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Subjects · Leaving Cert Politics & Society

Leaving Cert Politics & Society: Social class, capitalism & power

How often Social class, capitalism & power comes up on the Politics & Society papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 6 of the last 7 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 6 of the last 7 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Social class, capitalism & power, Higher Level(6 marks)

Quick ones on Social class, capitalism & power.

(a)For Marx, what divides the bourgeoisie from the proletariat?
  1. Their level of education and skills
  2. Ownership of the means of production
  3. Their religious belief and church membership
(b)In Marxist theory, what is it called when workers accept ideas that serve the ruling class?
  1. Social mobility
  2. Class consciousness
  3. False consciousness
(c)Marx and Engels opened the Communist Manifesto (1848) by calling all history the history of what?
  1. Class struggles
  2. Religious wars
  3. Great leaders
Show the answers

(a) Ownership of the means of production

(b) False consciousness

(c) Class struggles

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Social class, capitalism & power.

Higher Level

Asked on 6 of the last 7 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1g, Q1h, Q1n, Q3a
2024Q1n
2023Q4b
2022Not asked
2021Q1b
2019Q1d, Q1j
2018Q1h, Q4b

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Social class, capitalism & power questions

Social class, capitalism & power, 3 marks

In Marx's theory, what is the 'base' of society?

  1. Religion and the moral values of society
  2. The legal system, politics and the state
  3. The economy: how production is organised
Show the answer

The economy: how production is organised

For Marx, the economic base shapes the superstructure (law, politics, religion, culture), which in turn tends to support the ruling class.

Social class, capitalism & power, 3 marks

What did Marx mean by the 'alienation' of workers?

  1. Workers join trade unions to raise their pay
  2. Workers lose control and meaning in their work
  3. Workers are forced to emigrate to find jobs abroad
Show the answer

Workers lose control and meaning in their work

Under capitalism, workers do not own what they make or control how they work, so labour becomes a means to survive rather than self-expression.

Social class, capitalism & power, 2 marks

In Irish and EU statistics, 'at risk of poverty' means income below what share of the median?

  1. 60%
  2. 50%
  3. 40%
Show the answer

60%

The at-risk-of-poverty line is 60% of median household income, adjusted for household size. It is a relative measure: it moves as typical incomes move.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 6 of the last 7 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025Q1d, Q1g, Q10
2024Q1n, Q1t, Q2, Q4
2023Not asked
2022Q1a, Q9
2021Q1c, Q10
2019Q1m, Q1n
2018Q2

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Social class, capitalism & power questions

Social class, capitalism & power, 2 marks

In Marx's theory, who are the bourgeoisie?

  1. The workers who sell their labour for wages
  2. Elected members of parliament and ministers
  3. The class that owns the means of production
Show the answer

The class that owns the means of production

For Marx the bourgeoisie own factories, land and capital, while the proletariat own only their labour. He saw history as a struggle between these classes.

Social class, capitalism & power, 2 marks

Which is the best definition of 'social class'?

  1. A group of students in the same school year
  2. A group sharing a similar economic position in society
  3. A group of people who share the same religion and beliefs
Show the answer

A group sharing a similar economic position in society

Social class groups people by income, wealth, occupation and education. It is linked to differences in health, housing and educational outcomes.

Social class, capitalism & power, 2 marks

Kathleen Lynch names four areas of inequality. Which is one of them?

  1. Affective (love, care and solidarity)
  2. Geographical (north and south)
  3. Athletic (sport and fitness)
Show the answer

Affective (love, care and solidarity)

Lynch's four are economic (resources), cultural (respect), political (power) and affective (love, care and solidarity). She argues care work is undervalued.

Other Politics & Society topics

All of Leaving Cert Politics & Society