Marxist Philosophical Evaluation of Capitalism Rise - Essay Example

MARXISM Module Module ID: Introduction: The present paper aims to eluci the Marxist perspective with special reference to his philosophical evaluation of the rise of capitalism during the nineteenth century. The main objective behind exploring the theory articulated by Karl Marx includes the estimation of the perspective as an imperative critic of the capitalistic economic system, which always looks for exploitation of the proletariat i.e. the working classes at the hands of the bourgeoisie or the producers. Since Marxism vehemently looks for advocating the cause of the working stratum of society, it turns down capitalism for its supporting the producers and investors at the expense of the serves rendered by the workers, labourers and peasants. Since Karl Marx has always supported the working classes through his words, works and theories, he would not allow the rise of such an exploitative economic system i.e. capitalism, which aims to negate all the rights and privileges the labourers and peasants deserve to enjoy against the toil they make while rendering their services at their workplace. The paper also examines the Marxist perspective with special reference to “the Jewish Question” (1843) and “Das Capital” (1867) produced by the father of Socialism1 (Ruhle, 2005, p.4) i.e. Karl Marx. Brief Overview of the Era: Nineteenth century maintains imperative significance in many respects in the history of the world because of the distinguished and remarkable achievements the humans had made during this unique era of the long history of mankind (Mahajan, 2003, p. 291). It was the time when the progress and prosperity observed tremendous boost predominantly in the USA and North Western Europe. However, the pace of progress was not confined to one specific area or region only; rather, the scope of progress witnessed its expansion in multiple fields including art and, literature, science and industrialization, knowledge and wisdom, and psychological and intellectual foresight, and much more. Even the technological and nuclear revolutions being made in the contemporary times are also dependent of the profound thoughtfulness and intellectual insights appeared at the horizon during nineteenth century. On the one side, industrialization process was at its gradual but continuous growth, and on the other side political economy had been witnessing the new dimensions in its nature and scope. Moreover, outstanding biological and sociological evolution theoretical frameworks startled the world in the wake of the presentation of (biological) Theory of Evolution2 (1859) by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russell Wallace, as well as sociological evolution theory by Herbert Spencer, Thomas Malthus and Francis Galton. In addition, Sigmund Fried also appeared to be articulating his marvellous psychoanalysis methodology by the same era, while Dickens and Hardy looked determined to produce the literary works reflecting unabated social changes had been in vogue in the 19th century European and American cultures at large. Furthermore, the works produced by George Eliot, the Bronte sisters and other literary giants portrayed the beginning of feminist perspective (Daiches, 2003, p. 679), where the sonorous voice in protest against the exploitation of the female stratum of society looked leaving an indelible impact of the movement about to get launched in pursuit of justice, equality and fair play in favour of women in the modern era socio-cultural establishment. Consequently, the atmosphere for tremendous alterations in various areas of individual and collective human life looked the most favourable one in the developed nations of the world. The same is also applied to the economic revolution and politico-economic transformations appeared during the same epoch. Rise of Capitalism: It was the same era when the capitalism-liberalism perspective was born in America and Europe, in the wake of the decline of solo financial banking system appeared to be regulating the corporate affairs of the world, offering the limited investment opportunities to the producers. It was the time when the latest methods of production were going to be invented in order to increase the production level, income and wealth of the investors, and the job and employment opportunities for the working classes as well. Since the investment appeared to be confined to banks only, and there were little prospects in respect of the allocation of money and resources, the former American President Andrew Jackson3 projected the economic theory presented by Adam Smith in favour of the possibilities if capitalists system for the circulation and growth of capital in its wake. Since Jackson intended to let free economy grow, beyond the banking system regulated by the political governmental authorities, capitalistic system would provide the laissez-faire scheme, where the organisations will not be responsible to the political authorities of the state altogether (Turner, 1978, p.126). Thus, not only atrocious slavery was abolished from the USA during the era, but also a new and crueller kind of slavery was inflicted upon the working classes in the form of capitalism in the name of freedom, equality and employment. The free market, Sayers observes, operates as an alien system with a life of its own. It is an uncontrollable and inherently unstable mechanism. It leads to periodic crises in which huge numbers of people are thrown out of work and useful means of production are wantonly destroyed (2008, p.2). The elite stratum of European societies consists of aristocracy, big investors and corporate class, welcomed capitalism with open arms. The establishment of mills, factories and other units had already started being established in the wake of 1750 Industrial Revolution (Mokyr, 1999, pp.4-5). It gave birth to tremendous alterations on the entire socio-cultural life of the people, along with increase in work hours, shifting of the labour force from agricultural fields to the industrial units, new wages system, and environmental issues and problems, and financial technicalities etc. Moreover, agricultural fields used to allow some benefits related to the simple and modest lifestyle of the public, though the industrial unit did not look to offer the same facilities to the workers and labourers altogether. Though an overwhelming majority of the public took the rapid changes taking place all around them as the signs of growth and development, the farsightedness of this distinguished theorist i.e. Karl Marx predicted the fatal consequences of capitalism, industrialisation was about to bring in its wake. The Jewish Influence: The Jewish communities also had their share in popularising the capitalist system in the world markets. However, the community used to make complains of undergoing persecution and discriminative behaviour in some states, predominantly in Germany. Bauer (1843) partly admitted the existence of the Jewish persecution due to their bias and prejudice towards all other communities of the country, which puts their emancipation into grave jeopardy. Nevertheless, Marx, in his Jewish Question, defends the need for Jewish political and financial emancipation in Germany. His article actually appeared in the wake of the philosophical piece created by Bruno Bauer in 1843 carrying the same title, in which Bauer has strongly criticised the Jewish community projecting and promoting their separate identity and unique individuality in all matters and issues including their participation in political and economic activities. All groups and communities living in one particular social establishment under the same political authority must absorb themselves in the mainstream culture instead of launching their separate nationalist movement for the projection and promotion of their community only (Bauer, 1843). Since the Jews have never developed the tradition of acculturating them in the cultures and civilisations where they migrate and live forever even, they refrain from mixing with the dominant cultures groups in order to preserve their ethno-racial, religious and cultural identity during the last four thousand years (Diamont, 1975, p.7). It is therefore they had been persecuted and molested by the majority groups under the Christian dominated Roman Empire of ancient times, as well as other religious groups too wherever they migrated and moved. The same was the case with them during their stay in Egypt, Germany, England and other parts of the globe as well. The German Jews, according to Bauer, long for the complete and absolute emancipation in respect of any interference and threats frequently inflicted upon them because of their reluctance to adopt the ways attributed to the majority groups of the German nation. Hence, they are deprived of the basic human rights being offered to the Christians and other communities living in Germany. However, their sticking to their own conventional ways, which partly look violating the norms, values and traits associated with the mainstream culture, deprive them of the same privileges, because of their being least dedicated to German nationalism at large. Thus, in order to obtain emancipation, they must have to surrender their religious values and orthodoxy, in order to become the active members of German socio-cultural values. Consequently, it the egoism and ethnocentrism the Jews maintain in their individual and collective behaviour, in order to prove them to be the most superior and distinguished group of society. Somehow, such kind of their prejudiced thought would not earn respect and reverence for them; instead, the Jews would be cut-off from all social, economic, political and cultural activity the German Christians look get involved into. Hence, emancipation demands sacrifice in the form of adopting the cultural values prevailing in society. Marxist Perspective of Jewish Emancipation: However, Marxist perspective refutes the thoughtfulness presented by Bauer. On the contrary, Marx partly supported the Jewish emancipation by declaring the religion as a personal matter of the people, and everyone should have the right to get involved into the religious activities of their choice. Being an atheist, Marx does not give due importance to the religious values, and declares finances and economic power to be the only that that appears to be regulating the world affairs. Since the motif of the followers of all religious faith and beliefs is one and the same i.e. earning and collecting money in order to increase their economic and social influences eventually, the atheists, Catholics, Protestants and others undergo the same problems of limitations in Germany that are claimed by the Jews. As a result, the Jews are not the only group seeking emancipation or deserving the same altogether in Germany. In other words, it is only the economic power and financial gains that bestow social and political emancipation to the individuals. Hence, it is wealth, affluence and financial gains that earn respect, dominance and emancipation to the individuals without the discrimination of race, ethnicity, region, religion and nationality etc. Although the Marxist perspective supports economic emancipation for all communities at large without exercising prejudiced towards others; nevertheless, he never let anyone criticise just only one community i.e. Jews by declaring them far more avaricious and money-making than other communities existing in Germany (Tucker, 1978, p.27). He also does not agree with the notion articulated by Bauer that the Jews have captured the wealth and resources of the world by making huge investments in banking sectors and offering loans to the people against high interest rates. Bauer appears to be justified one in making his claim that the Jews had played decisive role in the projection and promotion of capitalism; however, it is not the only group to be declared as responsible for all the social deformities in the form of money-making and money-concentrating to few hands only. Since confinement of money to few hands, predominantly the investors and producers may cause dispossession and deprivation of the share the working stratum deserves on the basis of the services they render to the investors, capitalist economic system must be dejected as the exploitative economic scheme. It is therefore, Marxism emphasised upon the expected future scenario, where the Jewish influence on the development and administration of capitalism would cease to exist gradually in the wake of the growth of nation states, national banks and national capital eventually (Marx, 1843). Marxist Condemnation of Capitalism: Actually, the entire concentration of the Marxist perspective revolves around the class struggle between the haves and haves-not, where the former stratum continuously exploits the latter by dint of the wealth and resources they enjoy, and hence maintain their dominance over them on the long term basis (Ritzer, 2007, p.287). Thus, allocation of money to industrial units, as per the rules established by the capitalism, just favours and supports one specific class, and keeps the others deprived of even the basic needs of life. Since Karl Marx declares the progress and growth an agricultural and/or industrial unit observes to be the outcome of the hard efforts made by the workers and labourers, which make an imperative investment of their time and money by working from dawn to dusk at their workplace, they must also have their respective share according to the financial achievements being made by their organisation(s). However, they could obtain almost nothing in return out of their arduous and laborious tasks and accomplishments they had performed due to the very reality that the investor takes the lion’s share of the income and profit an agricultural or industrial unit has earned, on the basis of the financial assets obtained by them. As a result, the workers start feeling themselves at a sorry state of affairs, where even the hardest attempts made by them for the bright prospects of their organisation earn almost nothing to them. Consequently, they are unable to fulfil their basic needs even while remaining engaged in performing their professional obligations from dawn to dusk. Alienation Perspective: The frustration of the working classes, on not being able of obtaining sufficient amount of money against their services creates the thoughts of alienation in their minds. As a result, the workers find them to be strangers at their workplace, and their association and affiliation with their workplace witness a significant decline during the course of time. Thus, emotions of alienation start haunting their minds, and they begin abhorring their workplaces subsequently. Thus, Marxist alienation perspective is rightly viewed to be a great critique of free market economic scheme, which would not allow the workers any share in the surplus value of the organisation in which they are rendering their services. Moseley (2002, p.3) submits to state that the free market economy refuses to yield to the fundamental reality that surplus-value is produced by the surplus labour of workers, thus workers become prey to exploitation in capitalism. In addition, Marxism vehemently criticises such a political scheme that looks for projecting and promoting the exploitative economic system (i.e. capitalism) through the statutes of law had been in vogue in major part of his contemporary industrial states of Europe. Marx believes, according to Zimmerman, that laws are the product of class oppression, which would have to get eliminated or revised as long as communism replaces the free market system ultimately (2009, p.96). In other words, the statutes of laws, and politico-economic and social system as well, which appear to be unable to eliminate class discrimination and suppression of the working classes at the hands of the powerful stratum of society, must cease to exist, by giving the way to some other system that could bestow respect and equality on social structures and establishments in general. Marxist perspective blames capitalism for creating complexities in human societies. Marx cites the simple and downtrodden primitive societies of ancient era, where human beings used to live in small groups that provided for their basic necessities by hunting and gathering their food (Tucker, 1978, p.28). Somehow, with the passage of time, societies started turning complex ones till the advent of industrial revolution, by the mid of eighteenth century, which gave new meanings to the division of labour. Capitalism witnessed upsurge, and the investors developed industries for the multiplication of their wealth. However, since they required the work force for the running of their units, they hired the services of workers for this purpose. With the passage of time, industries grew, but the workers remained at the sorry state of affairs, and their condition also deteriorated with the passage of time. The entire developments were the consequences of capitalism. Marxism laments on the indifference the political authorities demonstrate towards the miserable condition of the employees rendering services in the industries being administered by the private ownership (Coser, 2002, p.187). Consequently, the perspective emphasises upon the same reality that the state should intervene in the economic sector in order to ensure the preservation of the interests of every stratum, so that the exploitation of the workers as well as subsequent clashes could be restrained, which could appear in the aftermath of the exploitation of the proletariat at the hands of bourgeoisie. Since in a free market economy, the political authorities seem to be partially standing at the side of the elite class, it creates frustration and eventual alienation among the working classes. The state of alienation always paves the way towards developing the feelings of hatred and displeasure between the classes, which eventually result into the clashes and conflicts between them. As a result, the deprived individuals and groups strive to snatch their share which the society had refused to grant them in a peaceful manner. The resistance and revolt observed by the workers turns the tables in the favour, and they deprive the exploiters of their wealth they had gathered by exploiting the labourers and workers. Thus, a new system eventually establishes, under the control of workers, where equal distribution of wealth, resources and opportunities could be offered and ensured to all social strata without discrimination with the name of Socialism, which is sure to eliminate the exploitative capitalism in its wake. Conclusion: To conclude, it becomes evident that Marxism lays stress upon the development and promotion of such a just economic system, under which the peasants workers could obtain considerable remuneration against the labour and services they render for the progress and prosperity of their work place. Such a system, according to him, would be equally beneficial for the producers as well because of the very fact that if the workers have respectable place at the organisation, and obtain significant amount and privileges from the same against their hard work and efforts, they would work more diligently by applying best of their energies and proficiencies for the progress and profit increase of the organisation. Consequently, they would consider their work place as their home and personal belonging, which may appraise their morale to an imperative extent, and they will remain loyal and committed to the producer and organisation (Steiner, 2004). Nevertheless, it does not mean that the workers should be declared as the sole beneficiary of the surplus value by refuting the particular right of the producers, which have made investment of time, money and energies from the establishment of the industry to the process of it smooth running. However, it is not possible in capitalistic system, which concentrates upon obtaining maximum benefits for the producers out of the toil exercised by the working class. Bibliography Coser, Lewis A. Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in Historical and Social Context, 2nd Ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc. 1977 Daiches, David (1979) A Critical history of English Literature Allied Publishers Dimont, Max I. (2003) Jews, God and History 2nd Edition New American Library Mahajan, V. D. (2002) A History of Europe Chand Publications Delhi Marx, Karl (1867/1992) Das Capitale: A Critique of Political Economy Penguin Books Mokyr, Joel (1999) The British Industrial Revolution: An Economic Perspective Second Edition Westview Press pp. 26-37 Moseley, Paul. (2001) Economic Crisis, Political Sustainability and the International Financial Architecture: The IMF after the Asian crisis The World Economy, vol. 24, pp 597-629. Rühle, Otto. (2005) Karl Marx: His Life and Work Translated by Eden Paul, Cedar Paul Kessinger Publishing Sayers, Sean. (2008) Marxism and the Crisis of Capitalism The Times 20 October Available at Steiner, Alex. (2004) From Alienation to Revolution: A Defense of Marx’s Theory of Alienation Tucker, Robert (1978) Karl Marx, “On the Jewish Question” (1843) In: The Marx-Engels Reader. Edited by Robert Tucker, New York: Norton & Company pp. 26 – 46 http://faculty.washington.edu/cbehler/teaching/coursenotes/Texts/MarxJewishQues.html> Turner, Jonathan H. (1978) The Structure of Sociological Theory. The Dorsey Press, Homewood, Illinois. Zimmerman, Augusto. (2009) Marxism, Law and Evolution: Marxist Law in both Theory and Practice Journal of Creation 23(3) pp. 90-99 Read More