Marx is talking here about two main social classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat. As a result of the indistrial revolution all over the world, working class starts to lose their jobs, their work is being replaced by machines, value of their production depends on the machines. "All are instruments of labour, more or less expensive to use, according to their age and sex" (p. 18). A small portion of bourgeoisie joins the proletariat. "The proletarian movement is a self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority, in the interest of the immense majority" (p. 20). The need for a change appeared because existence of bourgeoisie was no longer compatible with the society.
The immediate aim of Communists: formation of the proletariat into a class, overthrow of the bourgeoisie, conquest of political power by the proletariat. The theory of the Commmunists: abolition of the private property.
Capital is a social power, it's a collective product.
"Communism deproves no man of the power to appropriate the products of society; all it does is to deprive him of the power to subjugate the labour of others by means of such appropriations" (p. 24).
Literature
French Socialist and Communist literature enteres Germany when the bourgeoisie in that country had just begun its contest with feudal absolutism. German philosophy joint with French literature, the Germans did not practically adapt to the French social conditions. It assumed a purely literary aspect. "The work of the German literati consisted solely in bringing the new French ideas into harmony with their ancient philosophical conscience" (p. 30).
"Working men of all countries unite!"- the slogan of the Communists, translated into dozens of languages all over the world.
A Communist Confession of Faith and The Principles of Communism are very similar documents, since they contain the same ideas, only rephrased and elaborated in the second. They talk about the new order that they hope to establish in the new society: to abolish competition and replace it with association and communal ownership of goods. "Communism is that stage of historical development which makes all existing religions superfluous and supersedes them".
Good summary. But do you agree with Marx and think that Communism is the ultimate solution for class struggle?
ReplyDeleteNo, Doaa, I don't agree with any extreme ideologies. Everything in moderation. Like Brittany mentions in her last blog, flexibility is necessary to accomodate the changes that happen. In order for the society to grow and improve we need to try to accomodate different opinions. Definitely, it is difficult to please everyone, but there should be a way of finding common ground (consensus?). It might sound idealistic again, but extreme ideologists should meet the majority in the middle.
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