ABSTRACT
The chapter will explore the relevance of the work of Marx to social work theory and practice. The chapter is divided into sections. The first outlines Marx’s biography and key areas of work, emphasising that Marx and Engels created an approach and tradition that continues to develop and address economic, social, political, philosophical and cultural problems in the contemporary world. The chapter then goes on to look at two key areas where Marxism continues to be relevant to social work. The second section explores Marx’s understanding of capitalism and its inherent crisis tendency, while the third will look at his concept of alienation. The final section considers the relevance of Marxism for contemporary social work. The chapter suggests that, while there isn’t a ‘Marxist social work’, Marxism provides activist social workers with an orientation to social work practice and the social problems faced by service users.
