Notes RESOURCE AND DEVELOPMENT

 4. Marx: Economic Equality

Karl Marx focused on economic equality, critiquing the capitalist system for creating a class-based society where the bourgeoisie (owners) exploit the proletariat (workers). Marx’s vision was the elimination of class distinctions through the collective ownership of the means of production, ultimately leading to a classless, stateless society.

Strength: Marx’s theory highlights the central role of economic structures in perpetuating inequality and calls for a radical reorganization of society to ensure that wealth and power are distributed equitably. His focus on economic justice remains highly influential in socialist and labor movements.

Limitation: Marx’s call for revolution and the abolition of private property led to political regimes that often became authoritarian and repressive. His economic determinism downplays other forms of inequality, such as race, gender, and identity-based discrimination, which are important to modern equality discussions.