THE OTHER CLASSES BECOME REVOLOUTIONARY  Emilia’ conversation with Desdemona is revolutionary - Marx himself was fascinated by the late 16th C in England because of the change in social class. Eg. The rise in the working class (proletariat) and the rise of the middle class (bourgeoisie) - Marxism has always been concerned with development of different classes in history - Marx wrote ‘Shakespeare portrays the essence of money excellently… if money is the bond that binds me to human life, that binds society to me and me to nature and man, is not money the bond of all bonds?... is it not therefore the universal means of separation? It is the universal whore, the pander between men and peoples.’ Karl Marx, ‘the economic and philosophical manuscripts’ (1844).
Communism has rule from a single party that used a form of democracy inside of it to decide on things for the state. Fascism was against this form while a single, authoritarian leader made the decisions.Violent reforms took place under fascism to
Like many political transitions, it was an untidy and complicated process. Although from the start Mussolini’s intentions were quite difficult to establish, however it could be that Mussolini wanted to set up from the beginning a totalitarian one party state. The first consolidation of fascist power was to strengthen his position in certain aspects. Such as he had to strengthen his position in the government, he still continued his threats of violence to opposition such as the socialists who were very popular since they believed in helping the working class and setting up trade unions to help people improve their work/life conditions each other, so many Italians were on their side. Mussolini’s position as prime minister in October 1922 was by no means secure, the king was still able to at any time dismiss him if any opposition to the fascist party was high and people wanted an alternative government.
Structural theories such as functionalism and Marxism are macro (large scale), and deterministic: they see society as a real thing existing over and above us, shaping our ideas and behaviour – individuals are like puppets, manipulated by society. Social action theorists use qualitative research methods to gather an in-depth understanding of human behaviour and the reasons behind such behaviour. This method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where and when, for example, covert or overt participant observations and unstructured interviews. Structural approaches use methods that are scientific, as they want quantitative data (e.g. questionnaires and surveys).
Classical liberals have been defined by the desire to minimise government interference in the lives of citizens, they feel betrayed by modern liberals as they are associated with welfare provision, intervention and economic management. Classical liberalists such as Adam Smith and David Ricardo believe in the notion of economic liberalism. Mercantilism, the dominant economic idea of the 16th and 17th had encouraged government to intervene in economic life, in an attempt to encourage the export of goods and restrict imports. Smith’s economic writings attacked this idea and argued for the principle that the economy worked best when left alone by the government; He saw the economy as a market, it operates according to the wishes and decisions of individuals. Freedom within the market means freedom of choice, e.g.
He believes that this will ease the process of transformation, and end the constant oppression that is present. Lenin quotes Marx that following the revolution; there is “political transition period in which the state can be nothing but the revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat.” Lenin agrees with Marx and believes that the state in its current form is highly oppressive that that no matter what has been said or has been put on paper, men are inevitably unequal and that “democracy is always hemmed in by the narrow limits set by capitalist exploitation.” Lenin is angered by the fact the higher class (the bourgeoisie) have the utmost control and the working class (the proletariat) must follow their reign. This is when Lenin’s main argument is revealed: The proletariat must suppress the bourgeoisie immediately in order to “free humanity from wage slavery.” Lenin wants the “complete withering away of the state.” He believes that this will happen with the proletariat through the “dictatorship of the proletariat.” The majority of the society will
Browne once said "sociological perspectives centre on how much freedom or control the individual had to influence society" He goes on to comment on the two main approaches "structuralism is concerned with the overall structure of society and the way social institutions act as a constraint, or limit and control individual behaviour". Structuralism offers a view of the individual being controlled by the society they live in, Marx and Durkheim are similar in that they can both be described as structuralists, however their individual ideas are somewhat different. Functionalism was developed by Emile Durkheim, he believed like Comte that sociology should be viewed as a precise science and that society should be studied objectively. Durkheim placed an enormous amount of emphasis on social facts which he saw as ways of acting, thinking or feeling that are external to individuals and have their own reality outside the lives and perceptions of individual people. This is known as the macro approach, which places a great emphasis on the structure of society and how an individual operates with that society.
It focuses on class conflict. A key founder of conflict theory was Karl Marx. He believed that there is/or was a bitter conflict between the bourgeoisie (those who own the capital) and the proletariat (the workers who toil for low pay). He believed this conflict could only end when the proletariat repelled aging the bourgeoisie. Functionalist division of labor Education provides society with a ‘division of labor’ this means schools help identify who will be the bin man and who will