Class consciousness, inverted consciousness, ideology and political realism: basic principles to understand political relationships and the position of power elites when negotiating

Abstract

This academic essay aims to reflect on the difference between class consciousness and inverted consciousness. From this perspective, one can determine scientific or ideological thinking. It is important to discuss social consciousness, political ideology, and political realism, based on Costa Rican political and union circumstances. The methodology is a bibliographic review and critical reflection, the product of two creative activities carried out within the framework of the 60th Anniversary of the Union of Medical Science Professionals of Central America (SIPROCIMECA). The main conclusions were that ideological dominance seeks to make people have an inverted consciousness of reality, not a class consciousness, so that they defend the interests of the antagonistic class rather than their own interests. This is fundamental for elites who base their political relations on political realism. To the extent that the people lack a class consciousness capable of unifying them and acting according to their own interests, which represents a danger to the interests of the elites, the latter will not negotiate with the people or grant them better material and intellectual conditions to satisfy their own needs.