MARXISM

INTRODUCTION
o Marxism is an economic and social system derived from the works
of Marx and Friedrich Engels.
o Classical Marxism is a variety of socialism that provides an
intellectual base to communism and a reaction against capitalism
and liberalism of 19th century grounded in Materialism.
 The defining documenting of Marxism: “The Communist Manifesto 1848
and Das Kapital 1867”.
 HISTORY OF MARXISM
o The communist manifesto 1848 was a Defining Document.
o Das Kapital 1867, a treatise on political economic and critical analysis of
capitalism.
o First attempt of Marxist ideas
 Russian revolution in Oct 1917 by Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924) – Bolshevik
Party.
o Difference factions claimed their legitimacy from Marxism:
 After Stalin
o Post WWI:
 Soviet Military backing spawned a rise in revolution communist parties all
over the world
 China, Vietnam, Romania, East Germany, Albania, Cambodia, Ethiopia,
South Yemen, Yugoslavia, Cuba – their own version of Marxism.
 HISTORY OF MARXISM
o By 1900:
 Warsaw pact states of East Europe, they all abandoned communist rule in
1991, leaving China, Cuba and some states in Asia and Africa.
o 20th Century:
 Western Marxism by George Lukas stressed early Hegelian and Humanist
elements of Marxism.
 Hungary Lukas 1923 – “History and class consciousness”
 Italian: Antonio Gramsci – “Cultural Hegemony”, believed in organic unity of
social life.
 In Frankfurt, Neo. Marxist philosophers.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM
o Dialectical Materialism:
 It is based on ideal dialecticism.
 Matter or material means evolved by three laws of Dialectics
• Matter evolves, reaches highest stage – Node, then dialectic leap – revolution,
then next stage prevails communism.
 This continuous flux is due to internal contradictions.
o Historical Materialism:
 History is the evolution of material means of life.
 The fact of human life – Man must eat to live and Hunger is reality – leads to
own material means of life
 The class struggle and changes in modes of production through division of
labor and relations form the economic base of society and determined by the
mode of production.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM

o Economic Determinism:

 Economic relations determine all the social relations.

o Social relations and class struggle:

 Society is consisted of two classes: Haves and Haves not are exploitation and

outcome of class struggle.

o Theory of surplus value:

 From raw material to fine product, the capitalist sells and add that in his profit

which is surplus value created by labor.

 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM
o Capitalism – an evil system:
 Exploitation and inequalities prevails because the capitalists use institutions,
religion and private property as instruments to exploit.

o Proletarian revolution:
 Revolution is at a certain stage of evolution where saturation point ushers
revolution and the stage of post-revolution would be the communist society.

o Proletariat dictatorship:
 After the revolution to eliminate all features of capitalism, proletariat
dictatorship will prevail.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM

o Communist society: classless and stateless:

 Each one works according to his capacity and gets according to his needs.
 After proletariat dictatorship, communism society and capitalism’s liquidation
will occur, the state will wither away.
o Rejection of state:
 It is the product of the particular stage of class struggle created by the
capitalist class to exploit.
o Private property:
 Communism will replace it with a system of public ownership.
o Religion and Marxism:
 Marx: “No place of religion in communism.”
 It justifies exploitation and poverty in the name of God’s will.
 BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM
o Communist party
 It acts as the vanguard of people.
 It was formulated and used by Lenin.

o Capitalistic imperialism:
 “The highest stage of capitalism-imperialism leads to war, the cut-throat
competition, will destroy capitalism.” – Lenin.

o Ideology:
 “The ruling class imposes an ideology on society to make its interests appear
to be interests of all created a faire consciousness.” – Antonio Gramsci.
 STAGES OF SOCIETY’S DEVELOPMENT
o Primitive communism.
 Cooperation tribal societies
o Slave society
 Work by human labor was a vital resource: Maximizing slaves
o Feudalism
 The shift of the economy from slavery to feudalism – fiefs hold land – serfs.
o Capitalism:
 Industrial revolution and innovation in technology resulted in displacement of
labor.
o Socialism – proletariat dictatorship:
 Class struggle revolution.
o Communism:
 Stateless and classless society.
 TYPES OF MARXISM
o Classical Marxism:
 Theory as conceived by Marx and Engels.

o Marxism – Leninism:
 Principles of Marx and Lenin.

o Western Marxism:
 Marxism in western and central Europe in contrast with soviet and China.
 Its proponents were professional academics, viewed Marxism as primarily a
philosopher rather than revolutionary – stressed Hegelian and Humanist
elements.

o Libertarian Marxism:
 Less authoritarian view of Marx, unrevolutionary.
 TYPES OF MARXISM
o Structural Marxism:
 In France (1960-70)
 Louis Althusser re-analyzed Marxism.
 Provided model of economic, description of structure and development of the
whole society
o Neo-Marxism: 20th century
 Rejected economic determinism.
 More libertarian
• E.g.: Frankfurt School in German 1930-50.
o Cultural Marxism:
 In 20th century, a form of Marxism added analysis of the role of media, art,
film, cultural institution in society.
 Emphasis on Race and Gender in class society.
 TYPES OF MARXISM

o Marxist Feminism:
 Private property ownership by capitalism is the main cause of inequalities,
dependence, political confusion, and unhealthy social relations – the root of
women oppression.
 CRITICISM
o Imaginary future
o Economic determinism
 All spheres of life are conditioned by socio-economic base and mode of
production
o Anti-Semitic
o Violent revolution
o End of History
o Historical materialism is flawed
 It lead to Nihilism
o Ignored progress and development
o Peace and stability was also ignored.