Marxism, what you got?

[Ahriman]

Oh.......I didn't know that. I suppose Marxism is the most relevant form of Socialism in today's world, right?

The basics of Marxism are based on the idea of economic determinism.... that economies function the way they do because of socio-political forces that struggle against one another. Marx thought communism was the resolution of that struggle. (There's more to it than that, but those are the basics.)

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Marxism could be defined as an ideology, though it wouldn't consider itself that. (It isn't an ideology on its own terms.) Some still contend that it looks like an ideology from the outside.  

Another way of seeing it is a model or theory about how socialism/communism can (or inevitably will) come to dominate human society.

There are several lenses through which one may examine it.

I like the "value-based" approach of the so-called analytical Marxists. They evade the accusations of pseudo-science leveled at orthodox Marxism by Karl Popper. It rejects the Leninist "vanguard" approach... which I also find unappealing.

I believe the followers of Jesus, whoever they are, will come to dominate society. I am not necessarily including myself in that group.