What is Base and superstructure?
[[File:Base-superstructure.svg|thumb|300px|Diagram showing the relationship between the base and the superstructure in Marxist theory]] According to [[Marxism]], [[society]] is made up of the '''base''' ('''substructure''') and the '''superstructure'''. These two parts influence each other. ==Base and superstructure== ===Base=== The base ([[economy]]) is made up of the [[means of production]] (such as land, factories, raw materials) and the relations of production, or the social relations people enter in order to survive (such as being an [[employer]] or an [[employee]] or what [[social class]] someone is part of). ===Superstructure=== The superstructure ([[ideology]]) is made up of the non-material things (such as [[institution]]s, [[law]]s, [[religion]], [[culture]]) that make up society and shape how people think about themselves and their place in the world. The superstructure shows the interests of the ruling class. === Relationship === The base shapes the superstructure. The superstructure defends how the base operates. For example, in [[capitalism]], [[school]]s teach students why capitalism is good and how to participate in a capitalist economy. The base and the superstructure need each other to exist. They also change over time. == References == [[Category:Marxism]] [[Category:Society]]