Pendaliday, Mairah N.

Ethics 2:00-3:00 PM ; MWF

“Marxism: Just entitlement for just labor”

Marxism is an idealistic economic and social system based upon the political and economic theories
of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marxism’s method of societal analysis focuses on economic and material
aspects. Focusing on class relations and societal conflicts, the theory was first proposed by Karl Marx.
Upon witnessing the industrial revolution and the creation of an urban working class, Marx observed and
experienced a growing gap between the rich and the poor. Marxism is contrary to the capitalism which is
the working class or “the people,” own only their capacity to work; they have the ability only to sell their
own labor. Karl Marx investigated the effect of capitalism on the working class and political and economic
developments. Which he believes capitalism will bring no good for the society, especially to the working
class. Marx set principles that were to govern the distribution of welfare under socialism and communism
—these principles saw distribution to each person according to their work and needs.

People should own their labor and input labor and get out the equal amount of product, value
and resources. That way, people are not paid less than they produce so that others can profit off their
labor instead of off their own. If workers receive an amount equivalent to their average product, there is
no revenue left over and therefore these workers cannot enjoy the fruits of their own labors and the
difference between what is made and what that can purchase cannot be justified by redistribution
according to need. While under Capitalism, workers and laborers are paid a bare minimum wage or salary
to support their family as well as their needs. The workers, they become alienated for not having the rights
or control over the labor and products which they produces.

The claim of the contribution principle that it gives people an equal right because workers have a
right to the products of their labor means workers claims or income equivalents to what it produces or
contributed. Which result to the disagreement of Marx. Marx thought it was unjust since workers do not
have the same strengths and capabilities. It eliminates the notion of profit for profits sake and postulates
that if everyone puts in labor and the products, value, resources that result to their inputs then everyone
owns their own labor, effort and time rather than others being able to exploit laborers by essentially
corrupting excess off the capitalists which continues on getting the benefits that the laborers should have
been able to acquire. Some people may have advantages from the others like having natural talents and
skills that others may not possess. And there are also workers who are incapacitated of doing something
that others can do. It includes also the disabled or the people who are handicapped. These people clearly
cannot perform and produce the same output or quality that talented workers can do. As well as the
needs of people differs from each other just like a man who already has its own family and a man who is
living on his own. Obviously the man who already has its own family holds a higher obligation and
necessity than the man who live on its own. Marx rejected the idea of equal rights, not because he was
not a friend to the idea of treating people as equals, but precisely because he thought rights failed to live
up to that ideal.

I believe that equality does not only mean fair distribution of resources but also distributing
correctly. Without disregarding the needs of the workers and laborers which means distributing
accordingly to the status and needs of the workers and laborers. Imagine person A and person B, have a
different heights wherein person A is 5’5 while person B is only 5 flat. They both have to reach something
from the top of a 6 ft. cabinet and to be able to do that, they need blocks to step on to. To be fair, they
will both have one block each. However, there is no equality anymore since, person A is taller so he
obviously will get the advantage than person B. For equality is having of the same right, social status etc.
it cannot be equality if someone is advantaged to the other. the belief that no one should have poorer life
chances because of the way they were born, where they come from, what they believe, or whether they have
a disability. I presume that the blocks or resources should be divided with consideration of the needs and
capacity of people. Distribution of resources should be done accurately.

References:

https://www.equalityhumanrights.comWeb results Understanding equality | Equality and Human Rights

Commission

https://www.allaboutphilosophy.org › ...Web results What is Marxism - AllAboutPhilosophy.org

https://www.toolshero.com › marxism Web results Marxism / Karl Marx theory by Karl Marx and
Friedrich Engels | ToolsHero

https://en.m.wikipedia.org › wiki Web results Marxism - Wikipedia