INR 2001 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Empiricism, Feminist Theory, Proletariat

• School: University of Florida
• Department: Political Science
• Course: INR 2001
• Professor: Paul D’ Anieri

Document Summary

Economic structuralism assumes that economics is the driving motivation behind political activity (known as economic determinism) Wealth is a fungible resource meaning that it can be converted into other resources. Economic structuralism sees the fundamental actors in politics not as individuals or states but as classes. Classes: groups of people at different places in the economic hierarchy. At the top are people who own capital: resources that can be used to produce further wealth. At the bottom are those who must sell their labor to others to earn money (commonly called workers) Owners of the capital are known as the bourgeoisie and the workers are known as the proletariat: propositions. Surplus value: in economic structuralist theory, the difference between the value of raw materials and the value of the final product presumable this is the value added by laborers. The owner of capital has structural power: surplus value and international politics.