The idea of capital as a social relation can be seen to symbolize the relationship between those who own capital, and between those who must work in order to secure the income stream of capital - it is a relation of both property and power. Ideas of class conflict, alienation and exploitation are thus central to this approach. The aim of this essay is to explain the social relations of capital, and how these fit …showed first 75 words of 2312 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2312 total…rights in the state. These ideas would suggest less relevance for class struggles, but the idea is still widely debated. It seems that the influence of class may be less than Marx supposed, but there are few spheres of social life left untouched by class differences. References/Bibliography Giddens, Anthony 1994 'Capitalism and Modern Social Theory'. Cambridge University Press Aron, Raymond 1991 'Main Currents in Sociological Thought 1'. Penguin Dahrendorf 1967 'Class and Class Conflict in Industrial Society'