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| Karl Heinrich Marx (5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883), and Friedrich Engels (28 November 1820 - 05 August 1895) |
Class and Class Struggle by Karl Marks
Lesson / Lecture Plan
Topic: Class and Class Struggle (Key Concept in Marxist Theory)
Primary Text: The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, and other writings.
Semester: Fifth
Course Code: Major Course: 508
Name of the Paper: Classical Sociological Thinker
Unit 2: Karl Marx
(a) Historical Materialism
(b) Class Struggle
Learning Objectives:
By the end of the session, students will:
Analyse the relationship between the proletariat and bourgeoisie, and how this relationship drives historical change.
Evaluate the relevance of class struggle in modern capitalist societies.
(1) The Communist Manifesto (1848): Excerpts from The Communist Manifesto (focus on class struggle, historical materialism).(2) Dictionary of Marxist Thought, by Tom Bottomore (Ed) (1983/2001) (For #HIGHER_STUDY)
(3) The Short Biography of Karl Marx
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Karl-Marx
Icebreaker Question: "How do you think wealth and power are distributed in society? Do you think that this distribution creates conflict?"
Briefly introduce Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels as the founders of Marxist theory.
Class: Define classes in Marxist terms—bourgeoisie (capitalists, owners of the means of production) and proletariat (working class, those who sell their labour).
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Critique the possibility and implications of a classless society as envisioned by Marx.
Study Materials:
#FIND_HERE
(3) The Short Biography of Karl Marx
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Karl-Marx
Lesson Structure:
Part 1. Introduction
Encouraging students to reflect on their observations of class disparities in contemporary society (e.g., income inequality, job security, access to education).
Brief Overview:
Brief Introduction about Marx’s view that human history is a history of class struggles, primarily driven by material and economic conditions.
Part 2. Understanding the Concept of Class in the Marxist Literature
Key Concepts of Marx’s Theory:
Class: Define classes in Marxist terms—bourgeoisie (capitalists, owners of the means of production) and proletariat (working class, those who sell their labour).
Historical Materialism: Marx's theory posits that history is shaped by material conditions rather than ideas or ideals. The economic base (relations of production) shapes the political and ideological superstructure (laws, culture, etc.).
Class Conflict: Marx argued that the relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is inherently exploitative. The bourgeoisie accumulates wealth by exploiting the proletariat’s labour, leading to class conflict.
The Role of Class Struggle:
Dialectical Process: Marx’s historical materialism emphasises dialectical change (contradictions in society lead to conflict, which then leads to social change).
Revolution: According to Marx, the proletariat will eventually overthrow the bourgeoisie, leading to the collapse of capitalism and the establishment of socialism/communism.
Class Conflict: Marx argued that the relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat is inherently exploitative. The bourgeoisie accumulates wealth by exploiting the proletariat’s labour, leading to class conflict.
The Role of Class Struggle:
Dialectical Process: Marx’s historical materialism emphasises dialectical change (contradictions in society lead to conflict, which then leads to social change).
Revolution: According to Marx, the proletariat will eventually overthrow the bourgeoisie, leading to the collapse of capitalism and the establishment of socialism/communism.
Key Idea: Class struggle encompasses not only economic inequality but also the political and ideological conflicts between the ruling class and the oppressed class.
Class Struggle in the Communist Manifesto:
An overview of Marx and Engels’ argument in the Communist Manifesto (1848) about the inevitability of class conflict.
Highlight the key passages from the Manifesto that discuss:
Highlight the key passages from the Manifesto that discuss:
1. The historical nature of class struggle. The Communist Manifesto says, "The history of all hitherto societies is the history of class struggles."
2. The oppressive relationship between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.
3. The idea of revolution and the overthrow of the capitalist system.
Class Struggle and Revolution:
Marx’s view is that the revolution is not simply a political event, but an economic and social restructuring that will abolish private property and create a classless society.
This is a working paper and will continue to evolve.
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