July 2020 | Page 55

POL 315 THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MARXISM MODULE 3 UNDERSTANDING THE MEANING OF SOCIALISM Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4 Unit 5 Exploitation and Oppression Utopian Socialism Marx Scientific Socialism Class (A Class in Itself to a Class for Itself) Socialist Theory and Working Class Movement UNIT 1 EXPLOITATION AND OPPRESSION CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Objectives 3.0 Main Content 3.1 Exploitation and Oppression 4.0 Conclusion 5.0 Summary 6.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment 7.0 References/Further Reading 1.0 INTRODUCTION This work brings out the major themes in the writings of Karl Marxessentially from the historical, philosophical, economical dimensions which are voluminous, and which ran for over 40 years. Man has always grappled with the challenge of overcoming the paucity of resources. Right from the inception of agriculture man has been able to influence and control nature with the attendant increased productivity but has not achieved on permanent basis an equitable method of distributing resources without creating camps- of the haves and have-nots. 2.0 OBJECTIVES At the end of this unit you should be able to: • justify the claim that inequality in society is a product of social organisation rather than biological differentiation • expatiate on exploitation and oppression as the basis of stratification and domination of individuals in society. 43