What is Marxism? A Bird's-Eye ViewMarx saw a struggle of two main classes: the capitalists, who own the productive resources, and the workers, who must work in order to survive. "Marxism" is essentially Marx's analysis of the complex and developing relations between these two classes.

FEUDALISM TO CAPITALISM

Basic Cause Of Historical Change (according to Marx)

Class struggle

Technological

progress.

Overall, there are following elements in Marx's view of class conflict. Classes are authority relationships based on

property ownership. A class defines groupings of individuals with

shared life situations, thus interests. Classes are naturally antagonistic by virtue of

their interests. Structural change is a consequence of the

class struggle.

MARX AND CLASS CONFLICT

TRANSITION FROM FUDALISM TO CAPITALISM

TWO DECISIVE EVENTS MARKED THE GENESIS OF CAPITALISM1) SERFDOM:- Abolition of all kinds of dependence

2) Labourer must be obliged to offer for sale that very labor power which exist only in his self living, instead of selling commodities.THE PRIMITIVE ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH

“The economic structure of capitalistic society has grown out of the economic structure of feudal society . The dissolution of the later set free the elements of the former”….MARX

Abolition of serfdom was the result of successful peasant class struggle against feudal lordship.

Peasantry role in organizing the economyMedieval peasant villagers were quite capable of

reproducing their own economy without the intervention of ruling class.

Peasants organized their own life and worked on their own account, introduced innovative agricultural technology.

Marx draws a clear distinction between the private property of small producers, founded upon their own labor and capitalistic private property resting upon the exploitation of the labor of others

FEUDAL CRISISoccasioned an economic paralysis

BENEFITS TO THE PEASANTSDirect producers destroyed

their dependent positionLiberty of peasants to move

and sell.Major peasant families

acquired sufficient land for earning, peasants holding increased.

Fewer families depended on employment on wages

Gains in the business of direct producers.

Experienced fall in income.

Landlords were forced to lease their lands to the peasants.

Removal of all feudal control on the peasants land.

PEASANT’S ECONOMYDISADVANTAGES TO THE LANDLORDS

English lords searched for new methods to organize land and labour to recoup their income.

Adoption of new modes of farming.

CONCLUSION:-The transition to capitalism occasioned redistribution of land from one class to another; if the land did not change hands the terms on which it was held were altered…..Facilitating capitalistic exploitations.

GENESIS OF CAPITALISTIC CLASS RELATIONS