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Marx’s Utopia, Marx’s Error Nicholas Devine POSC 340 Prof. Matthewson Term Paper Karl Marx This research paper attempts to briefly discuss the life and ideologies of Karl Marx and his contribution to the sociological framework surrounding us, as well as his inherently incorrect belief that communism is a plausible form of government for the human race. Although a complete discussion of this philosopher’s beliefs is beyond the scope of this paper, emphasis is placed on his theories of communism and anti-capitalism, economic determinism, social development and alienation. Each of these ideologies are discussed and analyzed using critiques by credible sources and by offering personal insights on the topic. To understand the origins and magnitude of Marxist ideologies, one has to take a closer look into the philosopher’s life and background. Born on May 5th 1918 in Trier, Russia to Heinrich, a Jewish lawyer and Henrietta Pressburg, Karl Heinrich Marx enjoyed a pleasant childhood. The family converted to Christianity under the pressure for Heinrich’s job security with the Prussian State. Karl was able to distinguish himself from the crowds at a very early stage. During his high school years, when asked to write a report on choosing a profession, he argued that one does not possess a choice in such a situation because external circumstances such as class and wealth distribution predispose the occupational orientation for each individual (GoldenEssays.com, 2002). As Marx continued with his education at the University of Berlin, majoring in philosophy, he became a member of a radical group called “Young Hegelians” who believed religion to be a scientific explanation for the unexplainable. It is from this point on that Marx began forming his opinions as an atheist and began questioning the role of ideas in society and relationships and argued for combining theories and practice. Entering the institution of marriage with his childhood sweetheart, Jenny Von Westphalen in 1843, the couple relocated to Paris and lived there until 1845. It was in Paris that Karl Marx met Friedrich Engles, the duo later went on to write Communist Manifesto under commission order by the Communist League in 1847. In 1844 Marx was able to communicate his writings on economic and political issues through his self- founded radical journal called the German-French Annals. Marx was arrested and expelled from Paris in 1845 on charges of attacks on the Prussian aristocracy through his journal; he was sentenced to live in exile in Brussels for the next three years. While in Brussels, Marx’s involvement with aiding an abortive worker’s revolution led to his relocation to London where he remained for the rest of his life (Kershaw, 1999). Interestingly enough, while living in London Marx became the London correspondent for the New York Daily Tribune, a paper for one of the most capitalist nations of the world. Later on Marx joined the International Working Men’s Association, although not as radical as the Communist League, this party did support worker’s rights and attempted to organize workers in different European nations, but did not support communism or violent revolution (Hein, 1999). Within Marxism, the basic belief is that our perception of the material world around us is molded by the society we live in. This society decides for us what is important and what is needed for our day-to-day lives. It also depicts the picture for us of how things are to be within the economy. That we as members of the society are meant to labor. Labor is to be accepted as natural and essential to all of our lives in order to acquire what is necessary to survive. This has led to the continuance of the historical struggle for our societies to continuously attempt to acquire more wealth and private property while utilizing labor as the fuel for such a struggle (Rees, 1967). As we struggle with our environment in order to satisfy our needs and wants we are often limited by multiple factors. These conditions of society include perceived limitations to labor classes’ advancement such as technology, ideology, and divisions of labor. It is believed that these limitations are imposed upon the working class by the owning class in order to secure their already existing wealth while increasing that amount at the same time (Cliff, 1963). It appears that Marx rooted much of his political and economical beliefs in the simple societal structures of pre-class societies such as nomadic groups consisting of communal ownership of property and simple division of labor based upon gender related abilities. The birth of capitalism came about from these groups within ancient Asian societies once populations began to increase to sizes needing permanent developments in order to provide subsistence for the increase. Following this trend land became privatized while large cities were built and hence, a large slave population came into existence. It then also came about within Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire and the rise and fall of feudalism, in which the newly formed large serf class was economically forced to work the land of a much smaller class of land owning aristocrats.
Approximate Word count = 3323
Approximate Pages = 13.3
(250 words per page double spaced)
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