Key Marxist Economic & Social Concepts

Capital: A Core Factor in Bourgeois Society

Capital: One of the three factors constituting modern bourgeois society. It consists of all types of installations that, in collaboration with labor, produce goods for consumption. Capital is the element that enables the existence of the capitalist bourgeoisie.

Material Conditions: Triggers of Socio-Economic Processes

Material Conditions: A set of conditions that make something possible. For Marx, the ultimate triggers of all processes are socio-economic conditions.

The State: Sovereignty and Superstructure in Marxist Thought

The State: A political institution not subject to any other political body; that is, it possesses sovereignty. It should possess a permanent population, a defined territory, and a government. For Marx, the State is the culmination of the legal and political superstructure of any society.

Socio-Economic Formation: Society's Structure & Dominance

Socio-Economic Formation: A set of elements that constitute a society at a particular historical moment. In every social formation, there is:

• A complex economic structure with various relations of production (one of which dominates).
• A complex ideological structure composed of various ideological tendencies (one of which is dominant).
• A complex legal and political superstructure that enables the domination of the ruling class.

Material Productive Forces: Raw Materials & Labor Resources

Material Productive Forces: (Often associated with mass production) The material elements involved in the work process, including raw materials and labor resources.

Social Production of Existence: Meeting Human Needs Through Labor

Social Production of Existence: The process by which humans, through their labor, develop products to meet their needs.

Relations of Production: Social & Technical Work Dynamics

Relations of Production: The working relationships established among those involved in the production process (social relations) and their relationships with the means of work (technical relations). These relations are determined, necessary, and often beyond individual control. They are intrinsically linked to humanity's level of development of material productive forces, without which people cannot work.

Superstructure: Legal, Political, and Ideological Framework

Superstructure: The set of legal and political institutions, along with the dominant ideology, of a society. It is determined by its economic structure.

Productive Forces: Labor Power & Means of Work

Productive Forces: The elements that enable work to be done. They are formed by the labor power (human energy used) and the means of work (instruments to transform raw material into a product).