A Brief Look at Marxist Criticism

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A Brief Look atMarxist Criticism
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It is not the consciousness of men that
determines their being but, on the contrary, how
their social being determines their
consciousness.Karl Marx, from his Preface to a
Contribution to the Critique of Political
Economy(From the Berger text)
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SOME KEY TERMS/CONCEPTS
Base Superstructure - a societys economic
foundation determines everything
arising out of it False Consciousness - a
blissful state of ignorance as to how things
are Alienation - a state that most people are
in, in a capitalist system Bourgeoisie
Proletariat Opposites in the never ending
struggle for power.
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MORE TERMS/CONCEPTS
Natural versus Historical - a distinction
critical to Marxist thought Hegemony
- several meanings an all encompassing
but subtle domination over all aspects of a
social structure Marxist Dialectic - the
essence of meaning comes only in conflict -
opposing forces, ideas, classes, etc.