Political Essay
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MarxMay27.pptxAlienation: Marx’s critique of wage labor
(“Paris manuscripts” Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844)
From whom or what are we alienated?
4 kinds of alienation:
1. From the product of his own labour (p. 72)
2. From the act of labouring (pp. 74-75)
3. Species-essence (pp. 73, 74, 76, 77)
“Life-activity, productive life itself, appears... merely as a means to satisfying a need” p. 75
The gap between our “essence” and our “existence”
4. Other human beings (77, 78)
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The logic of human history
The needs-powers spiral
N3 P3
N2 P2
N1 P1
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p. 156 The German Ideology: “The satisfaction of the first need (the action of satisfying, and the instrument of satisfaction which has been acquired) leads to new needs; and this production of new needs is the first historical act.”
Social order has a history because productive life has a history
For every kind of technology, there is a corresponding social order and culture
Hunter-gatherers, agricultural society, Industrial, etc.
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Class and the logic of history
For Marx, class=inequality, exploitation
Basis of class: ownership of means of production
Class will be transcended when human productive powers increase
p. 155 of the German Ideology: “Life is not determined by consciousness but consciousness by life.”
The goal: free conscious activity for all!
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4 moments in the evolution of class
Classical antiquity: masters, slaves
Feudalism: lords, serfs
Capitalism: bourgeoisie, proletariat
Socialism: free and equal individuals
Communist Manifesto, p.473: “The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggles.”
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Marx’s project: The economic component
Current view of capitalism is flawed in 2 ways:
Abstract and partial
Static and ahistorical
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What defines the essence of capitalism?
Commodity production
Wealth as an end in itself
Endless, dynamic growth
Certain kind of human type
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Function of capitalism (Manifesto, pp. 476-477)
Great leap forward
Global reach
Rescue from “idiocy of village life”
Instrument of modernization
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Logic of capitalism
The mystery: how do we get growth?
The secret: systematic undervaluing of labour.
BUT this is necessary!
Hymn of praise to capitalism in the Manifesto
“The bourgeoisie, during its rule of scarce one hundred years, has created more massive and more colossal productive forces than have all preceding generations together.” Manifesto, p. 477
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Fate of capitalism
Will be transcended: why?
Structural instability
2. Generates its own grave-digger (p. 483, 478, 481)
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