Thinker
Karl Marx
Karl Marx is central to 78 previous-year questions, spanning 2009 to 2025 across Paper I and Paper II. Everything below is drawn from the official papers — the questions themselves, the concepts they test, and where they sit in the syllabus.
78Questions
2009–25Years tested
I & IIPaper
10Syllabus topics
Concepts asked alongside Karl Marx
What the examiner actually wants you to know when this name appears.
alienation 11mode of production 9dialectical materialism 7division of labour 7life chances 7base and superstructure 6class struggle 6estranged labour 6species-being 5anomie 4class, status and party 4cultural lag 4dialectical change 4forces and relations of production 4relations of production 4social change 4spirit of capitalism 4technological determinism 4
Where Karl Marx appears in the syllabus
Every question on Karl Marx
Each links to a full breakdown — how to approach it, a model answer, and the examiner’s perspective.
2025
- Highlight the main features of historical materialism as propounded by Marx. How far is this theory relevant in understanding contemporary societies? Explain.
- How do theories of Marx, Weber and Durkheim differ in understanding religion? Explain.
- Is the social stratification theory gender-blind? Elucidate.
2024
- Critically assess the impact of technological advancement and automation on the nature of work and employment.
- Critically explain the salient features of 'alienation' as propounded by Karl Marx.
- Define the concept of 'gig' economy and discuss its impact on labour market and workers' social security net.
- Describe the differing principles of work organization in feudal and capitalist societies.
- Describe the main idea of Max Weber's book, 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' as a critique of Marxism.
- Discuss various theories of social change. Explain the limitations of unilinear theory of social change.
2023
- Explain Max Weber's theory of social stratification. How does Weber's idea of class differ from that of Marx?
- Highlight the significant features of A.R. Desai's 'Dialectical Perspective' to study Indian Society.
- What is historical materialism? Examine its relevance in understanding contemporary societies.
2022
2021
2020
- Capitalism has brought increasing informalisation of work in society. Substantiate your answer.
- Critically analyse Durkheim's views on elementary forms of religious life and role of religion. Also discuss the consequences of religious revivalism in contemporary society.
- Critically assess the Marxian theory of 'Alienation'.
- Discuss Whitehead's contention that caste has potential to displace class and colonial contradiction.
- Elaborate A. R. Desai's perspective to the study of Indian society.
- How does Marx view social conflict as an essential element in social change ?
- Is humanity at the mercy of Nature, Science and Technology ? Comment in the light of pandemic situation.
2019
- Compare and contrast the contributions of Marx and Weber on social stratification in capitalist society.
- Discuss the historical antecedents of the emergence of Sociology as a discipline.
- How well do you think Tonnies, Durkheim, Weber and Marx predicted the character of modern society? Critique.
- What are the theoretical models of societal power? Which one of them is most applicable in advanced industrial societies?
- What is 'reserve army of labour'? Present the position of feminist scholars on this.
- What is the Marxist concept of 'fetishism of commodities'?
2018
- According to Marx, how are human beings alienated from their human potential and what does he suggest to change this ?
- Analyze A. R. Desai's views on India's path of development.
- Discuss the nature of social organisation of work in capitalist society with reference to the 'Limits of the working day'.
- Evaluate if social stratification is functional for society.
2017
- Analyse Marxian conception of historical materialism as a critique of Hegelian dialectics.
- Critically analyse the role of science and technology in bringing about social change.
- Examine any two theories of social change in detail.
- Trace the changing nature of organisation of work in capitalist society over the years.
- What is Weberian critique of Marxist notion of social stratification?
2016
- “Social conflict is both a cause and a consequence of social change.” Explain.
- Describe the nature of social organization of work in industrial society.
- Evaluate Marx's ideas on mode of production.
- Salient features of A.R. Desai's Marxist Sociology
- To what extent revolution replaces the existing order of society? Discuss.
2015
- “Ideology is crucial for social transformation in a democracy.” Discuss.
- Differentiate between Marxian and Weberian theories of Social Stratification.
- Discuss Marxist approach to the analysis of Indian nationalism.
- Discuss the relevance of historical method in the study of society.
- Distinguish between the social organization of work in feudal society and in capitalist society.
2014
- “According to Max Weber, ‘class’ and ‘status’ are two different dimensions of power.” Discuss.
- According to Marx, capitalism transforms even the personal relationships between men and women. Critically examine with illustrations from the contemporary Indian context.
- Discuss the social background of Indian nationalism.
- For Marx, class divisions are outcomes of 'exploitation'. Discuss.
- Identify the similarities and differences between Marx's theory of 'alienation' and Durkheim's theory of 'anomie'.
- What are the distinctive features of social organization of work in slave society? How is it different from feudal society?
2013
- Analyse the salient features of historical materialism.
- Compare Karl Marx with Emile Durkheim with reference to the framework of ‘division of labour’.
- Examine science and technology as agents of social change.
- How do Karl Marx and Max Weber differ in terms of their analysis of social stratification?
- Illustrate the conflicts and tensions experienced by societies undergoing social change.
2012
- ‘Revolutionary changes have some specific characteristics.’ Discuss with examples.
- Examine how Weber's characterisation of capitalism is different from those of Marx.
- How did the French revolution and Industrial revolution play an important role in the emergence of Sociology ?
- In Marxian classification of Society, feudal and slave societies are very important. How are they different from each other ?
- Limitations of the dialectical approach to the study of Indian society.
- Sometimes workers do not feel attachment for their work. Marx formed a theory for this situation, discuss that theory.
- Stratification of Classes
2011
- “Science and Technology are major forces accelerating the process of social change.” Comment.
- Emergence of Sociology is an outcome of modernity and social change in Europe
- The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
- What is Class ? Do you think that Weber's contributions to social stratification are different from that of Marx ?
2010
- “Sociology without History is rootless and History without Sociology is fruitless.” Elaborate.
- “Work in capitalism is reduced to mere labour in which the individual does not develop freely his physical and mental energy but mortifies his body and ruins his mind.” Critically evaluate the assertion.
- Analyse the social impact of market economy on traditional societies.
- Compare Karl Marx with Emile Durkheim with reference to the framework of 'division of labour'.
- Examine Karl Marx's views on 'class-in-itself' and 'class-for-itself' with reference to proletarians.
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