Karl Marx: Political Philosophy
Introduction
While reading about a political philosopher, always keep in mind his personal life experiences and the socioeconomic and political conditions of the time he was living. Both have a deep impact on the ideas he expounds. Karl Marx was no exception
Karl Marx: His Life
Karl Marx (1818–1883) was born poor, lived poor, and died poor. He lived during the most turbulent socioeconomic period in European history. It was an age of rampant poverty, widespread inequality, and great political upheavals all around.
Karl Marx: His Times
He travelled through Europe. The more he travelled the more he explained what he saw through unequal access to resources, ownership of property, and wealth. He argued that the working class (proletariat) in Britain (and elsewhere) was being exploited by the ruling class (bourgeoisie)
Six Key Ideas of Karl Marx
- Capitalist society is divided into two classes:
2. The Bourgeoisie exploits the Proletariat
3. Those with economic power control other social institutions
4. Ideological control
5. False consciousness
6. Revolution and Communism.
- Capitalist society is divided into two classes:
First is the Bourgeoisie (capitalist class) owns the wealth of a country, and thus controls the productive forces in society (the economic base), which consist of land, factories, and machines, used to produce goods to be sold for a profit.
The second class is the proletariat, who earn a wage for a living, especially people who are dependent on manual, daily, or casual labour. Consisting of the majority, or the masses, they can only gain a living by selling their labour power to the bourgeoisie for a price.
2. The bourgeoisie increases their wealth by exploiting the proletariat
Marx argued that the bourgeoisie maintains and increases their wealth by exploiting the working class by paying them wages below the current selling, or market price, of whatever they have produced.
The difference between the two is called surplus value. Marx thus says that because of this extraction of surplus value, the capitalist class can increase its wealth by exploiting the proletariat. Profit is the accumulated exploitation of workers in a capitalist society.
Marx thus argues that, at its root, capitalism is an unjust system because those who do the work are not fairly rewarded for the work that they do and the interests of the Capitalist class are in conflict with the interests of the working class.
3. Those who have economic power control all other institutions in society
Marx argued that those who control the Economic Base also control the Superstructure—that is, those who have wealth or economic power also have political power and control over the rest of society. The Economic Base or Mode of Production, consists of two
- Forces of Production: tools, machinery, and raw materials to produce goods and services
- Relations of Production: social relations between people involved in the production of goods and services
The Superstructure consists of all other institutions. Marx believes that these institutions, such as the legal system, the mass media, family, and education, are then used to bring about Ideological Control and ultimately False Consciousness among the masses
4. Ideological Control
Marx argued that the ruling classes used their control of social institutions to gain ideological dominance or control over the way people think in society.
Marx argued that the ideas of the ruling classes were presented as common sense and natural, and thus unequal, exploitative relationships were accepted by the proletariat as the norm.
5. The result of the above is false class consciousness
The result of ideological control is false consciousness — where the masses, or proletariat, are deluded into thinking that everything is fine and that the appalling conditions in which they live and work are inevitable.
This delusion is known as False Consciousness. In Marxist terms, the masses suffer from false class consciousness and fail to realize their common interest against their exploiters.
6. Revolution and Communism
Marx maintained that Capitalism was unjust but people just hadn’t realised it! He believed that political action was necessary to ‘wake up’ the proletariat and bring them to revolutionary class consciousness.
Thus he believed that eventually, following a revolution, private property would be abolished and with it the profit motive and the desire to exploit. In a communist society, people would be more equal, have greater freedom and be happier.
Criticisms of Traditional Marxism
1. Too Simplistic:
Marx’s concept of social class has been criticised as being too simplistic — today, there are not just two social classes, but several; moreover, most people don’t identify with other members of their social class, so it is questionable how relevant the concept of social class is today.
2. Predictions proved Wrong
Marx’s predictions about capitalism ending and the ‘inevitable success of communism’ have been proved wrong with the collapse of communism.
3. Capitalism has changed for the better
Capitalism has changed a lot since Marx’s day, and it appears to work for more people — it is less exploitative, so maybe this explains why it continues to this day.
Evidence that Marxism is still Relevant Today
Contemporary Marxist sociologists argue that Marxism is still relevant in many ways. For example:
1. False Consciousness is there
Parents want the perfect family and they compete with one another for the best house, car, holiday, best-dressed or most successful children, etc. This is encouraged through advertising and TV programmes. Significant sums of money are spent in pursuit of the “perfect” family.
This benefits the bourgeoisie in two ways 1) Parents work harder at work, improving profits for their company’s owners — the bourgeoisie 2) Parents spend more of their salary on providing this lifestyle — this benefits the bourgeoisie as they can make more profits by selling goods and services to the parents.
Furthermore, it makes parents feel “happy” about family life and society generally, even though they might work 13-hour days for an average salary, rarely seeing their family. Lastly, children grow up watching their parents behave in this manner and then replicate it as adults with their own families.
2. The Media is controlled by the Rich
The mainstream media is controlled by a few wealthy individuals who promote the ideas and beliefs that maintain the bourgeoisie’s wealthy position in society. This encourages people to accept beliefs that benefit capitalism and legitimise (justify) the exploitation of the proletariat (workers) as normal. The media justify exploitation and even make it into game shows.
3. The education system helps the Rich
Encourages people to accept hierarchy and to be obedient. This is good for capitalism as it creates students who will later become good workers. Also, schools emphasize high achievement and high-flying jobs — implicitly this means highly paid jobs, better profits for company owners, and more exploitation for the workers. Schools also encourage the idea people get what they deserve in education when in reality educational achievement is primarily a result of the chance circumstances of your birth i.e. who your parents are.
