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SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1Karl Marx (1818-1883)

First point: The Importance of Karl Marx outside of sociology.

A well regarded book by historian, Michael H. Hart, is called The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. Karl Marx was number 27. Meaning his influence in world affairs is enormous.

$ He was born in 1818 in Prussia, Germany. His father was an attorney, and was Jewish but converted to Christianity (Lutheran) before Karl was born.

$ In 1841 Karl received his Ph.D. in philosophy

$ 1842-1849 was an editor of a political publication, supporting change in Prussia

$ 1843 married Jennie von Westphalen, a theater critic and political activist, devoted to each other

$ 7 children – 5 daughters, 2 sons – three daughters lived to adulthood

$ Moved to Paris in 1843

$ While in Paris met Friedrich Engles, his life long friend and collaborator

$ In Paris he was converted to communism

$ In 1845 expelled from Germany

$ He lived in Brussels, returned to Paris but was forced to leave by French government

$ Moved to London in 1849, spent many hours at British Museum, writing

$ Jennie died in 1881, he was devastated

$ Died in 1883, buried in Highgate Cemetery, now there is a huge monument to him

$ Incidentally, not too far from Marx’s grave is the grave of Herbert Spencer

Karl Marx’s writings:

$ very complex

$ sometimes not easy to understand

$ sometimes vague and contradictory

$ never put his ideas together in one source

$ But, much of what has been written about Marx is called ‘superficial Marxism’ or ‘vulgar Marxism’

$ Also misinterpreted, Marx was anti-censorship, pro-individual and intellectual freedom

$ much of what happens today as ‘communism’ has little to do with Marx’s idea of communism

GRAND THEORY

Sometimes called economic determinist

Chart on page 35

Super-structure AOSCFI

Sub-structure Economic basis of Society

IMPORTANT: The Sub-structure determines the super-structure

Marx says that there have been or will be six different periods of history

I. Primitive Communism

Pre-historic times, people basically equal to each other

II. Ancient Slavery

Marx goes back to ancient Egypt and Rome – when farming and idea of private property began, two large groups emerge based on economic substructure – Masters and Slaves

But not equal groups – Marx calls each a SOCIAL CLASS

Define Class – people with a similar relation to means of production

But these classes not equal Masters = Ruling Class

Slaves = Ruled Class

Haves and the Have Nots

Masters dominate society and do anything to remain on top

However, slaves fight to improve their position

ALWAYS a Class Struggle

Ruling class tries to remain on top, Ruled class fights to get on top

Read from Communist Manifesto, page 59

Class Struggle leads to

III. Feudalism

Again two classes, Nobility, Ruling Class

Serfs, Ruled Class

Class Struggle leads to

IV. Capitalism

Again two classes, Bourgeoisie Ruling Class, owners

Proletariat Ruled Class, workers

Marx writes in detail about Capitalism

Define Capitalism: Essentially, you invest your money in a business to make more money, make a profit

Especially about how Bourgeoisie exploit Proletariat:

1. Poor working and living conditions

2. Alienation (key to understanding Marx according to some) – isolation from work, workers are almost part of the machine, when work is external to the worker, doesn’t fulfill self, feeling of misery, not well being, feels at home away from work – But, Marx insists because we must work to make a living, work should bring us great happiness and satisfaction

3. Labor Theory of Value – What makes something valuable?

Scarcity, inspiring, important – something we want

NO: Work makes something valuable – if it takes more time and effort to make a table than a chair, then a table is more valuable than a chair

EXAMPLE:

A table sells for $10

Cost of raw materials, $2

Cost of overhead (taxes, insurance, etc.), $1

Our wage for making table, $5

Profit to owner, $2

BUT Capitalists want more and more:

Soon: Cost of raw materials: $2

Overhead, $1

Our wage $4

Profit $3

THEN Cost of Raw materials, $2

Overhead, $1

Our wage $3

Profit $4 And so on

Workers do nothing because they need the job to survive

CAN WORKERS DO ANYTHING?

YES, FIRST

Develop Class Consciousness –

$ This means becoming AWARE of how exploited workers are

$ End False Consciousness – this occurs when workers believe Bourgeoisie’s lies – if you work hard, you can move up, or loyal to country (Bourgeoisie loyal only to power and money), or religion (opiate of masses) – next life is paradise, why not this life

$ Unity as a class – not loyal to a country but your class

Once workers around the world have united, Marx insists that only by a violent revolution can workers make things better.

Workers must violently overthrow the existing Capitalist system:

End of the Manifesto (not in our textbook)

“The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be obtained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.

Workingmen of all countries unite!”

In other words, only by a violent, bloody revolution will things change – kill the bourgeoisie.

Then

V. Socialism

A brief transition period in which old Capitalist ideas will disappear:

What is socialism:

1. No private ownership of property, government owns all

2. Heavy income tax

3. No inheritance

4. Guaranteed job and home for everyone

5. Everyone works “He who does not work, neither shall he eat”

6. Free education

7. No child labor

You may ask if guaranteed home and job, why would anyone work:

USE

You work because what you create or produce will be used by others.

From Manifesto: (page 69)

“In place of the old bourgeoisie society, with its class and class antagonisms, we shall have an association, in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all.”

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs

Gradually, the government will become weaker and will disappear

THEN

VI. Industrial Communism

One class (workers), no countries, no government

No Stage VII because no more Class Struggle

Marx says little about life in a Communist world.

His friend, Engles, says that under Communism the main organizing principle will be the family.