Core characteristic of capitalism

Generalized commodity production based on wage labor and exchange for profit.

Marx's primary objective of capitalism

The endless accumulation of capital and generation of surplus value.

Capitalism vs. slavery and feudalism

Workers are legally free to sell labor power rather than being owned or bound to land.

Social relations in capitalist society

Determined primarily by market exchange and commodity relations.

Commodification of labor power

Treating human labor capacity as a bought-and-sold market commodity.

Illusion of worker freedom under capitalism

Workers must sell labor power to survive, lacking access to means of production.

Forced labor in capitalism

Economic compulsion forcing workers to labor for capitalists to avoid starvation.

Relationship between laborers and employers

An antagonistic relationship rooted in exploitation and unequal power.

Fundamental objective regarding commodities

The production of exchange value and realization of profit.

Ties between individuals in capitalism

Reduced to monetary and economic exchange relations (the cash nexus).

What distinguishes humans from animals

Conscious, purposeful, and creative labor.

Work and labor in relation to human nature

The fundamental medium for human expression and fulfillment.

Marx's term for unique human qualities

Species-being (Gattungswesen).

How individuals maintain existence in society

Through productive labor and social relations of production.

Key focus for understanding society

Material conditions and the prevailing mode of production.

What would be abolished in communism

Private property, wage labor, and class inequality.

Result of communism on class relations

The complete elimination of classes and class struggle.

What communism represents

The true emancipation of humanity and the end of human prehistory.

Definition of communist society

A society where private property, profit, and class inequality are eliminated.

Role of communes in Marx's vision

Examples of cooperative living and non-alienated collective labor.

Focus of historical materialism

How material and economic conditions shape history and social institutions.

Basis of all social structure (Engels)

Economic production and the distribution of goods.

Emergence of historical change

Driven by contradictions and conflicts within the mode of production.

Downfall of capitalism

Caused by internal economic contradictions and proletarian revolt.

Role of class consciousness

Unites workers to recognize exploitation and overthrow capitalism.

Impact of technological advances

Deskilled labor, increased automation, and intensified worker exploitation.

Dialectical materialism

Explaining social change through material conditions and internal contradictions.

Dialectical process of historical change

A dynamic process driven by conflict between opposing social forces.

Thesis in dialectical materialism

The existing social or economic order.

Humans and historical change

Humans actively engage with and shape historical change.

Advantage of division of labor (Adam Smith)

It encourages workers to become accomplished in various branches of activity.

Division of labor's impact (Marx)

Stunts human potential, causes monotony, and alienates workers.

Alienated labor

Separation of workers from their products, process, self, and others.

Workers and products produced

The product confronts the worker as an alien, hostile power.

Coercion in capitalist production

Wage slavery and systemic economic compulsion.

Alienation from species being

Turning creative work into mere physical survival drudgery.

Estrangement of individuals

Pitting workers against each other through relentless competition.

Purpose of competitive workplace awards

To reward compliance, productivity, and inter-worker competition.

Threat to employed workers' livelihoods

Maintained through the reserve army of labor (unemployment).

Global impact of inter-worker competition

Drives down wages globally and weakens working-class solidarity.