Klassenkampf

Klassenkampf, or class struggle, is a concept in social and political theory describing the conflict of interests between social classes, especially between the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (wage laborers) in capitalist society. It is seen as a central dynamic shaping social and political change, not the actions of individuals alone.

Developed in 19th-century socialist thought, notably by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Klassenkampf argues that economic relations of production determine political and ideological structures. In their view, the history of society is the history of class struggle; in capitalism, the capitalist class seeks to maximize surplus value while the working class seeks higher wages and better conditions. The state and legal framework are viewed as instruments of class rule.

Marx's theory of historical materialism explains how contradictions between productive forces and relations of production generate crises and conflict, potentially leading to social transformation, including revolution and the establishment of a different mode of production. The concept emphasizes that economic structure conditions political power, culture, and social institutions.

Later theorists, including Lenin, Gramsci, and Luxemburg, adapted the concept to different contexts; some emphasize political struggle, others cultural hegemony. Critics argue that the concept can be overly deterministic or ignore reformist pathways; some reject the labor theory of value or economic reductionism. Variants of the idea appear across socialist, communist, and heterodox traditions, sometimes focusing on exploitation, alienation, or inequality as manifestations of class antagonism.

In contemporary discourse, class struggle is used to analyze income inequality, labor movements, and political alignment, though its practical relevance varies across countries and historical periods.