Karl Marx – Class and Class Struggle

Karl Marx (1818-1883) – Conflict Theory (Class and Class Struggle)

Source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Karl-Marx

Karl Marx, a renowned philosopher, economist, and sociologist, is known for his influential theory of conflict, particularly in relation to class and class struggle. The word ‘class’ originated from the Latin term ‘classis’ which refers to a group called to arms, a division of the people. According to Marx social class occupies a fixed place in the process of production. Here class means a large group of people into which human societies are divided. The key components of Marx’s conflict theory:

1. Class Structure: Marx viewed society as divided into distinct social classes. The two primary classes in capitalist societies are the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). The bourgeoisie owns and controls the means of production, while the proletariat sells their labour to the bourgeoisie for wages.

2. Economic Sphere: Marx focused on the “mode of production” (e.g., the industrial factory) and “relations of production” (e.g., unequal power between workers and factory owners). The bourgeoisie owns and controls the means of production, which leads to exploitation due to the profit motive.

3. Exploitation and Surplus Value: Marx believed that under capitalism, the bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat. The capitalists extract surplus value from the labour of workers by paying them wages that are less than the value they produce. This surplus value becomes profit for the bourgeoisie, leading to economic inequality and the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of the capitalist class.

4. Alienation: Marx argued that the capitalist system leads to the alienation of the proletariat from their work, the product of their labour, and their own human essence. Workers become disconnected from the creative process and the fruits of their labour, resulting in feelings of powerlessness, isolation, and lack of fulfillment.

5. Dialectical Materialism: Marx employed dialectical materialism to understand social change and conflict. According to this framework, society progresses through class struggle and the contradictions within the existing socio-economic system. He viewed history as a series of class struggles, culminating in the eventual overthrow of the capitalist system by the proletariat.

6. Historical Materialism: Marx’s theory of historical materialism suggests that the development of society is driven by the material conditions of production, such as the mode of production and the relations of production. He argued that the economic base of society (the means of production) determines the superstructure (institutions, ideologies, and cultural aspects).

Marx’s conflict theory provides a framework for analyzing the power dynamics, social inequalities, and contradictions of capitalist societies. It highlights the role of economic factors, class struggle, and social conflict in shaping social structures, institutions, and historical change.