Final Exam: Marxism, Feminism, and Black Liberation

Introduction

Marxism, the political philosophy coined by Marx in the 1800s, had a powerful influence on many social movements, including the Black Panther Party. The Black Panther Party, also deriving inspiration from Malcolm X, put together a 10-point platform, with issues and proposals that still hold true today. While a strong manifesto highlighting the many problems that plague their community, the 10-point program did not specifically address the issue of Black women. The Black Lives Matter movement, on the other hand, has addressed these issues, as they addressed police and economic violence against their communities.

The following prompts and questions should be used as steps to help you write a 4,000- word essay. Please make sure you address all of them.

• Marx thought that all value in society is produced by workers, not by the bourgeois who own of the means of production (factories, Facebook, lands). See Marx’s definition in STPEC’s book in Moodle. In the Communist Manifesto, he did not, however, address the situation of Black populations throughout the world.
• Explain how workers produce all value in society, according to Marx.
• Summarize the 10 Point Program of the Black Panther Party
• How does the Black Panther Party (BPP) adapt Marxism to the struggle for Black liberation in the U.S.? What does the BPP take (or not take) from Marx and what does it add and why?
• Explain bell hooks concept of white supremacist capitalist patriarchy
• Drawing from hooks, explain how bell hooks would have enhanced the political platform of the BPP to include a feminist and/or queer analysis (which both Marx and the BPP’s 10 Point Program lack).
• Relate hooks’ enhanced (feminist/queer) platform of the BPP to that of the 2020 Policy Platform for Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM). https://m4bl.org/policy-platforms/ (scroll down to see 2020 Platform)
• What are the theoretical and practical implications of hooks’ analysis for the current movement for Black liberation in the U.S.?

Essay Guidelines

Your presentation needs to have an introduction, a body where you draw your argument and present evidence, quotes, and examples, and a conclusion.

Introduction 

Explain the concepts that will help you present your vision and tell us how you are going to prove your points.

Body 

Explain your theories and examples clearly. Develop the ideas that you have introduced earlier. Remember to tie your examples with your author’s concepts or ideas and use quotes appropriately. Quotes need to always be explained in your own words.

Conclusion 

Bring it all together. Briefly recap concepts and examples or illustrations to explain how all of the above ties in with your life and vision for a better world.