Marxism

HOW MAXIST THEORY RELATES TO POLITICAL BEHAVIOUR

Paul Sanyaolu; C. O. Sanyaolu And O. Oni

ABSTRACT

Marxist theory is a political theory that emphases class conflicts; as the most significant aspect of

life and the key to understanding all human political behavior.

The equilibrium state is attained when the oppressed over-thrown the oppressor, capitalists; hence

realism and liberal theory of socialism called communism prevailed. The primary focus of this

paper is to critically examine how Marxist theory relates to political behaviour. The Marxist theory

emphases class conflicts due to capitalist political behaviour, but balance terrace is attained when

the oppressed over-thrown the oppressor in accordance to socialist theory, which accommodates

widespread state intervention and control of the economy of the state. Therefore, the roles

exhibited by government in economic and political behaviour of the people and the state are highly

sacrosanct, in other for a classless society to be attainable. Also, Marx’s theory of political

behavior embraced the concept of ideology theory- this implies false political behaviour on the

path of the masses. However, there is much in common between Marxism and the rational-choice

model of political behavior-this implies that an individual political behaviour is channeled toward

attainment of their individual interest and goals. And Marxist theory relates to political behaviour

by replicating the dependence theory-this implies that developed countries invaded developing

countries due to their quest for power. The paper collates its data from primary and secondary

source materials and employs the historical method of data analysis - simple descriptive obtains

and analysis of historical data. Therefore it can be deduced that Marxist theory is in contrary to

both realism and liberal theories of internationalism, which stress the dominance of the political

over the economic. Marxist theory relates to political behaviour under different conditions in

detailed and without any aberration.

Keywords: Marxist theory, political behaviour, class conflicts, capitalist, realism and liberal

theories

INTRODUCTION

Marxism is a political theory that argues that social change comes about through economic class

struggle. Marxism was propounded by Karl Marx (1818-1883). The Marxian Philosophy was

contributed with the assistance of Friedrich Engels, among others.

Karl Marx teachings are an aspect of Political behaviour that studies human interaction with focus

on the social relationships of production. Marx saw political economy as raw; in other words crude

and lacking refinement. He explained that the economy is the base upon which other foundation

and overall super-structural construction of the society revolves. For Marx, the history of all

hitherto existing societies is the history of class conflicts. Furthermore, Marx used his

understanding of class struggles to define contradiction in what he termed as “thesis,” which he

posited that the ruling class were the thesis, while the class being ruled are the antithesis. He argued

that after the dismantling of the capitalist system and balance of equilibrium between the bourgeois

and proletariat, the synthesis is attained.

To Marx, for the working class to gain balance in the means of production and end the exploitation

from the capitalist class, the place of proletarian revolution is necessary. Marx believed that the

rise to power of the working class would bring about a total restructuring of the society. The

proletarian victory will lead to the dominance of socialism and eventually communism, to create

a classless society.

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels formulated the theory in the 19th century. Marxism formed the

philosophical basis for the rise of communism in the early 20th century. Important works include

The Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital. Some of the key principles of Marxism; implies that

capitalists control the political behaviour of any vibrant nation; Nigeria inclusive. Consequently,

economics is a dominant factor that brings about change. This is in contrary to both realism and

liberal theories of internationalism, which stress the dominance of the political over the economic.

Marxism theory emphases that class struggle is the impetus for social and political behaviour and

change. The theory stressed that history is a chain reaction in relation to class struggles where one

political class oppresses others. No equilibrium is established among these classes, because the

oppressed classes eventually overthrow the oppressor class and a new equilibrium state of political

and social structure formulated with new oppressors and new classes being oppressed. Marx

argued that the proletarian class, or worker class, was being oppressed by the capitalists who

acquired most of the value of the proletarian work as profits for themselves, leaving workers with

little or nothing.

Also, Marx’s theory relates to political behavior by stressing the concept of class consciousness.

The latter is a set of motivations, beliefs, values, and the like, that are specific and distinctive for

a given class (peasantry, proletariat, petty bourgeoisie). Marx pointed out that these motivational

factors bind together the members of a particular class and to facilitate their collective behaviour.

Class consciousness takes the form of such motives as loyalty, patriotism and love to other

members of one's class, solidarity with partners in a political struggle, and commitment to a future

social order in which the interests of one's class are better served.

Marxism theory proposes that the proletarian class will eventually revolt and overthrow their

capitalistic oppressors, eventually establishing an equilibrium society-where class concept is less

important; hence, socialism theory will replace the Marxism theory at equilibrium. This is political

favourable, so many giant nation today has adopted this trend; such nations include the China,

North Korea, Soviet Union and Latin America. Although Marxism theory supports the

establishment of viable socialism, but not all forms of socialism is Marxist theory compliance.

It explains North-South relations and the gulf in the relative wealth and development of the

Northern Hemisphere compared to the Southern Hemisphere based on differential political

behaviour. It has also been used to explain revolutionaries in Southern States as a justification to

overthrow governments that are allegedly aligned with Northern States and their exploitation of

the resources and people of the South. Examples include revolutions in China, Korea (resulting in

the political break down of the country), Vietnam and Cuba.

Further, Marxist theory relates to political behaviour by replicating the dependence theory; this

explains that developed countries, penetrate developing states through political advisors,

missionaries, experts and multi-national corporations (MNCs) to integrate them into the capitalist

system in order to appropriate natural resources and foster dependence by developing countries on

developed countries-all with goals of acquisition of power.

Besides, there is much in common between Marxism and the rational-choice model of political

behavior. Rational-choice approach postulates that individuals' political behavior is a calculated

attempt to achieve a set of individual interests—such as security, prestige, income, office, etc. One

might suppose that such an approach is unavoidably bourgeois, depending upon the materialistic

egoism characteristic of market society. However, Marx's theory of political behavior, like his

theory of capitalist economic behavior, is ultimately grounded in a theory of individual rationality.

Roughly, Marx's fundamental postulate of political behaviour is that: Agents as members of classes

behave in ways calculated to advance their perceived material interests; these interests are

perceived as class interests (i.e., interests shared with other members of the class); and class

organizations and features of class consciousness permit classes to overcome implicit conflicts of

interest between private interest and class interest

Moreover, Marx’s theory of political behavior embraced the concept of ideology. Ideologies

theories, or “false consciousness”, are systems of ideas that affect the worker's political behavior

by instilling false beliefs, values, norms and self-defeating values in the worker. An ideology may

instill a set of values or preferences that propel individual behavior in ways that are contrary to the

individual's objective material interests. Further, ideologies modify purposive individual action by

instilling a set of false beliefs and values about the causal properties of the social world and about

how existing arrangements affect one's objective interests. Rational individuals, operating under

the grip of an ideology, will undertake actions that are contrary to their objective material interests,

but are fully rational given the false beliefs they hold about the social world they inhabit and their

mistaken assumptions about their real interests and values. An ideology is an effective instrument,

then, in shaping political behavior within a class system; it induces members of oppressed classes

to refrain from political action directed at overthrowing the class system. And this is indeed Marx's

use of the concept; an ideology functions as an instrument of class conflict, permitting a dominant

class to manipulate the political behavior of subordinate classes. It is an important task to try to

identify the institutions and mechanisms through which an ideology is conveyed to a population.

CONCLUSION

The Marxist theory emphases class conflicts due to capitalist political behaviour, but balance

terrace is attained when the oppressed over-thrown the oppressor in accordance to socialist theory,

which accommodates widespread state intervention and control of the economy of the state.

Therefore, the roles exhibited by government in economic and political behaviour of the people

and the state are highly sacrosanct, in other for a classless society to be attainable. Also, Marx’s

theory of political behavior embraced the concept of ideology theory- this implies false political

behaviour on the path of the masses. However, there is much in common between Marxism and

the rational-choice model of political behavior-this implies that an individual political behaviour

is channeled toward attainment of their individual interest and goals. And Marxist theory relates

to political behaviour by replicating the dependence theory-this implies that developed countries

invaded developing countries due to their quest for power. Finally, Marxist theory is in contrary

to both realism and liberal theories of internationalism, which stress the dominance of the political

over the economic. Marxist theory relates to political behaviour under different conditions in

detailed and without any aberration.

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