Karl Marx’s Definition of Industrial Society

Industrialization resulted in the simplification of the European social order. The dramatic economic transformations of the 18th and 19th centuries reduced the European class structure to three classes:

· The bourgeoisie: industrial capitalists who owned the means of production

· The middle class: educated men who managed the means of production

· The proletariat: the masses of working class who sell their labor

According to Marx however, industrialization was splitting society as whole into only two classes,—the bourgeoisie and proletariat. As he explained, “the lower strata of the middle class—small trades-people, shopkeepers, handicraftsmen—sink gradually into the proletariat, partly because their diminutive capital does not suffice for the scale on which modern industry is carried on, and is swamped in the competition with the large capitalists, partly because their specialized skill is rendered worthless” by the mechanization inherent to industrialization. Marx further argued that these two camps were extremely hostile because the bourgeoisie (who were capitalists exploiting the factors of production to maximize profit) institutionalized the oppression of the proletariat.

Critical Thinking Questions:

1. Explain modern Europe’s social class structure according to Karl Marx.

2. How does industrialization lead to only two social classes?

3. Remembering Marx’s definition of history, explain the characteristics of the relationship between these two classes?

3. Phase One of the Proletariat Revolution: the Luddites

Question

Karl Marx’s Definition of Industrial Society

Industrialization resulted in the simplification of the European social order.  The dramatic economic transformations of the 18th and 19th centuries reduced the European class structure to three classes:

·       The bourgeoisie: industrial capitalists who owned the means of production

·       The middle class: educated men who managed the means of production

·       The proletariat: the masses of working class who sell their labor

According to Marx however, industrialization was splitting society as whole into only two classes,—the bourgeoisie and proletariat.  As he explained, “the lower strata of the middle class—small trades-people, shopkeepers, handicraftsmen—sink gradually into the proletariat, partly because their diminutive capital does not suffice for the scale on which modern industry is carried on, and is swamped in the competition with the large capitalists, partly because their specialized skill is rendered worthless” by the mechanization inherent to industrialization.  Marx further argued that these two camps were extremely hostile because the bourgeoisie (who were capitalists exploiting the factors of production to maximize profit) institutionalized the oppression of the proletariat.

Critical Thinking Questions:

1.      Explain modern Europe’s social class structure according to Karl Marx.

2.      How does industrialization lead to only two social classes?

3.      Remembering Marx’s definition of history, explain the characteristics of the relationship between these two classes?

3. Phase One of the Proletariat Revolution: the Luddites

mxddi3 · Answer

Hm, alright so for question number 1,we are just going to be explaining the three social classes that are mentioned above. State them and explain each one. 
Then, for question number 2, i'd say to start reading where it says `As he explained...` because that gives you the exact answer to the question. Write something about how the small trades-people sink into the proletariat and a reason for this is because of the competition they face from the higher class trades-people. Their skill is rendered worthless, as stated in the reading. 
Then for question number 3, do you have Marx's definition of history. I don't wanna answer this without his definition (:

MScool · Answer

thanks!!!