Sociology Plus
Class-for-itself Definition
The concept of class-for-itself describes a stage in the development of the working class where members recognise that they share common interests with all other workers and consequently engage in political and industrial action to advance their collective interests. For Karl Marx, achieving this state was considered a crucial prerequisite for revolution, enabling the working class to seize power and fundamentally transform society according to their own self-determined interests.
Context and Theory
This concept is central to Marxist theory concerning class consciousness, describing the transition from an objective, material existence (the ‘class-in-itself’) to a subjective, politically aware collective identity (‘class-for-itself’). It highlights the process by which economic conditions lead to political awareness and collective agency among the proletariat.
Significance
Marx viewed the realisation of class-for-itself not merely as an internal psychological shift but as the necessary foundation for revolutionary action. The recognition of shared interests motivates workers to move beyond mere subsistence and engage in organised struggle to achieve socio-economic change.