ANALYSATION OF PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM

SUBMITTED BY - TANISHA BANSAL

B.A LLB (SEM-1)

ROLL NO. - 61/20F

SUBMITTED TO - RAJNISH SARYAL

(ASSISTANT PROFESSOR)

UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LAWS

P.U. REGIONAL CENTRE , LUDHIANA
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my special thanks of gratitude to Prof. Rajnish Saryal who
gave me the golden opportunity to work on the topic ‘PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM’
and for their able guidance and support in completing my assignment. His patience,
motivation, enthusiasm and immense knowledge have helped me immensely during
my research.

Tanisha Bansal
MARXISM
Marxism was developed in the 19th century by Karl Heinrich Marx, a
famous German economist and social philosopher, forming the basis of
Communism. According to Marxist perspective, Capitalism was the root
of all injustices and of class struggle and Liberalism has achieved the
goal to establish Capitalism where a class of capitalists enjoyed special
privileges at the expense of large majority working class. Marxism is an
ideology which criticized utopian socialism as a set of imaginary ideas.
Karl Marx and Friederich Engels provided scientific base to Socialism
through the analysis of historical development or contemporary
economic situation .

Karl Marx gave an integrated ideology which explains that throughout

the stages in historical development the society is divided into two
classes-

(1) Dominant Class i.e Bourgeoisie

(who own means of production)
(2) Dependent Class i.e Proletariat

(who sell their own labour power)

There two classes have conflicted interests

so there is a continuous struggle between
them. This struggle shall come to an end
after the establishment of classless society KARL MARX (1818-1883) GERMANY

which is called by Marx as Socialist or

Communist Society.
PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM
Marxism has some principles which are explained as below -

(1) Dialectical Materialism - Karl Marx developed his idea of

Dialectical materialism by adopting the views of Hegal. Hegal
explains in an existing system or society there is a set of idea
which supports the existing system. That set of idea is known as
Thesis by Hegal. There are some ideas which oppose the
existing system. These are called Antithesis. The conflict
between Thesis and Antithesis results in compromise between
the two, which is called Synthesis. Hegel postulated that idea or
consciousness is the essence of universe.

CONFLICTS
THESIS ANTITHESIS
S

COMPROMISE
SYNTHESIS
SS

This process goes on constantly, so Hegel explains that social

progress is always a result of conflict of ideas, which is a continuous
process. Hegal asserts that idea is the basis of social progress. But
Karl Marx emphasizes that matter or economic factors and not the
idea are the basis of social progress. According to him, it is the
economic mode of production which determines the nature of
change in the society. So Karl Marx replaced Dialectical idealism of
Hegal with Dialectical materialism.

(2) HISTORICAL MATERIALISM / Economic interpretation of History -

Karl Marx explains the historical development on the basis of
changing economic factors. He was of the view that society is of
economic origin and it's development is influenced by change in
economic mode of production. In any society conflicts are the
result of unsatisfied needs due to defective economic mode of
production. According to Marx, economic mode of production is
the base on which caste, religion, legal and political system,
culture, morals , art, literature etc. are based. Karl Marx calls all
these elements as superstructure.

R P

E O S
C
L Y
L
C U
I
I S
A T
L
G T
T
SUPERSTRUCTURE
I
S I E U
C
T O
M
A R
N
E L E

BASE

ECONOMIC MODE OF PRODUCTION

Superstructure is shaped according to changing nature of base i.e
economic mode of production. Marx explains that economic mode of
production consists of two components-

(i) Forces of Production (FOP) - Capital, Instruments, Skill, Labour etc.

(ii) Relations of Production (ROP) - Relation between owners & labours,

Relation between forces of production & mode of

production.

With The development of technology, Re-forces of production changes

which ultimately leads to change in relation of production. Due to
change in relation of production conflict arises between owners and
labour class. This conflict comes to an end after destruction of one
class through revolution.

(3) Theory of Surplus Value - Karl Marx explains the exploitation of

labour class on the basis of his Theory of surplus value.
According to Marx, labour is the sole creator of value of
production. There are four elements of production-
(i) Capital
(ii) Organisation
(iii) Land
(iv) Labour

Of these four elements labour is the most important element. It is the

labour which creates surplus value but it is retained by the capitalists
and not even minute share of surplus value is given to the labour.
Labour supply is large, so wages are fixed according to the will of
capitalists. Wages are fixed on the basis of market price of wages and
not on the basis of value created by the excess supply of labour. So
minimum wages are paid to labour and the surplus value generated is
exploited by capitalist class. In other words Surplus value denotes the
value of labour done by the worker for which he is not paid at all and
forms the part of Capitalist’s profit.

(4) Doctrine of Class Struggle – According to Karl Marx history of all

existing society is history of class struggle. At every stage of
historical development, society is divided into two classes-
Haves and Have Nots. Haves are owners of resources (Capitalist
Class) and Have Nots do not own resources (Labour Class),
Example- Master & Slave, Feudal & Serfs, Capitalist & Labour.

There is a clash of interests between these two classes which results in

struggle between. The conflict arises because the rich pay workers to
make things for them to sell and workers have no say in their pay as
they have to earn their living. According to Marx this class-struggle is
basis of social progress. With the development of forces of production,
one mode of production is replaced by another, but class conflict
reappears under the new social formation. This struggle will come to an
end after destruction of Haves through revolution.
 DIVISION OF SOCIETY

HAVES HAVE NOTS

DOMINANT CLASS DEPENDENT CLASS

TENDACY OF CLASS URGE TO

SUPRESSION CONFLICT OVERTHROW

(5) Theory of Revolution - Marx believes that revolution is the

significant means for social change. Labour class always try to
transform the existing system in which they are exploited by
owners whereas transformation is resisted by the owners. So
Marx asserts that transformation of the system can be achieved
only through revolution which will abolish capitalists or owners
class. These revolutions are likely to be happened in the
capitalist countries where the working class will attempt to
overthrow the bourgeoisie.
(6) Dictatorship of Proletariat- Karl Marx believes that dictatorship
of proletariat is the next stage in the process of establishment
of Socialist society and removal of capitalist society. He
 emphasizes that total resistance to the establishment of
Socialist society cannot be eliminated immediately after the
revolution, so Dictatorship of Proletariat will crush the enemies
of socialism.
(7) Withering Away of the State- Dictatorship of Proletariat will help
in establishing a class-less society in which there will be no
class-division and hence there will be no clash of interests or
conflict in the society. So there will be no need of the state and
state shall slowly wither away.

Criticism
(1) Marxism gives too much importance to economic factors. This
ignores importance of religion, culture, nature of man etc.
(2) The class structure today is more complex than Bourgeois-
Proletariat. The society is not always divided into two classes,
there is a extensive middle class in between.
(3) Marxian idea of need of violent revolution is also not
acceptable. It disturbs the peace in the society.
(4) The State cannot wither away as predicted by Marx. State is
existing even after more than 50 years in communist countries.
(5) State is not an instrument of exploitation as believed by Marx.
Modern states are welfare states which are working for
development of the people.
(6) It is no longer believed that the superstructure is wholly
dependent on the base and interdependence of base and
 superstructure has led to extensive analysis of various aspects
of superstructure.
(7) There is much less Alienation in modern companies. Workers
have lot to say, partly due to unionisation and enlightened
management techniques.
(8) The communist Revolutions in Eastern Europe did not lead to
greater equality and freedom as Marx would have hoped. Given
the failures of communism it is difficult to see what the
alternative to capitalism might be.
(9) Finally, many sociologists today argue that Marx’s grand
theorising about world is no longer relevant—rather than
researching with the attention of creating the perfect society, we
should really focus much more on specific and localised issues.
 CONCLUSION

The new period value of the basic principles of Marxism is reflected in

the universality of it’s world outlook and methodology. This correct world
outlook and methodology can still guide us to correctly understand the
world and transform it. The spirit and essence of basic theories of
Marxism lies in it’s ability to transform the world and create a new world
in the process of criticising the old world, to maintain the vitality of
Marxist theory on the basis of practice and development, to ensure that
it can play a great current value in contemporary era.1

1 AN INTODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY 7TH EDITION, OP GAUBA, CONCEPT OF IDEOLOGY

2 differencebetween.net

3 revisesociology.com

4 simple.m.wikipedia.org