marxism
- 01 C1 Advanced
the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, which argue that history is a struggle between social classes.
the body of doctrine developed by Marx and Engels, characterized by historical materialism and the critique of capitalist modes of production.
Simple“In university, we studied Marxism to understand how it influenced the history of the twentieth century.”
In context“The professor argued that classical Marxism provides a necessary framework for analyzing the structural inequalities inherent in global trade.”
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a political program that aims to give power to the working class and end private ownership of businesses.
a revolutionary political program aiming to establish a dictatorship of the proletariat as a transitional stage toward a stateless, classless society.
Simple“The local political group was founded on the principles of Marxism.”
In context“The revolutionary leaders sought to implement a pure form of Marxism, nationalizing all major industries and redistributing land to the peasantry.”
Synonymsrevolutionary socialism - 03 C2 Proficiency
a word sometimes used to criticize any government policy that involves high taxes or social welfare.
a derogatory label applied to various left-wing or interventionist policies, often regardless of their actual connection to Marx's theories.
Simple“The politician accused his opponent of Marxism just because he wanted to increase the minimum wage.”
In context“In the heat of the election, any proposal for increased public spending was dismissed by critics as creeping Marxism.”
Teacher's tipIn modern political debate, this term is often used loosely as an insult for any policy the speaker considers too left-wing.
Synonymsradicalismleftism
From Marx + -ism.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.