Marxist/Socioeconomic Criticism
Marxism is the political, economic, and social principles and policies advocated by Karl Marx around the time of World
War II. For Marxism, getting and keeping economic power is the motive behind all social and political activities. Put
simply, the Marxism perspective is the difference between the “haves” and the “have nots,” between the bourgeoisie—
those who control the world’s natural, economic, and human resources—and the proletariat, the majority of the global
population who live in substandard conditions and who have always performed the manual labor that fills the coffers of
the rich.
The Class System in American
Possessions
Money
World View
Personality
Poverty
People
Use or spend
Local; trying to survive
Entertainment; sense of
humor highly valued
Social Emphasis
Include people they like
Food
Did you have enough?
Quantity?
Individual style; expression
of personality
Middle Class
Things
Manage
National
Acquisition and stability.
Achievement is highly
valued.
Emphasis on self
governance/sufficiency
Did you like it?
Quality
Quality; acceptance;
labels important
Present; moment to
moment decisions
Valued; revered; abstract;
not reality
Fate; cannot change future
Casual; survival
Matriarchal
Future; ramifications of
decisions weighed
Crucial for success and
financial future
Choice; can change future
Formal; negotiation
Patriarchal
Clothing
Time
Education
Destiny
Language
Family Structure


Wealthy
One of a kind artifacts
Invest
International
Connections; Financial or
political connections are
highly valued.
Emphasis on social
exclusion
Was it presented well?
Presentation.
Artistic sense and
expression; designer
important
Traditions; tradition and
decorum followed
Necessary for making
maintain connections
Noblesse oblige;
Formal; networking
Who has the money
American ideology states that financial success is simply the product of initiative and hard work; therefore, if some
people are poor, it is because they are shiftless and lazy.
American ideology states that it is natural to want to “get ahead,” to want to own a better house and wear better
clothes. We believe that it’s natural to be in competition with our peers; we need to do “better than them” or “one
up them.”
Marxism
The Marxism perspective dictates that society should maintain those in power, and they use several ideologies to do so.
For example:
Classism – ideology that equates one’s value with your social class; those of only the highest social stature will be in
power.
Patriotism – ideology that keeps poor people fighting wars against poor people from other countries while the rich of
both sides rake in the profits of a war-time economy.
Religion – ideology that helps to keep the faithful poor satisfied with their lot in life or at least tolerant of it. Religion is
generally promoted by the rich in order to “tranquilize” the poor.
Rugged Individualism – ideology that keeps the focus on “me” instead of “us,” thus working against class action and
giving the illusion that we make our own decisions and are not influenced by ideology.
Consumerism (shop-‘til-you-drop-ism) – ideology that says I’m only as good as what I buy which fulfills two
ideological purposes: 1. gives the shopper the illusion that he/she is “as good as” the wealthy because he/she can
Marxist/Socioeconomic Criticism
purchase what they have (it doesn’t matter if it’s a fake or bought on credit) and 2. fills the coffers of the wealthy who
manufacture and sell the products.
Helpful Questions
1. Does the work reinforce capitalist, imperialist, or other classist values? What is the agenda of the work?
2. How might the work be seen as a critique of capitalism, imperialism, or classism?
3. Does the work in some ways support a Marxist agenda but in other ways support a capitalist, imperialist, or classist
agenda?
4. How does the literary work reflect the socioeconomic conditions of the time?
5. How might the work be seen as a critique of organized religion?