Theorist Karl Marx Argued That Societies in the Emerging Capitalist

question 63

Essay

Theorist Karl Marx argued that societies in the emerging capitalist economy of nineteenth-century Europe consisted of two distinct classes of people: those who own the means of production and those who must sell their labor in return for wages. What were these two distinct classes called? What other resources or factors distinguished these two classes, according to Marx? What is one example of a way in which Marx's theory could be applied to understanding societies living in a global economy today? Do you find Marx's theory helpful in understanding class and social inequality today? Why or why not?

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Definitions:

Altruism

The selfless concern for the well-being of others without expecting anything in return.

Hegel

A German philosopher known for his dialectical method and the concept of the Absolute Spirit, emphasizing the historical development of consciousness and reality.

Spirit

In Hegel, the all-embracing idea that includes the entire universe and all of humanity. More generally, spirit means enthusiasm (as in “team spirit” or “when the spirit moves me”); in religion, spirit usually refers to an intangible being, such as God or, sometimes, the human soul.

Nirvana

In Buddhism, it refers to an exalted condition where there is an absence of pain, craving, or self-identity, and the individual is liberated from karma's influence and the continual cycle of mortality and rebirth.