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Marxist Insights: Society, Superstructure, and Technology Essay

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Karl Marx’s Theories

Karl Marx is a German economist, philosopher, and writer whose ideas were collectively called Marxism and formed the basis of communist ideology. Marxism emerged as a theoretical reflection on the large-scale crises of capitalism and awareness of the need to search for scientifically sound ways out of this crisis. Marx believed that the main engine of history is material production and that living conditions determine people’s consciousness. In his opinion, human history develops in a spiral, and humanity will come to what it started with the absence of private property, money, and commodity relations, but in a more progressive form. Although Marx’s views were peculiar and unique, his theories are still being actively researched and sometimes applied in modern times.

Superstructure and Technologies

Marx introduced the term Superstructure, which describes the culture of society, ideology, and norms according to which people live. The superstructure protects the interests of the elite and is constantly evolving following current changes. In addition to customization, he also introduced the Termbase, which meant the existing productive forces, resources, and materials in society. The setup and the database depend on each other, and it is the setup that determines how the database functions, but each of them changes under the influence of the current situation. Furthermore, Marx had a significant impact on technology, due to which many people lost their jobs. That is, when capitalists introduced new technologies, they sought to master them as soon as possible, which led to an extension of the working day of workers.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Karl Marx’s theories, which he describes in detail in his writings, although they are new and peculiar, are still applied and reflected in the functioning of society so far. He believed that in a community, there is a division into a setting and a base that have their functions and meanings. In addition, he thought that new technologies do not bring significant benefits because they deprive people of jobs, and the working day only increases.

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IvyPanda. 2024. "Marxist Insights: Society, Superstructure, and Technology." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marxist-insights-society-superstructure-and-technology/.

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IvyPanda. "Marxist Insights: Society, Superstructure, and Technology." February 29, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/marxist-insights-society-superstructure-and-technology/.

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