Final answer:
Marxist criticism utilizes the foundation of Marxist theory to analyze cultural and literary works, not necessitating the reader's personal support for Marx's ideologies. It focuses on the influence of class structures and struggles in shaping human experiences within cultural contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
No, Marxist criticism does not require the reader to be supportive of Karl Marx's economic theories. Marxist criticism is a way of interpreting and analyzing literary works, cultural artifacts, and historical events through the lens of Marxist theory, which views class struggles as the driving force in history. The fundamental belief in Marxist criticism is that literature and culture are products of their economic and social context, reflecting class structures and struggles.
Though Marxism aims to understand and often critique the capitalist system, one does not need to personally support Marxist economic theories to engage with this form of criticism. The goal is to explore how the dynamics of power, wealth, and class relations influence human experiences and shape cultural production. Thus, understanding Marx's critique of capitalism and his vision of a proletariat revolution is essential to conducting a Marxist analysis, but personal agreement with his political or economic ideology is not a prerequisite.