Workers of the world have nothing to lose, but their chains.
Workers of the world, unite. -Karl Marx, 1818-1883 Karl Marx
Slide 2
Karl Marx, born in 1818 in Western Germany, was not only a
practical philosopher, but also an economist, a historian, and a
sociologist. Initially, he studied law at the University of Bonn.
However, after his transfer to Berlin, his academic priority was in
philosophy. In fact, his doctoral dissertation was on ancient Greek
natural philosophy. (Democritus and Epicurus) While in France, Marx
met Friedrich Engels, with whom he took up an interest in economics
and class struggle. More importantly, one of the Marxs most
important intellectual influences was the philosophy of Hegel. He
was influenced by Hegels mode of thought, but rejected his
idealism. Hegel was, simply a point of departure.
Slide 3
Context The mid-nineteenth century was characterized by the
tremendous class struggles that existed. This is appropriate to
mention in regards to Karl Marx. Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly
capitalist in A Christmas Carol, is an immensely rich businessman.
He believes that not a penny should go to waste. A little match
girl, commonly associated with the tale by Hans Christian Andersen,
is a poor little girl dressed in rags, and looking pale and ill.
She must sell matches for her livelihood. Is this fair?
Slide 4
Mode, Means, and Relations of Production Marx used the term
mode of production to refer to the specific organization of
economic production in a given society. A mode of production
includes the means of production used by a given society, such as
factories and other facilities, machines, and raw materials. It
also includes labor and the organization of the labor force. The
term relations of production refers to the relationship between
those who own the means of production (the capitalists or
bourgeoisie) and those who do not (the workers or the proletariat).
The mode of production constantly evolves toward a realization of
its fullest productive capacity, but this evolution creates
hostility between the classes of people defined by the relations of
productionowners and workers.
Slide 5
Terminology Mode of ProductionMeans of Production
Slide 6
Historical Materialism Karl Marx was a historical materialist.
Marx believed that the fundamental truth about a particular society
or period in history is how that society is organized to satisfy
material needs. He saw history as a succession of economic systems
or modes of production, each one organized to satisfy human
material needs but giving rise to hostility between different
classes of people, leading to the creation of new societies in an
evolving pattern. In a sense, history repeats itself. He called
these material, economic, and social relations the basis of
society. The way a society thinks, what kind of political
institutions there are, which laws it has, and what there is of
religion. He emphasized that it is mainly societys ruling class
that sets the norms for society. In other words, history is a
matter of who is to own the means of production. Example:
Production was mainly based on slave labor during the seventeenth
and eighteenth century. The citizens had no need to increase
production with practical innovations. This is how material
relations help to affect the philosophical approaches in
society.
Slide 7
Alienation Marx valued work as a positive thing, viewing it as
closely connected with the essence of mankind. Perhaps, mankind is
fulfilled in their own labor. He argues that work is central to a
human beings self-conception and sense of well-being. They value
their work. It is a means of personal creation, a projection of
ones identity, and a means of survival. In his early works, he
demonstrates that under the capitalist system, the worker labors
for someone else. It is an owner-worker relationship. His labor is
something external to him. It does not belong to him. In a sense,
the worker becomes alienated from his work and to himself. He loses
touch of reality.
Slide 8
Terminology ExploitationProfit People are unfulfilled in their
work to make capitalists richer and richer. The profit is surplus
made from this exploitation. It accounts for the workers wages and
other production costs.
Slide 9
Communism Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto can be summed up in
one sentence: Abolish all private property. In a sense, Marx was
attacking the very ideals of capitalism. In the end, Marx envisions
a society where the proletariat (workers) will eventually rise and
take over the means of production (owners). For a period, he says,
we get a new class society in which the proletariat suppress the
bourgeoisie by force. He called this the dictatorship of the
proletariat. Yet after a transition period, the dictatorship is
replaced by a classless society in which the means of production
are owned by all. Moreover, labor belongs to the workers themselves
and capitalisms alienation ceases.
Slide 10
Bibliography Gaarder, Jostein. Sophies World. New York: Farrar,
Straus, and Giroux Publishers, 2007. Print. Singer, Peter. Marx.
New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print.
