Sunday, November 17, 2019
The Visions And Intensions Of Karl Marx Essay Example for Free
The Visions And Intensions Of Karl Marx Essay From the content of the Manifesto of the Communist Party, it is seen that Marx and Engels are not talking of any freedom but freedom from exploitation, freedom from class oppression, and freedom from class conflicts. In this sense, society cannot be considered free until it replaced capitalist exploitation with the free collaboration of all members of society. Freedom as deliverance of the worker from capitalist exploitation, is only one, though the most important aspect of his freedom. It cannot be restricted by negative characteristics, as in â€Å"freedom from something†. Freedom makes sense only when man is free not due to negative forces, to deliver him from something or the other, but due to positive forces, to show his real individuality (Hart, 1982). For Marx, freedoms like freedom of religion and the freedom to own property are hollow freedoms. In the manifesto, Marx wrote, â€Å"But dont wrangle with us so long as you apply, to our intended abolition of bourgeois property, the standard of your bourgeois notions of freedom, culture, law, etc. Your very ideas are but the outgrowth of the conditions of your bourgeois production and bourgeois property, just as your jurisprudence is but the will of your class made into a law for all, a will, whose essential character and direction are determined by the economical conditions of existence of your class.†Thus, only in a classless society would a human individual truly gain freedom. Karl Marx and Maximilian Weber are two of the founders of Modern Sociology. Marx and Weber were influential figures during their time, as both were active and visible in German politics. Their words hold a power in them that denotes authority and conviction thus becoming an inspiration or a threat to those who hear and read, yet were also widely criticized and disputed. These two however, as many people believe, share opposing views in many issues, particularly with regards to the controversial debate of capitalism and socialism. Yet they also share commonalities.Karl Marx is popularly known for his works that gave rise to the concept of communism. Marx is in fact trained in the field of philosophy but eventually veered towards economics and politics. Hence for many scholars then and now, he was more of a revolutionary communist than a philosopher. For Marx nevertheless, â€Å"the philosophers have only interpreted the world, the point is to change it,†this he wrote in his Theses on Feuerbach (Wolff, 2003). His most popular work was the Communist Manifesto (1848), which he co-authored with his lifelong friend, Friedrich Engels. Yet according to many academicians, even if the Manifesto is the most famous of Marx’ works, it is not the best material to use to analyze his sentiments and belief. In fact many deem the Economic and Political Manuscripts of 1844 as the heart of Marx’s analysis particularly in relation to economics.            Prior to communism, what paved the way to the development of communistic ideas was the theory of Historical Materialism. This is Marx’s version of history, where forms of societies experience a constant rise and fall because that society had grown to inhibit human productive power. During his time, capitalism was the dominant society, thus, capitalism impedes human productivity. What follows the decrease in productivity is a revolution or epoch change because the former society can no longer serve the needs of man. Marx believes that the historical process or the progression or human societies undergoes a series of changes in the mode of production but will eventually culminate to communism; communism will replace capitalism giving rise to a â€Å"society in which each person should contribute according to their ability and receive such according to their need†(Wolff 2003).            Marx’s postulates, though some were regarded as unempirical, were nonetheless necessary, as he was able to discuss economics using â€Å"material bases†rather than relying on philosophical abstractions and dialectics (Kemerling, 2002). Most importantly, his works were viewed as the inspiration for the victory of the Bolsheviks several decades later in the October Revolution. His most notable and recognized ideas is that the Proletariats, Bolsheviks for the Russians, are not given their fair share during the production of commodities, thus there is no harmonious relationship between the capitalist profit earner and the working man and neither will there be an equilibrium in the capitalist market (Weber, 2006). Karl Marx believes that revolution is inevitable. Nations will aspire for a society that fosters equality and progress for everyone and not just the ruling class. This emerges from an uprising from the proletariat as they continue to feel antagonism from the bourgeoisie. Modern day societies, according to Marx, are basically divided into two major classes: the bourgeoisie, or the capitalist, ruling class, and the proletariat, or the working class. With this class distinction, material wealth of a nation is totally controlled by the capitalists, while the working class only depends on salary as they work for the continued wealthy existence of the bourgeoisie. Marx believes that ultimately, the working class will notice the inequalities in their society and will wish to bring about major changes that can only be possible through revolutionary means. (Kemerling). Marx acknowledges the differing ideas on socialism and communism, but eventually concludes that it is through revolution that true communist ideals can be met. Believers in socialist and communist systems assert that antagonism persists as industrial development continues. Since the economic condition does not provide for the emancipation of the proletariat, â€Å"they therefore search after a new social science, after new social laws, that are to create these conditions†(Marx 110). Central to Marx’ concept is class distinction, which has been present throughout the course of history. The modern capitalistic society is itself a product of the feudal society, but has brought about new forms of oppression. Capitalism evolved from feudal concepts and continues to evolve in order to sustain itself – incessantly changing the means of production and exchange. The bourgeoisie has made itself the center of every society in the world as it compelled all nations to follow its model of society – a society that has enormously increased urban population so as to take them away from the simple rural life (Marx 64-64). It has also promoted a mode of production, which it presents to be based on freedom, i.e., free trade and globalization. In the process, the bourgeoisie has given power and wealth to only a few people, that is, the ruling class. On the other hand, the proletariat becomes mere commodities as capitalists continue to look for cheaper labor, and the workers, since they are selling themselves for labor and are competing with other workers for daily sustenance, turn out with lower wages in the end. In the long run, labor becomes more burdensome to the workers even as the wages go down. The economic situation of the working class, as they will eventually discover, is due primarily to the system of production, the system that the capitalists themselves have developed for their own welfare. Marx also notes that even the small shopowners, tradespeople, and handicraftsmen, unable to compete on equal footing against the larger capitalist groups, become part of the proletariat, although they are more conservative, considering only their future interests (70-71). The working class is the revolutionary class that is bound to face the bourgeoisie, starting with small groups until it forms into a national group that will take power from bourgeoisie to centralize all instruments of production. Communists envision a classless society and promote the common interests of the proletariat, and support the overthrow of the capitalists so that the working class will gain power. Marx believes that the communists are the most advanced of all sectors of the working class, as they work towards the abolition of private property, which has been the basis for antagonism of the working class (80-81). Marx predicts that the capitalist society will eventually evolve, leading to its demise as the proletarians resist the system and fight for the emancipation of the working class.                                               REFERENCES Hart, M. (1982) The Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, Galahad Books, New York City. Kemerling, G. (2002, August 7). Karl Marx. Retrieved Jan. 25, 2007 at:            http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/marx/htm Marx, K. and Engels, F. The Communist Manifesto. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1964. Weber, M. (2006, July 30). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved Jan. 25, 2007 at: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/            index.php?title=Max_Weberoldid=66750368 Wolff, J. (2003, August 26). Karl Marx. Retrieved Jan. 25, 2007 at:            http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/
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