italists much greater proportions of wealth than the working class receives. The whole basis of class, Marx believed, is through exploitation—those who have the money, have the control to exploit those who have little or nothing. In this form, the capitalists decide what, when, & how the conditions of labor are to be performed. The working class, on the other hand, are trading their labor for capital—making them basically products for capitalists to exploit. So, in terms of surplus, the capitalist receives all surplus (and is trying to maximize his surplus) while the working class are providing the capitalist with the means for his end (profit). In this system, Marx believes that these positions of class are maintained by the very structure of the capitalist system. This system is geared to reproduce itself, as it must, in every aspect of the life it provides—socially, ideologically, politically, and so on. Therefore, wealth and material gains become more important than moral and social improvements, and we begin to value our world in terms of efficiency, profitability, and material worth. Word Count: 1109...
