Week 3 Notes

technological innovations are soon adopted by others

the fatal flaw according to marx: belief that these processes can go on forever

china now trades with europe and U.S. and purchases opium ending the trade deficit

what is NOT a part of idealism?

more people have fallen into proletariat class and can no longer afford to buy the products

this cycle continues until the entire economy is controlled by a small number of highly efficient companies

ideology: ideas that perpetuate false consciousness

all consciousness is class consciousness

those who do not exploit labor enough or adopt new technology quickly enough fail

communist societies of the 20th century did not go through these processes and were doomed to fail

luxemburg theorized that capitalism is always imperialistic not just at the point of internal overproduction

the economy is centralized, super-efficient, and non-competitive

where did europe trade with east asia?

labor exploitation is limited by human ability

ideology: ideas that make power and oppression seem natural so that physical force is not needed

the bourgeoisie are those who own and control industrial production

the lost businesses will be taken over by remaining capitalists which contribute to expansion

marx would say that the true revolution has been delayed due to imperialism

marx’s general theory is historical materialism

what is praxis?

moving production to areas with lower wages and operating costs increased profits and often lowers prices

rather than dumping excess goods into foreign markets, capitalist can:

two general philosophies: idealism and materialism

capitalism only functions properly as a system of competition among business owners all seeking personal profit

a product china wanted was opium

capitalism required a constant supply of non-capitalist areas in which to expand

Marx provides a critique of capitalism, comes up with communism, and calls for a forceful revolution

capitalists compete in terms of: increased efficiency of production and expansion of production

consciousness is based on the relationship to material life

what is marxism?

who has a false consciousness?

what is self alienation?

the first real revolution should happen in the first society to go through the whole process

britain and other european powers defeated china with more advanced military ships

china was forced to pay for lost opium and open up 5 ports to trade

increased efficiency: exploitation of labor and technological innovations

western society is divided between two large social classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat

what is NOT a part of materialism?

businesses will lose and drop down to proletariat status if they fail

the bourgeoisie own and control production of material, therefore they should be able to own and control consciousness

the proletariat are those who only own their labor power

china would sell good to europe but not trade

british forced india to cultivate opium poppies

turkey declared war when the chinese government wanted to end opium trade

the great mass of people (poor, unemployed) rise up in revolution

according to materialism, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat see the world differently

what is NOT a principle of materialism?

proletariat were alienated from their work in what ways?

china had the most desirable goods (silk, tea, porcelain) but resisted European trade

according to marx this is the only way for a true communist revolution to occur: the end point of capitalism