SOCIOL 3AC Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Friedrich Engels, The Communist Manifesto, Class Conflict
Document Summary
Descendent from a line of rabbis (although his father converted to christianity to keep his job as a civil servant) Had to leave germany for political reasons. Presents an analytic approach to class struggle. Marx and engels theory on the nature of society and politics. The economy is the basis of society. Everything (institutions, organizations, ideology) derives from an economic base. Trade and industrialization created new wealthy class bourgeoisie. Early industrial society - lots of new wealth. New class rebels against aristocracy, introduces parliamentary democracy. We"re making money too - we deserve power. Material conception of history that is all about class struggle. Social change is prompted by economic influences. Conflicts between class - rich vs poor provide all the motivation for historical development (i. e. progress) System of production that involves selling goods and services to a wide range of consumers. Owners - those who own the capital, factories, large sums of money, means of production ruling class.
