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... and puts them in terms of an exchange value. They reduce all that is noble and admirable about humanity to monetary matters, all in the name of capitalism. Again, "All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and man is at last compelled to face with sober senses, his real conditions of life, and his relations with his kind" (Marx 49). The bourgeois creates a system in which anything and everything is measured by its strict cash worth. Now that the roles of the bourgeoisie and proletariat have been established, it is possible to reconsider the communist ideal.
Clearly, Marx believes that it is wrong for the majority of society, the proletariat, to suffer so. He believes that individuals should be equal, not divided into two distinct worlds. Marx describes the current individual in society saying that, "In bourgeois society, capital is independent and has individuality, while the living person is dependent and has no individuality" (Marx 59). He also makes the distinguishing point that it is important for the reader to realize that objections they have more than likely rise up from their own bourgeoisie background. "You must, therefore, confess that by 'individual' you mean no other person than the bourgeois, than the middle-class owner of property.
This person must, indeed be swept out of the way, and made impossible" (Marx 60). Marx (and communism) wants to correct society so that all individuals benefit without a particular ruling and enslaved class. Marx speaks for communism saying, "All that we want to do away with, is the miserable character of this appropriation, under which the laborer lives merely to increase capital, and is allowed to live only in so far as the interest of the ruling class requires it" (Marx 70). Marx declares if communism is implemented that, "In proportion as the exploitation of one individual by another is put an end to, the exploitation of one nation by another will also be put an end to" (Marx 63). With all of this established clearly, Marx thinks it is wrong that a small group of people should profit so much to the detriment of so many.
Any society that encourages this, or allows this to develop is wrong, and should be changed. He believes that society is incorrect and corrupt to allow so many people to suffer. As a result he writes this manifesto that lays out the problems, and explains why he believes that communism will correct the balance of society and create an existence where every person is valued, and no one can raise themselves up by oppressing another. This brings up the topic of violence. As declared before, the bourgeois will not be readily willing to forfeit their position, so stronger measures will be necessary to create the change that is necessary.
Marx has two things to say on this subject. First, violence in and of itself is not a good thing. Second, it may at times be necessary to achieve a greater good. First, let's establish Marx's position that violence in general should be avoided. Marx speaks of constant upheaval and violence in several places. .".. oppressor and oppressed, stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight that each time ended, either in a revolutionary re-constitution of society at large, or in the common ruin of the contending classes" (Marx 45).
Constant opposition, or violence results in the destruction of both forces, according to Marx. Constant upheaval and violence is not a good thing, it is detrimental to both the individual and society. However, in order to institute communism, (which is the greatest good according to Marx) a revolution is necessary. Revolution does not necessarily mean violence. However, in this case violence will be difficult to avoid, and Marx states that violence may be necessary. Marx wrote several passages regarding this.
What is being described here is clearly nothing less than a revolution, a complete reversal in thought and society. Marx describes the first step in this revolution. "We have seen above, that the first step in the revolution by the working class, is to raise the proletariat to the position of ruling class, to win the battle of democracy" (Marx 64). So it is clear that the first step is to raise the proletariat to the ruling class, but how is this done? Marx writes that .".. we traced the more or less veiled civil war, raging within existing society, up to the point where that war breaks out into open revolution, and where the violent overthrow of the bourgeoisie lays the foundation for the sway of the proletariat" (Marx 56).
He speaks directly of violence when he says that, "If the proletariat during its contest with the bourgeoisie is compelled, by the force of circumstances, to organize itself as a class, if, by means of a revolution, it makes itself the ruling class, and, as such, sweeps away by force the old condition of production... " (Marx 75). If the proletariat is forced to violence, then violence should be taken, because it is for the greater good. Marx puts it all together in one final statement. "In short, the Communists everywhere support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things. " (Marx 86). Putting things back into perspective again, it is vital to realize that this violence should be short lived, and only continue until the proletariat is in position to make some changes to society.
Marx uses terms like 'despotic inroads, ' 'necessitate, ' and 'unavoidable' to describe the necessary violence. Violent acts are terrible things in and of themselves, but must be used at times for a greater good. However, in his ideal society, once communism has been reached there will be no more violence. History has shown and proven over and over again that communism is far from any concept of an "ideal" society.
The demonstrations in Tienamen square and the Vietnam war are obvious examples that people who live in communism are not happy. Marx was not alive to witness either one of these occurrences (Internet source). After all this, however, it is clear that Marx makes some rather remarkable assumptions regarding human nature. First, he believes that it is inevitable that the proletariat will realize that things are not as they should be, and that something needs to be done about it. Secondly, he believes that people will know the correct amount of violence necessary to achieve their goals, and will not exceed that. Finally, he assumes that once the state of communism is reached, that there will be no dissenters that will try to take advantage of the situation and raise themselves up.
The rule of Stalin and Lenin are good examples of people taking an opportunity to exploit and oppress. The idea of communism would appear to be just that, an idea, an ideal. It may not necessarily be bad to try to approach it, but because human nature is necessarily flawed in all likelihood communism will never be reached in full. However, even with all of this, the idea of communism has some good to it. Clearly it caused some reform in the area of capitalism, toning it down from what it was during the time of Marx. It has helped by acting as a mirror in which it is possible to see where society is making mistakes, and where a new balance must be struck between the needs of the individual, and the needs of society.
Even an idea such as communism which may not be fully applicable can still have, and has had, a profound effect on future society and humankind. Heilbroner, Robert. Marxism For And Against. New York: W. W. Norton, 1980.
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. The Communist Manifesto. New York: Bantam, 1992. The History of Communism. Online posting. 12 July 1999.
web Bibliography: Works Cited Sheet Heilbroner, Robert. Marxism For And Against. New York: W. W. Norton, 1980. Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels.
The Communist Manifesto. New York: Bantam, 1992. The History of Communism. Online posting. 12 July 1999. web
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