Lahore University of Management Sciences

POL 324 Marxism & the Modern World

Fall 2010-11 Instructor: Taimur Rahman Office: R-110 (Old Accounts Wing) Office hours: TBA E-mail: taimur@lums.edu.pk Course Description The writings of Marx and Engels are arguably one of the best critiques of the modern capitalist world. This course provides an introductory understanding of the philosophy, politics, and economics of Marxian critique. In addition, it will touch upon the influence of Marxism on the world over the last century. Core/Elective Elective Pre-requisites Introduction to one of the three: Political Science, Economics, Sociology. Lectures, Tutorials, Attendance Policy There will be 28 sessions, of 100 minutes each. Every absence will result in a 1% reduction from the attendance grade. It is compulsory that the prescribed reading be done before the class. Research paper (not more than 15 pages, double spaced, times new roman font 12, 1.5 spacing). The instructor reserves the right to make changes in the outline. If such changes are made, all students will be emailed the new copy. The complete works of Marx, Engels and hundreds of reference writers are available at Marxists.org. The website is highly recommended.

Grading 10% Attendance 40% Mid Term 50% Research Paper

Course Outline
1. Introduction to the course
a) b) c) d) e) Marxism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQtJHCxR6WQ Karl Marx Documentary: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtXF6bJUzMQ Karl Marx Biography: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VkjxyxktRs Children of the Industrial Revolution http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_tFFQyEu_Q&feature=related The Industrial Revolution: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7025145360245773706&ei=gauKSvKaEIuuwgPp0o y1Bw&q=industrial+revolution Marx for beginners http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoN7y3I9PfM

f)

Further Readings: Kirchner, Walther. Western Civilization From 1500 (Pg. 118-125, 125-135, 144-150, 163-173) (total pages: 33) Hobsbawm, E.J. (1975). The Age of Capital: London. Hobsbawm, E.J. (1987). The Age of Empire: London. Hobsbawm, E.J. (1987). The Age of Extremes: London. Ashton, Thomas. The Industrial Revolution, 1760-1830 (1925) Hobsbawm, Eric J. The Age of Capital

Module 2: Ideological Influences

2. Evolution, Bourgeoisie, Socialism

Engels, Fredrick. The Part played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1876/part-played-labour/index.htm
a) The Genius of Charles Darwin: I. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4471435322910215458&ei=i66KStnxFomKwgO_1YDvAw&q=darwin

3. The Genius of Charles Darwin: II. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4491999408234054262&ei=FbGKSurTFYaCwg

OK9Jz5Cg&q=The+genius+of+charles+darwin

III. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=828270247063909484&ei=FbGKSurTFYaCwgOK9Jz5Cg&q=The+genius+of+charles+dar win

Further Readings Darwin, Charles. The Origin of the Species

4.

The Rise of the Bourgeoisie

Engels, Fredrick. 1892 English Edition Introduction [History (the role of Religion) in the English middle-class] Socialism: Utopian and Scientific http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/int-hist.htm Engels, Fredrick. The Development of Utopian Socialism Socialism: Utopian and Scientific http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/ch01.htm Questions for discussion: a) Why were the earliest socialists Utopian? b) What did the leaders of the French Revolution hope to achieve and what went wrong? c) In what way did Saint-Simon's conception of class differ from Engels idea of nobility, bourgeoisie and proletariat? d) Were Robert Owen's efforts doomed to failure? If so, why? e) Engels heaps praise on Saint-Simon, Fourier and Owen. What exactly does he credit each of them with having achieved?

5.

Hegel and Feuerbach

Engels, Fredrick. The Science of Dialectics Socialism: Utopian and Scientific http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1880/soc-utop/ch02.htm Videos: a) Peter Singer on Hegel and Marx:
I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxjnG1X510A II. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDjXBr3RtKk III. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYX9UP55ISc

Questions for discussion: a) What is dialectics? b) What is the difference between the dialectics of the ancients and the dialectics of Hegel? c) What is the problem with the dialectics of Hegel? d) What did Engels mean when he said that modern materialism no longer requires the assistance of that sort of philosophy which, queen-like, pretended to rule the remaining mob of sciences? e) Why is Hegel's philosophy important to socialism?

6. Thesis on Feuerbach Marx, Karl; Engels, Fredrick Theses On Feuerbach Appendix to Engels' Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy,

http://www.marx2mao.org/M&E/TF45.html

Videos: f) Peter Singer on Hegel and Marx:

IV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-Eg_fLP-5U V. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbwZw0wy_n0 g) Eleven Theses on Feuerbach by Karl Marx: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ2aRAwLb0Y

Module 3: The Philosophical Premises of Marxism

7. Materialism

Marx, Karl. Preface and Feuerbach: Opposition of the Materialist and Idealist Outlooks from the German Ideology http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/german-ideology/preface.htm http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/german-ideology/ch01a.htm
a) b) c) d) Can you explain the first half of the first paragraph in terms of the concepts of modern life? Can you give examples of the three programs to liberate people from imaginary beings? Can you explain what Marx means in the final paragraph in terms of socialist ideas? What explanation does Marx give for the character of German ideology, the connection of German philosophy with German reality? e) Can you think of present-day examples of people who criticise their own teacher, but do so within the conceptual and practical framework they learnt from their teacher? f) Can you give a plausible and convincing defence of the view of the Old Hegelians? g) What is the argument between the Old Hegelians and the Young Hegelians and why is M arx so contemptuous of the Young Hegelians?

8.

Dialectics

Engels, Fredrick. Introduction and Dialectics from Dialectics of Nature http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1883/don/ch01.htm http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1883/don/ch02.htm a) A funny video (not theoretically correct): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ovgccxfEq8

Module 4: Politics of Communism

9. Principles of Communism

Engels, Fredrick. Principles of Communism http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/11/prin-com.htm

10.

Communist Manifesto

Marx, Karl; Engels, Fredrick. The Manifesto of the Communist Party http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm a) Communist Manifesto in Cartoons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1IME451NDY Questions for discussion:
a) Why and how do Marx and Engels praise capitalism in this chapter? b) The word commodification was not invented until recently, but do you think that this chapter is talking about commodification? c) What does the Manifesto tell us about the how the proletariat changes as capitalism develops and in making the revolution? d) What are Marx and Engels saying about globalisation in this chapter? e) What do Marx and Engels mean by the Communists not forming a separate party? f) What do Marx and Engels mean by abolition of private property and how do they answer the various refutations of this program? g) What does the Manifesto mean by winning the battle of democracy? h) How many points in the 10-point program have been achieved by the working class in your country? i) What sort of criticism were "feudal socialists" making of capitalism, and do you know anyone like that today? j) What sort of "socialism" is envisaged by "petty bourgeois socialists" and do you know of any parties like this today? k) What is wrong with "true socialism" and do you know anyone like that today? l) What important change was made in the Manifesto in 1872 and what event brought about this amendment?

Module 5: The Economic Doctrines of Karl Marx

11. Wage, Labour and Capital

Marx, Karl. Wage Labour and Capital http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/wage-labour/index.htm Reading of Karl Marx: Wage Labour and Capital (Audio):
a) (Ch. 1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTuTOwxdxc8 b) (Ch. 2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6izYDkfpPzs or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikCbKURFAzY c) (Ch. 3a): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lna1J4wN9-U d) (Ch. 3b): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjwTFj_6AA0 e) (Ch. 4): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3p7cf8u83U f) (Ch. 5): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jX-nAe3IjpM

g) h) i) j)

(Ch. 6a): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvliIMbThsI (Ch. 6b): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpEemufsxck (Ch. 7): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Uq9kYoUjg (Ch. 8): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWMZ7Mx7i-g or http://video.yahoo.com/watch/2218644/6997900 k) (Ch. 9a): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZRC_W_EQv8 l) (Ch. 9b): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njbs47Xs0ck

Discussion Questions:
a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) k) On what basis is Marx referring to social reforms being a Utopia? What are wages? What is the difference between Labour and Labour Power? What will cause a commodity in short supply to fall in price? What factors discussed in this chapter may cause wages to rise or fall? What do you think the effect of introducing free public education would have on wages? Discuss other factors: increased immigration, cheap public housing, introduction of new technology, anti-union laws. What does Marx mean by saying Capital is a social relation? In what sense do we see the dead dominating the living in capitalist society? What does standard of living mean? Has it increased over the past 100 years in your country (or not)? Why? What is the effect on profits of a situation where people work long hours every day of the week (other things being equal)? And on the other hand, of people only having a few hours work a week? Marx says that the gap between rich and poor was getting wider in his day. Is this true today? Has it always been true throughout the past hundred years in your country? Where does profit come from? If commodities are paid for at their value, how can a buyer or seller consistently make a profit and get rich?? Discuss an example you know about of a new technique of production being introduced and the effects this had on prices, wages, etc. Discuss the contrast between labour intensive and capital intensive industries. What parts of the economy are becoming more capital intensive, and which are not? Discuss the prospects for wages in your country at the moment and what tactics could be used to improve wages. What is your answer to someone who says that an increase in wages will only cause inflation or cause capital to be withdrawn from the country. What would you say to someone who said that fighting for higher wages is just being greedy like the capitalists?

l) m) n) o) p) q) r)

12.

Capital

Das Capital: Marx, Karl Capital Vol. 1, Chapter 1 Commodities http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1867-c1/index.htm

a) Which of the following industries produce commodities: the movies, prostitution, the public education system, the private schools, public transport, the military, housewives, domestic servants? b) Why is a ton of gold worth more than a ton of sugar? And is gold dug from a thousand metres underground worth more than gold found on the ground? c) Does advertising add value to the products it advertises? d) What does Marx mean by human labour in abstract and concrete labour? e) In what sense can we say that Nature does not produce value, only labour produces value? f) Water is free (at least in most places!) therefore it has no value. Is this true? and under what

circumstances does water become valuable and how does this square with what Marx is saying? g) Why is Marx bothering to take all this time going back to barter in tribal times? h) What does this chapter say about the prospect of getting away from capitalism by going back to barter and local exchange systems? i) Why did gold come to be used as money? j) It is a long time since paper money replaced gold in day-to-day commerce. Why has this happened? Does it make nonsense of Marxs idea of money as set out in this chapter? k) What do Marxs remarks about Aristotle in this chapter tell us about capitalism and Equality? And what does this mean in the context of globalisation? l) What does Marx mean by the fetishism of commodities? m) According to Hegel and Derrida, all social production entails alienation. D oes Marx agree with Derrida and Hegel in this, and if not why not? n) In what sense is this section crucial to understanding bourgeois ideology and individualism.

13.

Exchange and Money

Marx, Karl Capital Vol. 1, Chapter 2 & 3 Exchange and Money, or the Circulation of Commodities Discussion Questions:
What does Marx mention as the reason for needing a universal equivalent and what does he mean about the problem and the means of solution arise simultaneously? b) If money is a commodity, what is its use-value and what is its exchange-value? c) What does Marx mean by "every commodity is a symbol"? d) What circumstances (discussed in this chapter) may cause a general rise in the price of commodities? e) What does Marx mean by an object which may have a price without having value? f) What is meant by socially necessary labour time? and who determines what is socially necessary and how? g) Marx talks about money as a material expression and an incarnation. Can you think of other instances of ideas and social relations taking on a material expression? a)

14.

Accumulation of Capital

Marx, Karl Capital Vol. 1, Chapter 4 & 5 The General Formula for Capital and Contradictions in the General Formula for Capital Discussion Questions:
Why is value only capital if it continuously metamorphoses M C M C etc., etc.? Give examples of money which is not capital and commodities which are not capital? b) What does Marx mean by the contradiction in the general formula of capital? c) Value circulates and metamorphoses ... M C M C etc., etc.. Why does Marx say M C M is the circuit of capital? and what does C M C mean? a)

15.

Labour-Power and Primitive Accumulation

Marx, Karl Capital Vol. 1, Chapter 6, 26 The Buying and Selling of Labour Power and The Secret of Primitive Accumulation

Discussion Questions:
What does Marx mean by saying that merchants and interest-bearing capital are derivative forms? b) What do you make of Marxs sarcastic comments about Jeremy Bentham, the founder of utilitarianism, at the close of this part? c) If colonisation was a way out of its crisis for capitalism in Marx's day, has this remained the case? d) Do you think the concentration of capital has continued uninterrupted up to the present day? What in general do you think has happened to the distribution of wealth? e) Does socialism need a phase of primitive accumulation? a)

Videos on transformation problem, falling rate of profit, capitalist equilibrium, consumption crisis theory, competition, credit, capital, and capitalism: http://vodpod.com/ratbagradio/capitalism

16.

Theories of Imperialism

Lenin, V.I. Imperialism the Highest Stage of Capitalism http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/index.htm a) A People's History of American Empire by Howard Zinn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg b) American Imperialism timeline a. Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W96GLQ8bpew b. Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPJB0hnUDHA c) American Imperialism Today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIv3XVM5PVk&feature=PlayList&p=427610 5400A96BF0&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8 17. Mid Term

Module 6: The Impact of Marxism on the Modern World

18. The Soviet Union
a) A four part documentary on Lenin: I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGE6T3SRNAs&feature=PlayList&p=933A4564B068B9 2A&index=14 II. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTrmUC3E5FE&feature=PlayList&p=933A4564B068B9 2A&index=15 III. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCpNlaYEvik&feature=PlayList&p=933A4564B068B92 A&index=16 IV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCpNlaYEvik&feature=PlayList&p=933A4564B068B92 A&index=17

19.

The Demise of the Soviet Union

b) Death of a Nation - Russia I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeK6spOIVro II. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNmQlv9lCHk III. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTJQ_H0xcpA IV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_ABqLO01sM V. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gg17VAZiXo VI. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3SCQDhUQ8o

Further reading: Fitzpatrick, Laura. Russian Revolution of 1917 (ch 1,2,3) Hoskins, Jeffery. Breakup of the Soviet Union and the End of the Cold War from The First Socialist Society

20.

China a) China in Revolution

I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRkKKRdiTBc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teFlwPZ9H1c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fToi4c3NFFE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl2s0gZNg8w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiyRh0i8GEM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A01xpLfWfwE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z53E7YqjpJE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZChIGT8O660 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSrsHQqieGQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2A_MUFYi-s

X.

b) Mao Zedong and the Chinese Revolution I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge8Rin5ReXY Further reading: Snow, Edgar. Preface Red Star Over China Hinton, William. Preface Black Cat, White Cat

21.

Vietnam
I. http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=anerne&view=videos

Further reading: Pilger, J. (1987). Heroes. London: Pan Books.

22. Latin America a) Cold War in Latin America I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJFfSfzQkDs II. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AbrrrT3r98 III. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGVkzo6pr6I

IV. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbd14przQ-M V. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfmiwTX-lBA

23.

Cuba a) Che Part I. b) http://vodpod.com/watch/1072808-esta-vivo-los-corazones-y-en-nuestrasbanderas?pod=latinradical c) Cuba's Revolution http://vodpod.com/watch/1501500-cubas-revolution

Further reading: Guevara, Ernesto (Che). Episodes of the Cuban Revolutionary War

24.

Africa a) The Assassination of Patrice Lumumba

I. II. III. IV. b) Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4daHG3I3ePU Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1JAM0KS2RQ Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h_8ig0KUPE Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDhKK-4Exnk

Patrice Lumumba: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrcX3XUm7eA

25. Major influences in the Arab world The Other Side Of Suez 1956 - BBC Documentary I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOSG-mTttzE II. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHP3XClj-tk III. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vu2_CnbYR4 Gamal Abdul Nasser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEXHbBtKH4U Suez 1956 : Story of struggling against colonialism I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LitFBCPElZg II. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCoxwOwEJos

26.

Afghanistan

Engels, Frederick Afghanistan : Marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1857/afghanistan/index.htm Michael Parenti: Afghanistan, Another Untold Story: http://marxistleninist.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/michael-parenti-afghanistan-anotheruntold-story/

Bonosky, Phillip Washington's Secret War Against Afghanistan Marxists.org/history/afghanistan/archive/phillip-bonosky/us-secret-war/ch03.htm Interview with Zbigniew Brzezinski, U.S. President Carter's National Security Adviser Marxists.org/history/afghanistan/archive/brzezinski/1998/interview.htm Brief timeline of Afghan history: Marxists.org/history/afghanistan/timeline.htm Videos
I. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edVAwg3S6O4 II. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFEE8WPYOng

27. India Marx, Karl, The British Rule in India: Marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1853/06/25.htm Marx, Karl, The Future Results of British Rule in India: Marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1853/07/22.htm

28.

Pakistan

Malik, Hafeez (1967) The Marxist Literary Movement in India and Pakistan, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 26, No. 4 (pg. 649-664). Khalid, Adeeb, The Life and Works of Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Socialist Ideas in the Poetry of Allama M. Iqbal: a) http://www.chowrangi.com/socialist-ideas-in-the-poetry-of-allama-m-iqbal.html b) Voice of Karl Marx: http://reddiarypk.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/the-voice-ofkarl-marx/ c) Lenin before God: http://reddiarypk.wordpress.com/2007/04/09/20/ Jinnah on Bhagat Singh: a) http://www.hindu.com/2005/08/08/stories/2005080801672000.htm

Supplement: Global crisis returns Marx to fashion http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8yo86_global-crisis-returns-marx-to-fashi_news Oasis of socialism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoeLA_bzvMw