Customer center

We are a boutique essay service, not a mass production custom writing factory. Let us create a perfect paper for you today!

Example research essay topic: Marx And Engels 20 Th Century - 1,129 words

NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote

19 th Century Philosophy (1) The names of Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels are strongly associated with the concept of dialectical materialism, which became popular among great many people at the early stages of twentieth century. This concept is a synthesis of German dialectics and metaphysical materialism. Dialectical materialism strives to explain socio-political developments in every society, within a context of economy, as it suggests that the division of labor defines the political reality. Marxism operates with matter, as its main philosophical tool, while denying philosophical validity to the notion of spirit. In other words, Marxism suggests that matter is capable of transforming itself without involvement of the third party.

These transformations correspond to the objective reality. The process of industrial production alone, causes society to adopt a particular form of government, for the purpose of increasing the efficiency of such production. In their turn, Marx and Engel view industrial manufacturing as such that is being subjected to the division of labor. Division of labor allows capitalists to exploit workers labor to the full extent, as it is well known that such division increases productions efficiency. However, it also causes workers to become socially alienated, because their labor becomes an expendable element, during the process of manufacturing.

Marxism also suggests that the division of labor allows an additional value to be made. In its turn, this causes the continuous stratification of society, as the means of production remain in the hands of capitalists. In other words rich get richer and poor get poorer. In addition, it prevents workers from realizing that they have the same goal removing capitalists from position of power. Division of labor causes workers to think of their personal agenda as such that has a foremost priority, which allows capitalist to continue exploiting them, as these workers are unable to unite. However, this increases the social tensions, within a society, when it is only the matter of time, before such tensions transform itself into class struggle.

According to Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels, there can be no reconciliation reached between workers and bourgeoisie, because representatives of these two social classes have opposite agenda. Thus, the physical elimination of bourgeoisie is absolutely logical and necessary, because it corresponds to the most fundamental notions of dialectical materialism when the mass of physical object reaches a critical point, the object changes its very essence. This is the main philosophical concept, upon which dialectical materialism is based. Marx's and Engels viewed quantitative factor as such that is capable of transforming itself into qualitative one, under certain circumstances. Therefore, they suggested that industrial societies are bound to undergo the process of social tribulations, which in the end, would allow proletarians to take over the political power.

We can say that dialectical materialism is only the philosophy, which claims that it is possible to define the course of social dynamics in every society, well ahead of time. However, the philosophical validity of such claim has been greatly undermined by the objective reality, because social and cultural progress that we associate now with 20 th century, did not lead to proletarians taking over the whole world, as it was predicted by the prophets of universal peace and tolerance. (2) Marx and Engels suggest that only a fraction of capitalists income is spent on the expansion of production, with a bulk of capital being simply saved in banks. Therefore, they conclude that another form of social order needs to be established, which would economically benefit many more people, by investing capital into expansion and improvement of production facilities. Marx and Engels deny the existence of any other factors that play role in shaping up the social relations, except for economical ones. Peoples inequality is artificially created and maintained. The notions of common good, morality and solidarity are nothing but chimeras.

Marx's sociology does not attach any significance to the role of individual; it is only concerned with his social status. This can only be thought of as one-dimensional approach to complicated matters, on his part. Marx and Engels promoted the idea of dictatorship of proletariat, which was to insure that other social classes would gradually cease to exist. As history shows, very often, Marxist revolutionaries were not patient enough to wait until it happens naturally, so they would resort to mass executions to speed up the process. Marx anticipated the time when there would be no national states. His vision of future resembles anarchist utopia, from certain prospective.

Yet, he also theorized that masses could not effectively rule themselves, which is why he suggested that the ruling elite should be created out of idealist promoters of workers cause, such as himself. The whole human history, according to Marx and Engels, is the history of antagonism between classes. The eventual outcome of this antagonism they see in physical elimination of representatives of oppressive class. The social processes are defined by this struggle alone: Thus capital presupposes wage-labor and wage-labor presupposes capital. They mutually condition one another; they mutually bring each other into existence and they also strive to dominate over each other...

The increase of capital is, therefore, an increase of the proletariat, i. e. of the working class (Marx, p. 567). However, even though Marx and Engels spoke on behalf of working class, they were not able to realize that it is labor that has the most value and not the physical means of production.

The bearded promoter of workers cause and his boyfriend Engels suggested that, for as long as worker is not hungry, all his needs are being fully satisfied. Such suggestion corresponds to the very essence of dialectical materialism, which views proletarians as nothing but working robots, which are only preoccupied with filling up their stomachs with food. The stratification of societies is well known fact, but the economic factors that influence it are derivatives of racial and cultural preconditions in every society. As history of 20 th century shows, it was possible in many countries to eliminate class antagonism altogether, in order to achieve greater national goals. Therefore, Marx's class struggle theory is nothing but an outdated concept of individual preoccupied with its own grandeur complex. Despite the fact that Marx had rightfully pointed out to a few characteristics of industrialist production process, his sociological conclusions do not have an academic validity.

Bibliography: Dialectical Materialism. 2007. Wikipedia. 12 Mar. 2008. web Karl Capital. A Critique of Political Economy trans. by Samuel Moore and Edward Aveling. New York: Random House, 1995.

Levin, Michael Karl Marx and the Intellectual Origins of Dialectical. 1997. Bnet Business Network. 12 Mar. 2008. web Marx, Karl and Engels, Frederik Manifesto of the Communist Party. 1848. 2001. Marxism Page. 12 Mar. 2008. web Sewell, Rob What is dialectical materialism? . 2001. Marxist.

Com. 12 Mar. 2008. web


Free research essays on topics related to: 20 th century, division of labor, marx and engels, means of production, dialectical materialism

Research essay sample on Marx And Engels 20 Th Century

Writing service prices per page

  • $18.85 - in 14 days
  • $19.95 - in 3 days
  • $23.95 - within 48 hours
  • $26.95 - within 24 hours
  • $29.95 - within 12 hours
  • $34.95 - within 6 hours
  • $39.95 - within 3 hours
  • Calculate total price

Our guarantee

  • 100% money back guarantee
  • plagiarism-free authentic works
  • completely confidential service
  • timely revisions until completely satisfied
  • 24/7 customer support
  • payments protected by PayPal

Secure payment

With EssayChief you get

  • Strict plagiarism detection regulations
  • 300+ words per page
  • Times New Roman font 12 pts, double-spaced
  • FREE abstract, outline, bibliography
  • Money back guarantee for missed deadline
  • Round-the-clock customer support
  • Complete anonymity of all our clients
  • Custom essays
  • Writing service

EssayChief can handle your

  • essays, term papers
  • book and movie reports
  • Power Point presentations
  • annotated bibliographies
  • theses, dissertations
  • exam preparations
  • editing and proofreading of your texts
  • academic ghostwriting of any kind

Free essay samples

Browse essays by topic:

Stay with EssayChief! We offer 10% discount to all our return customers. Once you place your order you will receive an email with the password. You can use this password for unlimited period and you can share it with your friends!

Academic ghostwriting

About us

© 2002-2024 EssayChief.com