Three Key Concepts in Marxism

Marxism is a specific form of communism -- a political and economic theory that focuses on labor and class. It is usually perceived as the opposite of capitalism, which relies on financial investment and business. It is named for philosopher Karl Marx, whose 19th-century books provided much of the foundation of the theory. Many related philosophies have grown from and adapted Marx's ideas, such as Leninism, Trotskyism, Stalinism and Maoism. The three key concepts of Marxism are class conflict, historical materialism and labor as value.

Class Conflict

For Marx, society was best conceived of in terms of socio-economic classes, specifically the bourgeoisie and proletariat. The bourgeoisie controls the means of production -- the land and the capital -- and exploits the workers for profit. Ownership of property, not income itself, defines the classes. Further, if society is to change, it would do so only through struggle between the classes. Marx believed this struggle to be inevitable.

Historical Materialism

Marxists interpret all of history through the lens of "historical materialism" and as a series of class struggles. Even the Reformation, for instance, is seen from a historical materialist viewpoint as the rise of Protestant bourgeoisie. Marx and his coauthor, Frederick Engels, make this explicit in "The Communist Manifesto." In it they write, "Every form of society has been based, as we have already seen, on the antagonism of oppressing and oppressed classes."

Labor as Value

The true value of goods, Marx proposed, relies on the labor required to produce them. This construction of value means that for the bourgeoisie to profit from workers, they must be exploiting them, not compensating them in wages with the full value of the goods they produce. Under capitalism's wage structure, "the laborer lives merely to increase capital," according to "The Communist Manifesto."

Influence of Marxism

In mainstream thought today, Marxism is seen primarily as an academic theory rather than an actionable political approach. Still, the three tenets of Marxism -- class conflict, historical materialism and labor-as-value -- have proved widely influential, most obviously in the communist revolutions in Russia in 1917 and in China in 1949. Marx-inspired socialist parties came to prominence around Europe and Asia through the 20th century and even garnered considerable, if temporary, traction in the U.S.

References

• Australian National University: Manifesto of the Communist Party, 1848, by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels
• University of Hawaii: Understanding Conflict and War, Vol. 3, Ch. 5: Marxism, Class Conflict, and The Conflict Helix, by R.J. Rummel
• Stanford University: Marxism
• The Concise Encyclopedia of Economics: Marxism, by David L. Prychitko

Resources

• Marxists.org: Marxists Internet Archive
• University College London: London Philosophy Study Guide: Marxism