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Karl Marx was possibly one of the most influential thinkers of his time. Marx was born in Trier, Germany on April, 15 1818. His father, a Jewish lawyer, provided a comfortable life for Marx and his siblings. His mother, Henrietta, was of Dutch decent. His parents goal was to provide a family life that would foster an environment conducive to the development of their children.
His father hoped Karl would make a profound impact on the world. If he had only known how profound that impact would be. Marx's radical political ideas can be traced back to his high school years (1830 - 35). Several of his teachers and fellow students were engaged in quite liberal thinking.
Marx wrote a report in high school in which he was to choose a profession. His paper focused on the belief that, a profession chooses you, not the other way around. Lifes circumstances dictate the career path you will follow. As you can see, liberal ideas were present in Marx at a very young age.
After his graduation from high school, Marx began his collegiate career at the University of Bonn. There he studied liberal arts such as, art history and Greek mythology. Bonn's student population was even more politically than were Marx's high school classmates. Marx jumped right into the mix.
He joined a poets society on campus which had several radical members. Within his first year he had gotten in trouble for public drunkenness. His father, who wanted Karl to study law, was dissatisfied with his rebellious nature and course of study. As a result, Marx transferred to the University of Berlin after only one year at Bonn. There he was to study law and philosophy as his father had wished. Marx's radical ways would not be tolerated at the more conservative University of Berlin.
This was to be a major turning point for young Marx. While at Berlin, he was exposed to the doctrines of Hegal. This exposure would have profound impact on the development of his own ideas. Marx joined a group of fellow students called the Young Hegalian's. This group studied Hegal's ideas on the development of the human mind. Through these studies, Marx gained the firm belief that all questions could be answered through the use of scientific or philosophical principles.
Marx's atheistic views coupled with his studies of Hegalian philosophy lead him to this conclusion. These views lead to criticism from the university. Marx was forced to transfer to the University of Jena in 1941. His radical ideas and thesis seemed to be more readily accepted there and received much more credibility.
Marx received his degree later that same year. After graduation, Marx took a job at Rheinische Zeitung, a German paper. It was not long before he was appointed chief editor. In this position he had great freedom to express his ideas. He wrote articles on various political and economic issues. His radical approach to these issues was to spell his demise.
It was not long before Marx was asked to step down as editor. At this point Marx moved to Paris where he began his work with the communist views of a group of French workmen. He saw a great cohesion within this group. Their approach was somewhat simple minded, yet their devotion to one another was intense. Marx along with Arnold Re, also a follower of Hegal philosophical principles, began to publish a journal which criticized every aspect of the dominant political policies of the day. The Prussian government exiled Marx for his participation in these publications, as well as his involvement with the communist elements in France.
At this point he met with a man that would be the greatest of his colleagues, Friedrich Engels. They collaborated on many works over the years. Engels had also studied the Hegalian ideals and hailed from Germany. They both believed that the working class (proletariat) would rise up against the oppression of the upper class (bourgeoisie).
Their similar backgrounds lead them to work together on Marx's Communist Manifesto. Marx wrote the book with collaboration from Engels. In it Marx outlines the doctrines of Communism. Marx's manifesto is divided into four parts. In the first part Marx predicts the uprising of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie class. The bourgeoisie's constant battle for more material wealth will further alienate the workers.
By doing so, they are spelling out their own demise. At some point, according to Marx's theories, the workers will unite to overthrow their oppressors. Their superior numbers will in theory guarantee victory. Secondly, Marx emphasizes the importance of creating an overall equality between the bourgeoisie class and the proletariat class. This is to be accomplished by the destruction of class distinctions and doing away with private ownership of property. The implementation of communism was to facilitate this.
The social ideas and their limitations were explained next. Societies emphasis on money and power were put under extreme scrutiny. Those materialistic values are the cornerstone of the social inequality that exists. Our materialistic nature is best stated by Marx when he says, mans consciousness, changes with every change in the conditions of his material existence, in his social relations, and in his social life? (Burns, 1935, p. 44). Our drive for success creates our own unequal treatment, by fostering competition between and conquest over our fellow citizens. Marx's final part focused on how political agendas influenced our class distinctions.
Political power and favoritism needed to be done away with after the revolution. This type of power is equal to if not greater than materialism to the creation of the social class system. The Communist Manifesto would become his most powerful work. Its doctrines would lead to the formation of the government system that many nations used, Communism.
Until recently these nations have had a profound impact on the entire worlds political and economic goals. When the proletariat rose up against their former government in the Soviet states. This rebellion is a very good example of the power of the people if they unite. The Labor Theory of Value was another major work in his evaluation of societies dependence on materialism.
In this system, the bourgeoisie- capitalist exploits the worker by not giving him equal value for his labor. Lets say that you are a worker in a factory. You can produce enough products in half a work day to pay your salary. The other four hours you put in each day only produces wealth for the company. this discrepancy in what you are paid and what your efforts are worth produce social alienation. Competition within any given industry forces the company to replace workers with technology or squeeze more work out of each worker.
The exploited working class is a huge group of people. Most of the worlds wealth is held by a very few. The class system was predicted to become constructed of only the very rich and the very poor. This continued exploitation will ultimately be the downfall of the capitalist system. As workers ability to reach the goals set forth by society become increasingly difficult to obtain, the bourgeoisie class will feel the pain.
Once the proletariat can no longer purchase the products they produce, the overall economic system will suffer. At which point the revolution is supposed to occur, according to Marx. Our drive for material goods is what drives the capitalists greed. It seems that all the people have a part in the continuation of the domination of the working class. The difference is whos privileged and whos not. Unrest occurs when the people see what the upper class has and they have no means to acquire those material comforts. (Seidman, 1998, p. 39) Marx believed this uprising would begin slowly.
Individual discontent would be followed by group uprisings. These more powerful groups would have a profound effect on further political and economic decisions by the bourgeoisie. The bourgeoisie- capitalists encouragement of the acquisition of wealth and power continues to this day. Many people in todays world are still feeling the crunch of materialism's grip. Marx's belief in a working class revolt has not yet come to full fruition. There have been many advances of the working class since Marx's time, but there is still a great deal of oppression in the world.
The civil and womens rights movements in this country are good examples. Worker strikes for improved working conditions and better wages is another. Marxian thought would suggest that these movements did not go far enough. Racism and oppression of women are still commonplace. Working conditions around the world and here at home are still quite dismal. They focused on the immediate problems and not the system itself.
It could be that the activists did not see it as possible to change the world, just their personal lives and those of their community. Marx's views on the structure of society and the current political system give us great insight into our current problems. The unconventional nature of his theories turned off many, but many others embraced them. Perhaps one of the most fundamental problems with gaining widespread acceptance was his disbelief in God.
This belief is held by so many that his denial of religious importance turned many would be followers away. Marx did see religions a major cohesive part of society. However he saw religion as a way for the poor to justify their suffering. Allowing for their continued oppression. As I said earlier, former communist countries around the world built their government systems out of Marxist views.
Those systems never succeeded, but still demonstrate Marx's influence on world politics. The working class continues to gain ground, but it seems to only foster further divisions in society. Despite the fact that many of Marx's predictions have not come to pass, his theories have still had great impact. The working class have risen to a degree.
By purchasing stocks and forming unions, they have established a certain degree of power. His theories exhibit sound logical thinking. They have led to a better understanding of the social structures that control and define us. The economy can be looked at as the machine it is. Marx is not given the respect he deserves, for the contribution his theoretical perspective has lent to the working class struggle. Many theorists after him stood on his shoulders.
They either built their theories in opposition to his or upon his. He did not have the material riches we all strive for, but he had a richness of thought that most will never obtain. Bibliography Burns, Emile. (1935). Handbook of Marxism. New York: International Pub. Marx, Karl. (1963).
The Theory of Surplus Value. Moscow: Progress Pub. Marx, Karl and Engels, Friedrich. (1948) Manifesto of the Communist Party. New York: International Pub. River, George. (1998) Modern Sociological Theory Fourth Ed. McGraw-Hill Pub.
Seidman, Steven. (1998) Contested Knowledge: Social Theory in the Post Modern Era. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Pub.
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Research essay sample on Political And Economic Communist Manifesto
