Last Updated on July 24, 2025 by Karl Thompson
Marxist theory is one of the major sociological perspectives used to analyse power, inequality and social class. In A-level Sociology, Marxist theory provides a critical framework for understanding how capitalism shapes institutions like education, the media, and the criminal justice system. This page offers a clear and detailed overview of Marxist theory in sociology — including key concepts like exploitation, ideology, and false consciousness — as well as contemporary neo-Marxist developments and criticisms
The Marxist Perspective on Society
Marxist theory is a conflict perspective developed by Karl Marx, which sees society as being divided into two main social classes: the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) and the proletariat (working class). According to Marxism, the economic base of society shapes all other institutions – education, the family, the media – in ways that benefit capitalism and exploit the working class.
👉 Learn more in:
🔗 The Marxist Perspective on Society – with sociological examples of how capitalism shapes institutions like education and religion.
Structural Marxism – Althusser’s Theory of Ideological Control
French sociologist Louis Althusser developed a version of Marxism known as structural Marxism, which argues that institutions like education, religion and the media work through ideological state apparatuses to maintain ruling class dominance. Unlike traditional Marxism, Althusser saw individuals as shaped by structures, not active agents of change.
👉 Read more: Althusser’s Structural Marxism Explained
Cultural Hegemony – Gramsci’s Humanistic Marxism
Italian thinker Antonio Gramsci shifted Marxist theory away from economic determinism and introduced the idea of cultural hegemony — the process by which the ruling class maintains power by securing the consent of the working class. His approach is known as humanistic Marxism because it gives more weight to human agency, ideas, and resistance through culture.
👉 Read more: Gramsci’s Theory of Cultural Hegemony
Criticisms of Marxist Theory
Marxism has been criticised for being overly deterministic, ignoring individual agency, and failing to explain social change in non-revolutionary ways. Feminists argue it neglects gender, while postmodernists reject its metanarrative.
👉 For a balanced view, see:
🔗 Eight Criticisms of Traditional Marxism
Is Marxism Still Relevant Today?
Despite being developed in the 19th century, Marxist theory still offers useful insights for understanding modern capitalism, global inequality, and class exploitation. Neo-Marxist thinkers have updated the theory to reflect contemporary issues such as globalisation, the media, and corporate power.
👉 Explore the relevance of Marxist ideas today:
🔗 Eight example of Marxism today
Marxism and Sociology – A-Level Revision Summary
Marxism remains one of the core theoretical perspectives studied at A-level. It provides a structural view of society and offers explanations for inequality, power, and ideology.
👉 Recap key ideas here:
🔗 Marxism and Sociology: A-Level Revision Summary
📚 Marxist Theory Applied to Topics in A-Level Sociology
The above concepts can all be applied to at least one of the substantive topics within A Level sociology….
📺 Marxist Theories of the Media
Marxists see the media as a tool of ruling class control. The instrumentalist view suggests media owners directly influence content to reinforce capitalist ideology.
👉 Read more: Marxist instrumentalist theory of the media
✝️ The Marxist Perspective on Religion
According to Marxists, religion acts as an ideological tool that dulls the pain of oppression and discourages resistance by promising rewards in the afterlife.
👉 Read more: Marxist view of religion
🚔 Marxist Theories of Crime and Deviance
Marxists argue that crime is a result of inequality and that the law is selectively enforced to protect ruling class interests while criminalising the poor.
👉 Read more: Marxist theory of crime
🌍 Dependency Theory and Global Inequality
Drawing on neo-Marxist ideas, dependency theory explains how rich countries exploit poor ones through trade, debt and transnational institutions.
👉 Read more: Dependency theory explained
Why Study Marxist theory in Sociology?
Studying Marxist theory equips students with a critical lens for analysing power and inequality. Within A level sociology Marxism is classified as a conflict theory (along with Feminism). Marxist theory is especially useful for criticising Functionalism which tends to ignore issues of power, exploitation and inequality in society.
To find out how this material fits into wider sociological theories please see my main sociological theories overview.