Marxism

Marxism is a structural, macro-level, conflict theory of society. Whereas functionalism emphasises consensus and stability, Marxism focuses on the fundamental conflicts of interest between different social classes. For AQA A-Level Sociology, you need to understand the key ideas of Karl Marx and the ways in which later Marxists have developed, adapted, and applied his theory.

Key Definition: Marxism is a sociological and economic perspective based on the work of Karl Marx (1818–1883). It argues that society is characterised by class conflict between those who own the means of production (the bourgeoisie) and those who sell their labour (the proletariat), and that this conflict is the driving force of historical change.

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Karl Marx: Historical Materialism

Marx developed a theory of society based on historical materialism — the idea that the economic base (the way goods are produced) determines the character of all other social institutions and relationships. History, for Marx, is the history of class struggle.

The Base-Superstructure Model

Marx argued that society can be understood as having two fundamental layers: