KARL MARX

Marx profoundly affected those who did not

accept his system. His influence extended to
those who least supposed they were subject toDr Manisha
it. Ropeta
HIS WORKS:
• Communist Manifesto:
• Das Kapital:
• Poverty of Philosophy
• Contribution to the critique of
political economy
• The Holy Family
• Revolution and Counter Revolution
Dr Manisha
Ropeta
DIALECTIC MATERIALISM
▪ MARX’S REVERSION OF HEGEL’S IDEALISM.
▪ MARX TOOK FROM HEGEL THE DIALECTICAL METHOD, “THE VIEW
THAT PROGRESS RESULTS FROM THE CONFLICT OF OPPOSING
FORCES.”

HE REVERSES HEGELS IDEALISM INTO MATERIALISM

“ THE CLASH IS ONE OF MATERIAL FORCES AND IDEAS ARE ONLY

PRODUCT OF MATERIAL ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH MEN LIVE.” Dr Manisha
Ropeta
DIALECTIC MATERIALISM
• MARX WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT SOCIETY.
• MARX KNEW IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT SOCIETY, HE HAS TO
UNDERSTAND THE PAST.
PRIMITIVE COMMUNISM SLAVE SOCIETY FEUDALISM
CAPITALISM ?

IS THERE ANY IDENTIFIABLE LAW WHICH EXPLAINS THE TO ANSWER THIS MARX HAS
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIETY? THEORY OF HISTORYDr Manisha
BASED ON:
WHAT LIES AFTER CAPITALISM? Ropeta
DIALECTICAL MAERIALISM
DIALECTIC MATERIALISM
• IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN THE NATURE OF REALITY,
PHILOSOPHERS ARE CLASSIFIED AS MATERIALISTS OR IDEALIST:
FOR IDEALISTS FOR MATERIALISTS

IDEAS MATERIAL WORLD

IMPERFECT
COPIES LOOK AT IT
Dr Manisha
MATERIAL WORLD FORM IDEAS & Ropeta
CONCEPTS
DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM
DIALECTICS- A THEORY TO EXPLAIN CHANGE
• PROGRESS OR DEVELOPMENT IS THE RESULT OF STRUGGLE BETWEEN
CONTRADICTIONS.

SYNTHESIS
( EVEN LESS
ANTI-THESIS CONTRADICTIONS &
THESIS (LESS CONTRADICTIONS & LIMITATIONS)
(SOME LIMITATIONS)
CONTRADICTIONS & Dr Manisha
LIMITATIONS Ropeta
DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM
a. Marxist Dialectical method:
• Nature is connected and determined.
• Nature is not stable. It is subject to change and the change is
continuous.
• Natural Quantitative change leads to qualitative change.
• Contradiction is inherent in all things. Contradictions is the moving
principle of the world.
Dr Manisha
Ropeta
DIALECTICAL MATERIALISM
• Matter, being nature is an objective reality: Source of sensation &
ideas.
• Replaced ‘HEGALIAN SPIRIT’ with “OBJECTIVE & MATERIAL WORLD.”.
• World and its laws are fully intelligible and nothing is outside the
scope of human knowledge.

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
MATERIALISTIC INTERPRETATION OF HISTORY-
APPLICATION OF DIALECTICAL MAERIALISM
• Historical materialism of Karl Marx is the application of principle of
dialectical Materialism to the development of Society. It is an
economic interpretation of history.
“According to Marx all the major phenomenon of history are
determined by economic conditions.”

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
PRINCIPLES OF HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
a) History is based on materialism:
Marx rejected Hegelian concept of idea. His interpretation of
history is based on materialism.
b) The progress is determined by the material conditions:
c) To bring about any substantial change in the society, one must change the
material foundation of the society:
d) Marx predicts revolution of the laboring class against the
bourgeoisie:
Dr Manisha
According to him change in production relations call for change in the whole
social system and political order. Ropeta
 HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
a) MEANS OF PRODUCTION:
• Means of producing the satisfaction of
material needs.
• Human history consists of successive
stages of development of various
means.
• The method of procuring instruments
of production is the chief source in the
development of material life of a
society. Dr Manisha
Ropeta
Examples: handheld tools/ draft animals
HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
b) PRODUCTIVE RELATIONS:
How society organizes the people involved in the processes of
production. Who owns what, who produces what and for whom.
Stages of productive relations:
COMMUNALISM SLAVERY FEUDALISM CAPITALISM
SOCIALISM

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
c) HISTORY: DIALECT OF M AND P
“ history is the result of productive activity in interplay with social
relationships.”
d) Theory of base & superstructure:
Base – economy
Superstructure- politics, law, philosophy, art, religion, morality
Base determines the superstructure.
Dr Manisha
Ropeta
Criticism of the idea of Materialistic interpretation
of history:
• Crusades
• Protestant Reformation
• Over-emphasis on economics
• Adoption of Christianity
• Spread of Islam
• In essence if economic forces produce ideologies then ideologies also
produce economic systems
Dr Manisha
Ropeta
THE DOCTRINE OF CLASS STRUGGLE
The “Communist Manifesto” called as the Bible of the working class
starts with the statement that
“The history of all existing society is the history of the class struggles.”
SLAVE SOCIETY FEUDAL SOCIETY CAPITALIST SOCIETY

MASTER SLAVE LORD SERF PROLETARIAT BOURGEOIS

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Ropeta
 THE DOCTRINE OF CLASS STRUGGLE
DIVISION OF SOCIETY

HAVES HAVES NOT

OWNERS OF MEANS OF DEPENDENT ON

PRODUCTION THEIR LABOR
POWER TO EARN
SUBSISTENCE

DOMINANT CLASS Dr Manisha

DEPENDENT
TENDENCY TO Ropeta
CLASS
DOMINATE
CLASS URGE TO OVERTHROW
CONFLICT
Class Struggle - Criticism
• Propaganda Value
• Unclear conception of class
• Social and Economic classes are different things
• No trace of such struggle in human history
• Dependence on ‘’enmity’ to further ideas
• Competition v.s Collaboration
• More than 2 classes in history
• Proletariat revolts only less industrialized countries Dr Manisha
• Capitalism did not perish Ropeta
CAPITALISM AND CONSEQUENCES
a) CONTRADICTIONS INHERENT IN CAPITALISM:
“PRODUCT IS SOCIALIZED, BUT OWNERSHIP IS NOT”
b) THEORY OF SURPLUS VALUE:
According to Marx, “Surplus value is the difference between
the value of goods produced by the workers and the actual wages
paid to them”.

Dr Manisha
Ropeta
CAPITALISM AND CONSEQUENCES
Marxian theory of surplus value is based on the following
points:
• Labor: Natural resources are turned into commodities because of
labor. Hence, labor is the real productive factor.
• Workers are forced to sell their labor:
• Greed of the capitalist class leads to the internal contradiction of
capitalism:
“Marx points out that this surplus value will become larger Dr Manisha
and larger as capitalism advances.” Ropeta
CAPITALISM AND CONSEQUENCES
c) ALIENATION OF WORKERS:
Alienation of the worker from their product:

Alienation from the activity of production

Alienation from their distinct potential ( Machine labor)

Dr Manisha
Sense of estrangement Ropeta
CAPITALISM AND CONSEQUENCES
d) Capitalism is self-liquidating:
e) Revolution of the Proletariat: ( Transitory phase)
According to Marx, “ Existence of contradiction and consciousness is
very much vital for revolution. People must be mentally prepared to
make any sacrifice for the success of revolution. Hence, Marx
makes appeal to the workers of the world to unite as they have
nothing to lose but their shackles and have a world to win.”
Dr Manisha
Ropeta
Marx – Proletarian Dictatorship
“The state of the proletarian dictatorship is the transition from capitalism to
communism. It is the power in the hands of the workers to crush the
capitalist rule and for building up a socialist society.”
After the revolution two changes have to be achieved:
1) Overthrow a capitalist government and its institutions. Capture
the state power.
2) To establish a new state with new order. It means after the
revolution new social order will not come immediately. In
between there will be a transitional period. In that period Dr Manisha
dictatorship of the proletariat will work as an instrument Ropeta
Marx – Proletarian Dictatorship
• Victory of Democracy
• Destroy all capitalist institutions
• Substitute with new institutions
• Means of production not in private hands
• Antithesis of dictatorship of bourgeoisie
• Everyone receives equal
• From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs
• Proletariat will educate itself Dr Manisha
• Will lead to communism Ropeta
Marx – Theory of State
• State - Machine of ruling class to rule majority
• “State has not existed from eternity”
• State can never aim for common good
• State – executive committee of the bourgeoisie
• Protection of the privileged class through Force
• Class struggle ends with the victory of labor
• Followed by Disappearance of class distinction
Dr Manisha
• No private ownership – Stateless society Ropeta
Marx – Theory of State CRITICISM
• Aristotle – State is for good life
• Medieval Kings were not represented by any economic class.
• Pope or the Caliph were not from the bourgeoisie.
• Today’s state is markedly different.
• Market forces do not work on surplus value.

Dr Manisha
Ropeta