Karl Marx is arguably the most well-known and influential sociologist of the past, present and future. The name Marx stirs all ranges of emotion. Some use the word synonymously with socialism and communism. Others speak of Marx as a liberator; bringing consciousness, discussion and thought provocation to a variety of topics that influences the world at large. Regardless of your beliefs, there is no denying the impact that Marx has had on the world. As Marx is so significant, he will be discussed in a multitude of entries. This entry’s focus will be on Class Struggle.

Class Struggle

The reason that Marx can be considered to be so influential is the topics that he discussed are still hotly debated. Capitalism, production and class struggles are all things that are currently being argued, especially in the largest scale of discussions such as the race for president of the United States. To Marx, every aspect of human interaction was influenced by the conflict between the working class and the ruling class. He names these classes the Proletariat (working class) and the Bourgeoisie (ruling class). The Bourgeoisie was able to control the means of production. By owning the factories, the equipment, the materials and the end product, the Bourgeoisie was and is in full control of the working class. The owners can decided, who works, how much one made, what time shifts start etc. By not being part of the owners, the workers are considered to be reliant upon the rich owners. In doing so, the workers are constantly struggling to prosper in a world that does not allow them to get ahead. The working class is similar to a form of slavery. Because the workers do not have any ownership in the end product, the worker feels alienated from the work that he performs.

Class Struggle Example

This struggle can be seen in the United States during the years of Henry Ford and the Model T. The workers were being forced to work harder and longer hours. To increase production, Ford developed the concept of the Assembly Line for car production. Previous to this, a car was created by only a few people and it took weeks or even months to design and create your vehicle. Ford created the concept of mass-producing vehicles by each person being assigned to a specific task. The worker in this job was assigned to one specific task, like tightening a particular screw, over and over again. The result: the worker would become efficient at that task, but in turn, because he was not involved in the entire process, he was alienated from the car he was producing. The owner could determine when the job will start, the pay and every aspect that went into the process, leaving the worker helpless but to do as they were told. This leads to animosity amongst the two groups.

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Marx, specifically for Class Struggle. can be referenced for

Class Struggle, Inequality, Rich vs Poor, Slavery, Owning Class, The ‘1%’, Communism, Society Issues, Gender Issues, Capitalism, Production, Owning Class, Working Class

Also See: What Would Karl Marx Say About Colin Kaepernick?

Where do you see the biggest Class Struggles now? Have you ever worked in an industry that was part of an assembly line? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!