Political Science 1020E Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Friedrich Engels, Surplus Labour, Universal Suffrage
24 Jul 2016
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Document Summary
Exploitation is the extraction of surplus labour. Capitalist profit is the surplus value created by workers: describes capitalism as a vampire- blood-sucking monster. Production can be restrained by class relationships. Conflict of interest are linked to our relation to the means of production. The state exists to deal with conflicts of interest generated by coercive surplus extraction. The state as a committee for managing the common interests of the bourgeoisie (based on. People who own the means of production- capitalists = bourgeoisie. State"s role is to promote general class interests of capitalists. Owners on one hand, workers on the other. Workers band together will overthrow government- incorporate working class into society better. Regulate working conditions- no forced labour, unionization, etc. Moves towards the welfare state in order to protect the interests of the bourgeoisie, not the workers. The state as an independent actor (based on 19th-century french and german politics)
