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16.1C: The Marxist Critique of Capitalism

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Karl Marx saw capitalism as a progressive historical stage that would eventually be followed by socialism.

Learning Objectives

• Examine Karl Marx’s view on capitalism and the criticisms of the capitalist system
• Karl Marx saw capitalism as a progressive historical stage that would eventually stagnate due to internal contradictions and be followed by socialism.
• Marxists define capital as “a social, economic relation” between people (rather than between people and things). In this sense they seek to abolish capital.
• Revolutionary socialists believe that capitalism can only be overcome through revolution.
• Social democrats believe that structural change can come slowly through political reforms to capitalism.
• Marxists define capital as “a social, economic relation” between people (rather than between people and things).
• Normative Marxism advocates a revolutionary overthrow of capitalism that would lead to socialism, before eventually transforming into communism after class antagonisms and the state ceased to exist.
• revolution : A political upheaval in a government or nation-state characterized by great change.
• socialism : Any of various economic and political philosophies that support social equality, collective decision-making, distribution of income based on contribution and public ownership of productive capital and natural resources, as advocated by socialists.
• progressive : Favoring or promoting progress; advanced.

Capitalism has been the subject of criticism from many perspectives during its history. Criticisms range from people who disagree with the principles of capitalism in its entirety, to those who disagree with particular outcomes of capitalism. Among those wishing to replace capitalism with a different method of production and social organization, a distinction can be made between those believing that capitalism can only be overcome with revolution (e.g., revolutionary socialism) and those believing that structural change can come slowly through political reforms to capitalism (e.g., classic social democracy).

Karl Marx saw capitalism as a progressive historical stage that would eventually stagnate due to internal contradictions and be followed by socialism. Marxists define capital as “a social, economic relation” between people (rather than between people and things). In this sense they seek to abolish capital. They believe that private ownership of the means of production enriches capitalists (owners of capital) at the expense of workers. In brief, they argue that the owners of the means of production exploit the workforce.

In Karl Marx’s view, the dynamic of capital would eventually impoverish the working class and thereby create the social conditions for a revolution. Private ownership over the means of production and distribution is seen as creating a dependence of non-owning classes on the ruling class, and ultimately as a source of restriction of human freedom.

Marxists have offered various related lines of argument claiming that capitalism is a contradiction-laden system characterized by recurring crises that have a tendency towards increasing severity. They have argued that this tendency of the system to unravel, combined with a socialization process that links workers in a worldwide market, create the objective conditions for revolutionary change. Capitalism is seen as just one stage in the evolution of the economic system.

Normative Marxism advocates for a revolutionary overthrow of capitalism that would lead to socialism, before eventually transforming into communism after class antagonisms and the state cease to exist. Marxism influenced social democratic and labor parties as well as some moderate democratic socialists, who seek change through existing democratic channels instead of revolution, and believe that capitalism should be regulated rather than abolished.

Karl Marx - Historical Materialism

Apr 07, 2019

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Karl Marx - Historical Materialism. Marx & Historical Materialism. 1) History of Marx & Marxism 2) Influences 3) Basic concepts (Aims of sociology, human nature, historical materialism, class struggle) 4) Mode of production 5) Social Change: Revolution 6) Capitalism & Communism

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Karl Marx -Historical Materialism

Marx & Historical Materialism 1) History of Marx & Marxism 2) Influences 3) Basic concepts (Aims of sociology, human nature, historical materialism, class struggle) 4) Mode of production 5) Social Change: Revolution 6) Capitalism & Communism 7) Evaluation

History of Marx & Marxism • Karl Marx (1818-1883) • Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) • Marx: joins radical movement; exiled from Germany; goes to Paris; goes to London & writes main works • Engels: factory owner; socialist; scholar; aids Marx financially • Both: important figures in the Socialist International

Important Writings EARLY: more about philosophy • Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts (1844) MIDDLE: more about politics • The Communist Manifesto (1848) (with Engels) LATER: more about economics • Das Kapital (‘Capital’) (1867)

Influences Theory: German Philosophy • Hegel: social change comes through social struggles and conflicts (dialectics) • Feuerbach: deal with the “real” world, not just ideas about it (materialism) Analysing economy: British political economy • Adam Smith: study the division of labour Politics: French Socialism - Saint-Simon: must create a new society, based on cooperation between classes, not conflict

Basic Concepts 1) Aim of ‘sociology’ (Historical Materialism): • Create knowledge criticalof existing society • Inform the working classes of their oppression • Encourage revolution – abolition of capitalist society • Build new socialist, then communist, society

2) Human nature Human being is fundamentally asocial animal (agreement with Durkheim) Human naturechangesover time: - shaped by particular societies (e.g. human nature in capitalism: selfish human nature in communism: cooperative)

Part of human natureremains constant: - Humanscreative / creativity inmaking things - Making things creatively allowsself-expression • Humanslike working(if allowed to do so freely & creatively; but not if forced to) • Good society: allows creativity in work • Bad society: forced to work, work uncreative

3) Historical Materialism • Always see the ‘material’ aspects of society as the most important • The ‘ideal’ elements of society are less important • (Contrast with Durkheim and, partly, Weber)

‘Ideal’ aspects: Ideas and beliefs (e.g. morals and religion) Ways of thinking ‘Culture’ (Emphasis on ‘ideal’ comes from Hegel)

Marx’s breakthrough Concentrate on ‘material’ aspects: - people making things (production) - people working (labour) • people acting on raw materials to make goods • humans transforming Nature for their use

Historical Materialism Materialism: • looks at material factors in society • emphasises production and labour over ‘ideal’ factors Historical: • looks at changes over time in material factors • social change produced by changes in material factors • Human history = changes in how people work & make things

4) Class and class struggle Two basic types of society: • Class-less societies (e.g. communism) • Class-based societies (e.g. capitalism) Within class-based societies: • Classes are themost importantsocial groups • Different classes areantagonisticto each other

Classes are antagonistic to each other as each class has its own interests Class interest: to be the most powerful group in society (especially in terms of wealth) Class struggle: classes always in conflict with each other to be the most powerful Human history – driven by conflicts between classes; classes win, classes lose

Dominant class(es) Subordinate class(es) Rulers Ruled Leaders Followers Power: Powerless: political & economic politically/economically Political; Control the government Ruled by government Economic: Control production Carry out production Controllers of economy Workers Economy benefits them Exploited

Mode of Production ECONOMIC BASE Forces Relations of production of production FUNCTIONING---------------------------------- SHAPES SOCIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE Ways of thinking, values, ideas Social institutions

Mode of Production (1) Most important idea of Marx (in later writings) Production = making things Production is essential: food, clothes, shelter, etc. Making things = transforming Nature Making things = using TOOLS to transform RAW MATERIALS into useable GOODS Consumption = using those goods (& so staying alive)

Mode of Production (2) Production is a SOCIAL ACTIVITY Individual humans cannot make much on their own - Must work cooperatively with others - Division of labour: different people have different jobs - Production has to be managed Different forms of management = different types of society

Mode of Production (3) Production is a SOCIAL ACTIVITY In class-based societies: • Ruling class controls production • Ruling class OWN tools, raw materials and finished good (class of OWNERS) • Subordinate classes do the actual work (class of NON-OWNERS) (workers) • Division of labour: OWNERS & NON-OWNERS • Ruling class reaps the benefits • Subordinate classes lose out

Mode of Production (4) Most important things in society are MATERIAL FACTORS (production, work, division of labour) Less important are IDEAL FACTORS (ideas and beliefs) ECONOMIC BASE (primary) shapes SOCIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE (secondary)

ECONOMIC BASE FORCES ofRELATIONS of PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION Scientific knowledge Social relations Technological knowledge which control & Technology (tools) organize production Raw materials Labour force (people) Class of OWNERS controls class of NON-OWNERS (workers)

SOCIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE 1) Ways of thinking, values, ideas (“Forms of social consciousness”) (“Ideologies”) 2) Social institutions • Religion • Family • Education • Government / the State

ECONOMIC BASE shapes SOCIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE BASE controlled by RULING CLASS SO SUPERSTRUCTURE controlled by RULING CLASS too • ‘Dominant ideologies’ reflect ruling class interests • Dominant ideologies justify rule of the rulers • Social institutions work in ruling class interests

Social institutions work in ruling class interests (Marxist functionalism) Family: • instils dominant ideologies in young • breeds and looks after workers Education: instils dominant ideologies in young Media: spreads dominant ideologies Government: controls NON-OWNERS / protects OWNERS’ interests / ensures social stability

Types of Mode of Production 1) Primitive communism (primitive society, no classes, very low division of labour, all work together) 2) Ancient mode of production (ancient Greece and Rome, aristocracy and slaves, slaves do most of the work) 3) Feudalism (medieval Europe, aristocratic lords and peasants, peasants do all the work) 4) Capitalism 5) Socialism / Communism

Social Change: Revolution Social change = transition from one mode of production to another That transition entails a revolution Revolutions occur in the ECONOMIC BASE Forces of production change, transforming relations of production Changes in BASE lead to changes in SUPERSTRUCTURE: whole society transformed

Revolution: from feudalism to capitalism FEUDALISM’S ECONOMIC BASE ForcesRelations of production of production Agriculture Aristocratic lords & peasants ------------------------------------------ FEUDALISM’S SOCIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE Ways of thinking: Catholic Christianity Social institutions: Catholic Church, family

Revolution: from feudalism to capitalism CHANGING ECONOMIC BASE (happening from 16th to 19th centuries) ForcesRelations of production of production Industrialism Power of aristocratic (factory production) lords taken over by a new class: Produced by: capitalists (bourgeoisie) Scientific innovations Technological developments Peasants move to cities Become workers infactories (proletariat)

CAPITALISM CAPITALISM’S ECONOMIC BASE ForcesRelations of production of production Industrialism Capitalists & proletarians ------------------------------------------ CAPITALISM’S SOCIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE Ways of thinking: capitalist ideologies (religion no longer required) (Capitalism allows individual freedom, democracy, social mobility, etc.) Social institutions: family, media, government

CAPITALISM TODAY? CAPITALISM’S ECONOMIC BASE ForcesRelations of production of production Post-Industrialism Capitalists (service sector, Managerial class computers & IT, Proletarians stock markets) (white collar, McWorkers) ------------------------------------------ CAPITALISM’S SOCIAL SUPERSTRUCTURE Ways of thinking: capitalist ideologies (social mobility, meritocracy, consumerism) Social institutions: media, welfare state

From Capitalism to Communism • Forces of production develop, change relations of production (technology develops – no need for manual labour – no need for a working class) 2) Capitalism contradictory (capitalist seek profit, always in competition with each other, eventually no profits to be made, system falls apart) 3) Proletariat come to realise they are being exploited: revolution

Communist Mode of Production ECONOMIC BASE ForcesRelations of production of production Highly developed Classes abolished machines doing most routine work All work together in cooperation Humans working All contribute to society freely & creatively All get what they need ------------------------------------------ SUPERSTRUCTURE Ways of thinking: end of ideologies, truth Social institutions: ‘withering away of the state’: communities govern themselves; true democracy

Evaluation 1) Overemphasises ‘material’ over ‘ideal’ factors - things like religion just as ‘real’ as work 2) ‘Reductionist’ • oversimplifies a complex reality • explains everything in terms of production & classes (but not all things can be explained that way) 3) Overly politicised • not really social science - too biased • more like propaganda & wishful thinking

Evaluation (2) 1) Production at the heart of human life 2) Outdated? Still applicable: • We still live in capitalist society • Marx’s ideas can be reworked to fit today’s conditions 3) Requires sociologist to be highly critical of current society • reject dominant ideologies • get at deeper truths

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• Preferences

Karl Marx and Marxism - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Karl Marx and Marxism

Karl marx and marxism the development of scientific socialism karl marx and marxism student of hegel and part of the anti-religious group the young hegelians ... – powerpoint ppt presentation.

• The Development of Scientific Socialism
• student of Hegel and part of the anti-religious group The Young Hegelians
• received a PhD in Philosophy in 1841
• participated as a writer (Neue Rheinische Zeitung) during the Revolutions of 1848
• moved to London after the Revolutions and observed industrial Britain. This experience contributed to his key works -- DasKapital, Communist Manifesto, etc.
• established the International Workingmens Association in 1864 (First International)
• Crime, violence and social injustice are everywhere.
• Poverty, child labour, homelessness, malnutrition and disease are major social problems in most countries.
• Unsafe working conditions, low pay, worker exploitation.
• Humanity is distinguished from the animals by the ability to build and the intrinsic satisfaction gained from building
• Material reward is not the goal of labour. People seek subsistence and work in order to play
• Ideally, we tend to specialize in the things we feel best about doing, and those the community appreciates most
• There are no Natural Rights or Inherited Rights
• Marx borrowed the theory from Hegel
• Materialism Theory seeks to understand the world as it is, not as we perceive or think of it (idealism is based upon pure intellectual constructs ideology, god, religion, etc.) He was not a Utopian Socialist
• It is not consciousness that determines existence, but existence which determines consciousness
• Materialism has an economic base and a social superstructure (Feuerbach)
• Dialect is the process of change and development, with matter in motion -- interaction (thesis, anti-thesis, synthesis), conflict, and revolution
• Marx believed that the past held the key to the future.
• Past economic and social developments conditionedfuture developments
• All history heretofore is the history of class struggle
• Stages of development -- Tribalism, Slavery (Plato), Feudalism (Hobbes), Capitalism (Smith), Communism (Marxs theoretical next stage)
• The capitalist world is divided between Bourgeoisie (owners of production) and Proletariat (workers)
• People are deceived by the socio-economic system into believing that satisfaction comes from the accumulation and consumption of material goods
• Materialism leads to alienation, the expropriation of resources, and the creation of classes
• Class distinctions invariably lead to exploitation (Kings exploit subjects, owners exploit workers) Surplus labour is kept by slave owners, kings and capitalists
• While Rousseau claimed revolution was a duty in such circumstances, Marx claimed it was an inevitability Marx was an Empiricist, Pragmatist, and Realist
• Marx rejects any idea that does not fit with the reality of human existence
• Marx also rejects the idea of absolutes in morality and law Property rights and ownership are the basis of capitalist exploitation (You have no inalienable rights, not even the right to life so the Proletariat may eliminate the Bourgeoisie)
• Revolution to overthrow the exploiters of the Proletariat. As he starts his Communist Manifesto, workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains.
• Public ownership of all material items eliminate private ownership which leads to alienation, inequality, etc.
• Dictatorship of the Proletariat The workers run everything There is no one left to exploit
• We all have one thing in common Labour. From each according to his (her) ability, to each according to his need.
• Universal World Government
• Think of the crazy people who fought to eliminate inequality in any of its forms Christ, Confucius, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela. What do they have in common?
• What makes Marx so different and so hated?
• Is it his focus on property, not spiritual or legal rights. What does that tells us about.us?

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