Marxian Ideologies of Social Change - Essay Example

?Is Marx's explanation of social change still relevant to understanding Capitalism today? Introduction Marxian ideologies strictly concentrate on socialist doctrines which facilitate equality and fraternity among the people. It bestows new insight to the formation of a class free world and keeps certain values in social interaction. The basic motives of Marxian theories availed much popularity in the beginning. Many got attracted to the new concept of materialism and economical distribution in the society. But soon it lost its feathers of recognition. In the age of globalization, the world changed its systems in social interaction, economic developments, life style, administrative system and international relations. Marx developed his theory based on the existing economic, social and political scenario through a series of economic manuscripts in 1850s. After the fall of Russia in 1991, the world underwent some significant changes especially in value system, financial policies, production and distribution of wealth. Many nations in the world including China, and other Asian countries show their willingness to accept new liberal ideologies in social formation. Existing social scenario demands economic growth rather than social changes. Therefore, Marxian explanations on social change have been losing its relevance and it is not capable to understand capitalism. Historians often remark that Marxian philosophy denies centralization of wealth and it always requires a society with equal distribution of wealth. Unfortunately, individuals with power in later generation discard Marxian concept of social changes. Marx follows certain moral principles in his life and expects his followers to live in accordance with some code of morality which ensures effective social changes. As John Cunningham Wood (n. d. p.20) comments; “In fact Marx expects the individual to act according to a code which is generally accepted and when individuals with power overlooked this demand, Marx was outraged.” Another significant area that Marxian ideologies face problem is that the acceptance of private property among the public. Exponents of capitalism demand maximum profit in financial dealings. In it the thoughts gain demands men to work hard and use all their potentialities. Marxian theories individuals are not given much priority and so in this special circumstances man power and his services are often discarded. Professional competence in work field as well service sector demanded maximum products than changes in work fields. It made a flaw for the Marxian ideology. It created a group of people who became less industrious and energetic. Marx’s explanation of Social Change: Marx was a man who had great vision on the change of society and the growth of all individuals. “Marx can recognize the centrality of individual action in social explanation while at the same time insist on the irreducibly social character of the conditions that constrain individual action” (Little, 1986, p.150). He had much concern for the progress of the working class individuals and he had seen that the exploitation on the working class would come to end with the implementation of the rule of Proletariats. The Marxian theory on social change was based on his concepts of class. The notion of class in a society is seen as the constant struggle with the oppressors and the oppressed. The struggle between these two is a prolonged struggle in the history. The working class is majority in number and they try to overturn the bourgeoisie. The struggle between these two will finally take place the victory of the proletariats over the bourgeoisie. He stressed the need of individual freedom from the hands of the oppressors. According to Daniel Little, Marx’s model “indicates that he accepts the view that the ultimate source of social change is the active individual within specific relations. Indeed Marx’s view that class conflict is the engine of historical change indirectly expresses this same point; for class conflict proceeds through definite individuals within specific class relations taking action to secure their interests” (Little, 1986, p.151). He was the man who had tried to put men under social justice and awareness. The society was given much priority together with the individuals’ contribution to the society. He considers capitalism as oppressors of the proletariats and finally the inevitable revolution of the oppressed makes a shift in the structure of the society. The surplus capital is distributed among the individuals equally and all individuals work for the society. His whole idea of social change is rested with the factor of dialectical materialism which stands as the key principle of Marxism. Marxian theory of social change and the aftermath of it: Marxian theory found its applicability in many countries. Almost in all countries Marxian followers fought against the over turn of the government and establish communist government by the working class people. After the implementation of communism in USSR Marx thought that the proletariats of the world would soon follow the path of USSR, but things went away from his expectations. “Marx thought that the mass of laborers would view themselves as an exploited, oppressed social class” (Seidman, 2004, p.33). But what Marx had thought in his dream did not accomplish. The power of capitalism was superior and Marxian theories did not do much harm to capitalism. The world witnessed the up and down of the communism very soon. The governments of the proletariats were not ready to accept the individual freedom of the people and soon the people retorted against the Marxian governments. The ideologies of Karl Marx were not followed by the communist governments. The Marian theories were not at all practical and so the public favor on these governments came down soon. Alfredo Saad-Filho made serious studies in the field of relevance of Marxian ideologies in the era of globalization. In his study entitled Is Marx’s Theory of Value Still Relevant, Filho observes the current crisis that Marxian ideologies face. The author rightly remarks; “Second, traditional Marxism wrongly claims that Marx’s analysis of commodities, value and money addresses a broad set of commodity modes of production, especially simple commodity production, and that his analysis of capitalism proper starts only in chapter 4 of Capital 1” (Saad-Filho, 2011). In the background of globalization and growing capitalism researchers often mentioned the fact that the followers of traditional Marxism suffer from number of significant shortcomings. Initially, Marxism disconnects the analysis of the way of production and services from the circulation and distribution of the result which disgustingly exaggerates their concept of independence. In reality no freedom was granted to the proletariats by the communist governments. Marxism has shifted to practical Marxism in the modern world. The ideologies of Karl Marx were many times shifted by the followers of it. On the other hand capitalism was on its growth. “Capitalism as an economic system dominates the experience of both worker and capitalist. The capitalist’s individual motives are unimportant in understanding capitalism. They are merely representatives of the economic dynamics of the system” (Ritzer, 2005, p.742). The theory of Karl Marx was considered as a theory that lost its significance. The concepts of Marxian theories have been found some similarity between communism and capitalism. According to Jennifer M. Lehman, “Marxian theory involved but not constitute, a theory of exploitation, a theory of surplus value, a labor theory of value, and a theory of class struggle, these “theories” were aspects of his attempt to answer the most decisive question: how to identify the nexus between bourgeois society and the capitalist mode of production, to distinguish between the specificity of nineteenth century liberal capitalism and the dynamic principles of modern capitalism?” (Lehmann, 2005, p.250). Further the writer says that the features of trans- historical aspects of Marxian writings could be seen as the specific features of nineteenth century capitalism. In this regard it can be said that Marx had tried to reread the aspects of capitalism in his making of the ideologies. Many elements of both capitalism and communism can be ties in its general intention. Of course the economy in communism rests with the society and it aims at to be distributed among the individuals. The same economy in a capitalistic society is directly rested with the individuals. Marx had made use of capitalism theories for construction his communist ideologies. His concepts of social change were taken from the experience that was there in the capitalism. True, in some aspects the Marxian theory of social change would help to understand the aspects of capitalism today well as the idea of social change was taken from capitalism. Conclusion In the modern world capitalism has shown its wide branches in all places. “The modern economy had relied on capitalists understanding capitalism. The best bet for success of an enterprise was to reinvest the profits, gain market share, reinvest, and so on” (Hummel, 2007, p.61). At times in the modern economy the adventure capitalism can also be seen. All these make a rereading of the process of the modern capitalism. The fall of communism in Russia and the growth of capitalism in the world have shown many systematic approaches to investments and individual profits. The lost significance of the Marxian social change and the rapid growth of capitalism even in communist countries make people think irrelevance of the theory of social change in understanding capitalism today. In conclusion, it is evident that Marxian explanations on social change are not fully capable to understand capitalism. Even though in initial stage, Marxian ideologies have stood for effective social changes and its followers strictly follow certain code of morality in social life, current social, political and economic stature of the world diminishes the relevance of Marxian concept about social change. References: Hummel, R, P 2007, The Bureaucratic Experience: The Post-Modern Challenge, 5th illustrated edn, M.E. Sharpe. Little, D 1986 The scientific Marx, University of Minnesota Press. Lehmann, J, M 2005, Social theory as politics in knowledge, Emerald Group Publishing. Ritzer, G 2005, Encyclopedia of social theory, Volume 1, SAGE, 2005. Seidman, S 2004, Contested knowledge: social theory today, 3rd illustrated edn, Wiley-Blackwell. Saad-Filho, A 2011, Is Marx’s Theory of Value Still Relevant? SOAS, University of London, UK, scribd Inc., viewed 9 Apr, 2011, . Wood, J, C n. d. Karl Marx's economics : critical assessments, Volumes 1-4, Routledge Read More