Part 1: Discuss how Karl Marx and Frederic Engels describe the capitalist system in The Communist Manifesto. In your answer, discuss: 1) what existed before capitalism, 2) the relationship between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, 3) the role of ideology in capitalist societies, 4) the relationship the bourgeoisie has with the state, 5) and the eventual fate of capitalism (discuss what Marx and Engels think will happen to capitalism, how it happens, and what takes its place).
Though you can answer Part 1 by referring to the material in Module 2 and without reading the Communist Manifesto, but if you are interested, here it is: https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm.
Part 2: Looking at American society today, assess Marx and Engel’s claims about the relationship between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie and their predictions about the fate capitalism. In your answer, examine the role of ideology and relationship the bourgeoisie has with the state. Refer to Modules 8 and 9.
Part 3: Marx and Engels said little about gender and race inequality. However, their emphasis on the importance of power in understanding gender and race inequality may be useful. Assess the usefulness of the conflict perspective in understanding race and gender inequality (e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feminist_theory and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_race_theory). In your answer, examine the role of race and gender ideology and relationship the the dominant group (men, whites) has with the state. Refer to Modules 6 and 7.
