A Brief Explanation of Marxism Dialectics, Democracy and Enlightenment

Overview In this lesson you will examine: The basic beliefs of Marxism An explanation of class dialectics The expected result of an ideal Marxist society

Beliefs That all men are equal but that the inequality of wealth creates conflict That capitalism as a system is the exploitation of workers by those who own the means of production, the bourgeoisie (middle-class) That capitalism is merely a stage towards an ultimate socio-political system (communism)

Progress through Conflict Marx believed that history could be explained as the result of opposing forces destroying each other to “progress” forward: Communism Capitalist Democracy Bourgeoisie Workers Monarchy Landowners Merchants

“The Workers’ Paradise” Once a communist revolution was complete, Marx expected the following to occur: That there would only be a single class That there would be equality of wealth That the means of production would belong to the people That decisions would be made democratically