False and Class Consciousness Relationships (between fellow workers)

Relationships (between capitalists & workers)

• an exploitive one

The working class can’t withdraw labour as they need the wages

• effectively the Bourgeoisie control them

Culture

Marx believed culture gave you an insight into the way capitalism was successful

Two key things:        

• class consciousness
• false consciousness

• The term ‘consciousness’ in Marx’s work refers to idea systems shared by social classes

• False consciousness is where both capitalists and workers have incorrect assessments of how the system works and of their role and interest in it. While class consciousness is the possibility that the proletariat will develop an acute conception of how capitalism works and how it affects them (but they can’t do anything about it)

• It is startling that the Bourgeoisie experience false consciousness as it is they who are exploiting both the system and the proletariat to their advantage.

Superstructure – all the institutions that support the infrastructure (economy)

Because of the ruling class ideology through the superstructure, the bourgeoisie can continue to exploit the proletariat, maintaining the status quo – what the superstructure is there for.