Fundamental Of Marxism

1. Understand the meaning, nature, and principles of scientific socialism.
2. Examine the historical antecedents to Marx's scientific socialism.
3. Analyze Marx's scientific socialism and its key concepts.
4. Critically evaluate Marx's scientific socialism and its contemporary relevance.
5. Apply Marx's theories to contemporary social and economic issues.

13 weeks, about 30 hours in total. Yours will differ.

1. Week 1Module 1: Understanding Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 1: Defining Socialism · 2 hours

     Define socialism and its key characteristics. Explore the historical evolution of socialism. Discuss different types of socialism, including utopian, revolutionary, and democratic socialism.

2. Week 2Module 1: Understanding Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 2: Meaning, Nature and Principles of Scientific Socialism · 2 hours

     Define science and scientific methods. Explain the relationship between science and socialism. Outline the principles of scientific socialism, including materialism and dialectics.

3. Week 3Module 1: Understanding Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 3: Historical Antecedents to Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism 1→Hegel Idealism · 2 hours

     Study Hegel's biography and his influence on Marx. Understand Hegel's idealism and dialectical method. Analyze Hegel's conception of history and its impact on Marx's thought.

4. Week 4Module 1: Understanding Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 4: Historical Antecedents to Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism 2→Ludwig Feuerbach · 2 hours

     Explore Feuerbach's life and works. Understand Feuerbach's critique of Hegel's conception of religion. Analyze Feuerbach's anthropological analysis of religion.

5. Week 5Module 1: Understanding Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 5: Historical Antecedents to Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism 3→ The Capitalist World System · 2 hours

     Define capitalism and its key characteristics. Explore the history of capitalism and its evolution. Understand the capitalist world system and its impact on society.

6. Week 6Module 2: Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 1: A brief introduction to Marx's Scientific Socialism · 2 hours

     Study Marx's biography and his intellectual development. Understand the scientific nature of Marx's socialism. Explore the key concepts of Marx's scientific socialism.

7. Week 7Module 2: Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 2: Marx on Human Nature · 2 hours

     Define human nature from Marx's perspective. Explore the biological and historical dimensions of human nature. Understand the role of needs and desires in shaping human nature.

8. Week 8Module 2: Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 3: Theses on Feuerbach · 2 hours

     Analyze Marx's critique of Feuerbach's anthropological conception of religion. Understand the social dimension of religion. Explore the relationship between religion and alienation.

9. Week 9Module 2: Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism

   • Unit 4: Marx on Religion · 2 hours

     Understand Marx's theory of religion. Explore the social construction of religion. Analyze the role of religion in capitalist society.

10. Week 10Module 2: Karl Marx's Scientific Socialism

    • Unit 5: Dialectical Materialism · 2 hours

      Define dialectical materialism and its key principles. Understand the dialectical method and its application to society. Explore the historical development of society through dialectical materialism.

11. Week 11Module 3: Understanding Historical Materialism

    • Unit 1: The Materialist Conception of History · 2 hours

      Define historical materialism and its key principles. Understand the materialist conception of history. Explore the role of economic substructure in shaping society.

12. Week 12Module 3: Understanding Historical Materialism

    • Unit 2: Labor and Alienation · 2 hours

      Define labor and alienation from Marx's perspective. Understand the concept of alienated labor in capitalist society. Explore the consequences of alienated labor on human beings.

    • Unit 3: Commodity Fetishism · 2 hours

      Define commodity fetishism and its key characteristics. Understand the relationship between commodity fetishism and alienated labor. Explore the consequences of commodity fetishism on human relations.

13. Week 13Module 3: Understanding Historical Materialism

    • Unit 4: Surplus Value · 2 hours

      Define surplus value and its key characteristics. Understand the relationship between surplus value and capitalist exploitation. Explore the consequences of surplus value on the working class.

    • Unit 5: The State · 2 hours

      Understand Marx's theory of the state. Explore the role of the state in capitalist society. Analyze the relationship between the state and class struggle.