The Ideas of Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto - Book Report/Review Example

it can be argued that Marx’s view of exploitation through wage labor was counteracted by Durkheim’s concern about the increasing rationality of capitalism.  

Marx analysis of bourgeoisie

The bourgeoisie controls the markets creating monopolies in their line of production to avoid competition (Marx 13). The proletariats according to Marx are direct victims of the bourgeois. The bourgeois in this case are the capitalists and the proletariats are the poor. The poor are the workers of the capitalists. According to Marx, the bourgeoisie has slowly swag away man from his religious way. Bourgeoisie has created a free trade market, where exploitation is the order of the day.

Bourgeoisie has taken over all areas of occupation where the focus is not on service delivery, but rather on paid waged laborers. Surprisingly, the bourgeoisie has torn away from the values and sentimental veil of a family and reduced it into a money relation (Marx 12). The need to expand the market has dispersed the bourgeoisie across the globe. This has led to the adaption of the bourgeoisie mode of production by all countries around the world. Countries have created enormous cities, characterized by increased urban population (Marx 14). As proletariats continue to feel oppressed by the bourgeoisie, they form organizations to counter the oppression. However, the bourgeoisie uses their political organizations to counteract the demands of the proletariats. The proletariats end up fighting against themselves in an effort to keep up the rate of wages.

What Marx missed in his analysis according to Durkheim?

Going by the provisions and views of Marx on the bourgeoisie, there are a number of issues and clarities that Marx failed to offer in his works. For example, the work of Emile Durkheim stipulates that division of labor, which characterizes capitalism, is not only a form of the law of nature but is also a moral rule of human conduct (Durkheim 3). In fact, Durkheim notes that there is no need to demonstrate the serious nature of the division of labor and that whatever assessment people make of the division of labor, people all sense it is, and increasingly so, one of the fundamental bases of the social order. It is also apparent that the intrigues brought about by the division of labor can be altered by introducing rules to govern it and introducing precise punishment laid down by law (Durkheim 3). Durkheim noted that those who infringe these laws are not punished according to the law but, they do suffer rebuke.

On his part, Marx concentrated on the developments of capitalism, and its consequences to society without addressing any positive thing attached to it. Capitalism which is characterized by industrial improvements has reasons for its existence, which corresponds to needs, although these needs are not morally upright. This is what Marx lacked to distinguish, that although capitalism exists, it serves the interest of its group, but these interests are not moral ones. However, according to Durkheim, morality is the indispensable minimum, that which is strictly necessary, which society cannot live without. Nonetheless, just like the bourgeoisie has developed over time, Marx ought to have clarified the need for more enlightened consciousness in order to cope with this development (Durkheim 6). If the division of labor fulfills no role, then there is no need for its existence. Marx ought to have specified the role of division of labor, to which man can evaluate its effectiveness.

Conclusion

According to Marx, the bourgeoisie has developed over time and created a new form of capitalism. Bourgeoisie has created a free trade market, where exploitation is the order of the day. Bourgeoisie has taken over all areas of occupation where the focus is not on service delivery, but rather on paid waged laborers. However, there are a number of issues and clarities that Marx failed to offer in his works. For example, Marx ought to have clarified the need for more enlightened consciousness in order to cope with this development.