Marxist sociology promotes fair distribution of wealth under capitalism, but its definition is difficult due to various interpretations. It is often seen as a form of conflict theory, but also promotes equality for the working class, which aligns with consensus theory. Marxist sociology critiques flaws in capitalism, but is not a practical model. It is based on historical materialism, which claims economic need influences all social structures and supports working class emancipation and scientific knowledge. Capitalist development is tied to social class, and divergence can lead to economic crises and revolutions.
Marxist sociology is a loosely defined branch of sociology that promotes the idea of capitalism that is based on scientifically based principles of fair distribution of wealth. The political and sociological view of Marxism itself has been used by nations, as with the communist model practiced by the former Soviet Union for the ideology of Marxism-Leninism, to promote various principles that Karl Marx himself did not endorse. This makes Marxist sociology increasingly difficult to define, since in Western nations such as the United States, the concept is often attributed to a wide range of radical political views. Nations with entrenched social democratic policies such as in the European sector often see Marxist sociology as a form of communism, and other viewpoints have typically classified it as a form of historical materialism.
Reductionist approaches to getting to the essence of what Marxist sociology is actually define it as a form of conflict theory. Conflict theory is a sociological theory that emphasizes the idea that leadership and economic prosperity emerge from direct conflict between individuals to dominate and influence each other. However, this seems to belie the underlying principle of Marxism itself, which promotes equality for the working class, which is more in line with consensus theory. Consensus theory stands in direct opposition to conflict theory and promotes the idea that societies thrive most when they reach a consensus on fundamental truths. One of the fundamental tenets of Marxism, however, is the description of the struggle between labor and capital interests in economies, which is in line with conflict theory approaches to cultural growth.
The difference between the study of sociology and Marxist sociology is that many people seem to take the approach too literally. While learning sociology can be an academic exercise, applying its principles in the real world can be problematic. Some sociologists believe that Marxist sociology is, in fact, an approach to a pure and scientific aspiration of how a capitalist economy would ideally function. It is, in many respects, a critique of the flaws in current capitalist systems, but not a practical model that can be used to correct them. The field of sociology also crosses many interdisciplinary barriers to be comprehensive, and Marxist sociology is considered to be best defined through greater understanding also gained in economics, political science, and history.
The fundamental beliefs of Marxist sociology are based on historical materialism. Historical materialism claims that all human social expressions and structures, from the basic social unit of the family to works of art and governmental institutions, are grounded in economic need and are directly influenced by class struggles among the population. These beliefs are translated in Marxist sociology to include the ideas of working class emancipation and the practice of scientific knowledge, or its direct use for the benefit of the population as soon as it is discovered. Capitalist development is thus inexorably tied to social class, and the more these two arenas diverge, the more likely it is that economic crises and revolutions will occur.
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