Question

According to Karl Marx, class membership depends upon

• A. Power
• B. Prestige
• C. Mode of productivity
• D. Productivity relations

Hint:

Remember the key distinction: for Marx, class is all about your economic relationship to the means of production. For Weber, stratification is more complex, involving class (economic), status (prestige), and party (power).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the fundamental criterion that determines a person's class position according to Karl Marx's theory.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
For Karl Marx, class is defined purely in economic terms. A person's class membership is determined by their relationship to the means of production. This relationship is the core of what Marx called the relations of production (or 'productivity relations').
- In a capitalist society, there are two main classes:
1. The Bourgeoisie: Those who own the means of production (factories, land, capital).
2. The Proletariat: Those who do not own the means of production and must sell their labor power to survive.
- Power (A) and Prestige (B) are part of Max Weber's multidimensional view of stratification, not Marx's.
- 'Mode of productivity' (C) or Mode of Production is a broader term that includes both the forces of production (technology) and the relations of production. The specific factor that determines class membership within that mode is the 'relations' part.
Step 3: Final Answer:
According to Karl Marx, class membership depends upon one's position in the relations of production (productivity relations).