The term superstructure presents two well-spread uses, on the one hand, at the request of the engineering, the upper part is called superstructure speaking of a structural set, being the highest part of a structural set, that is to say, the part of a construction that is above the ground, and therefore it is opposed to the infrastructure, which is that part that is below ground.
The top and tallest part of a building
Meanwhile, in two other areas of engineering such as naval engineering and civil engineering , the term superstructure is also used to refer to the part arranged above the deck in ships and the structural part that appears supported by columns or any other type of support element, respectively.
This sense is used to account for structures, both in engineering and architecture, that have a large size and enormous complexity in terms of their construction.
Marxism: ideological, political, legal and economic structure in which a society is sustained and which is devised by the ruling class
And on the other hand, within the Marxism, as the set of beliefs and proposals derived from the German philosopher Karl Marx, the concept of superstructure is fundamental and foundational throughout the development of the economic theory of Marxism.
The superstructure is an extremely important concept within this doctrine since it designates the set of bodies and institutions that are members of a society and that respond to certain ideological, political and legal structures, that is, ideas that a society holds and that arise from the economic base that manifests.
Meanwhile, the concept of superstructure appears closely linked to another, that of infrastructure, what is the material basis of the company in question and the one that establishes the social structure, its development and also its social changes; furthermore, within it the forces and relations of production stand out.
The superstructure rests on it.
The superstructure is not independent but is directly associated with the economic conditions of society, accommodating itself to the interests of the ruling classes that have created it.
For example, any change that occurs in this will have repercussions and will be the consequence of a modification in the social base or infrastructure.
This is very important to note and to repeat: the superstructure does not have an autonomous presence, it always develops and works in relation to the interests of the ruling class.
Any change that occurs in the superstructure will have an impact on the infrastructure.
Marx proposes the Revolution to eradicate private property and a society without social classes
So, according to Marx's idea, in a society dominated by capitalists there will be no independence of thought regarding material issues, always, the infrastructure will constrain the activity of the mind.
Therefore, it is that from his revolutionary proposal, Marx, called for a change in the infrastructure in order to modify this relationship that he considered unequal for the growth of his model.
The Marxist Revolution called for a change in the infrastructure in order to change the whole of society, including social relations, institutions and all components of the superstructure.
Marx spoke in terms of exploitation when he referred to the link between capitalism (owner of the means of production) and the proletariat, which he defended so much and wanted to remove from the yoke to which the former subjected him.
The worker has no choice but to work in exchange for receiving a salary.
He argued that this was the sustaining base of capitalism in the world, without this and without two antagonistic social classes, capitalism would be unviable.
The superstructure in this framework has the function of preserving the economic base and that nothing threatens it, that the exploitation of the working class is not evidenced, and so it is for this purpose that it organizes us socially and tells us how to behave.
For example, if we do not respect private property we will be punished by law.
For Marx, the superstructure is nothing more than a deception so that the reality of worker exploitation and the lack of class equality is not noticed, those who have the means of production and those who do not.
Sometimes even the superstructure simulates changes that keep the infrastructure at bay but are a diversion of attention.
So, the way out is the revolution and the generation of a new structure that favors the working classes, eradicate private property and thus make social classes disappear.
