A PHILOSOPHY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD: MARXISM (PART 1)

INTRODUCTION 

There is no doubt Marxist Philosophy has had a major impact in our world, inspiring revolution and the ruling of Governments both in the past and in the present day. To understand Marxism is not only to understand Philosophy but also history, politics and economic theory, to name a few, have all been majorly influence by Marx. 

WHO WAS KARL MARX? 

Karl Marx

Marx (1818-83) was born in Prussia, now in Germany. Born into a wealthy middle-class family, he went to the universities of Bonn and Berlin, where he became interested in the Philosophy of Georg Hegel, which would majorly influence his ideas. After university, he wrote for a radical left-wing newspaper in Cologne, and started the process of formulating his theories. He moved to Paris in 1843 where he continued writing for radical newspapers and also where he met Fredrick Engels, who would become a life-long friend and helper. Expelled form France in 1845, he then opposed the Prussian king in 1849, and thus moved to London in exile in 1849. It is here that he formed much of his theories on society, economics and politics, which would be called Marxism. 

INTRODUCING MARXISM 

Marxism is not easy to define as a theory. Marx's Philosophy depends on the disciplines such as logic, metaphysics, economic theory and ethics. In this blog post I will introduce one of the central ideas surrounding his Philosophy, the idea of the Dialectic.

THE DIALECTIC 

Georg Hegel

A term often associated with the Philosopher Hegel, the Dialectic actually goes back to Plato. It is a logical process of resolving arguments. An idea, or a certain argument, known as a thesis, will exist. An opposing idea or argument is called an anti-thesis also exists, and the two opposing ideas will clash. However, they are resolved in what is known as a synthesis. This new idea could be another thesis, and will be resolved with an anti-thesis in a synthesis, and so on. 

Hegel expanded on this idea. In what is popularly known as the 'Hegelian Dialectic' he proposed that this process is always taking place between nations. The process goes on ad infinitum and is heading to an ideal, what he called the 'Spirit'. To understand Marx requires this understanding of Hegel's Metaphysics.  

Marx accepted the idea of the dialectic, as he felt that this process governed the events of history and that all occurring events are subject to this law. However, he did not accept the Hegelian idea of the 'spirit'. He felt instead that the synthesis which governs the events in history is actually a struggle taking place between the classes. How is this so? 

THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN THE CLASSES

Marx explained that the history of the world should not be regarded as history of the rivalry between nations, but the rivalry of the classes is what causes historical change. According to him, societies can be broken down into a thesis and an anti-thesis: king-rulers on the one hand, the dispossessed and slaves on the other. A struggle creates a new synthesis: Feudalism, which itself breaks down into the opposing forces of lords and serfs. The struggle within Feudalism lead to a new synthesis, namely capitalism. However, a struggle between the proletariat (the working classes) and the bourgeois (the upper classes) will eventually resolve itself in a new synthesis, namely a classless society.

The famous Hammer and Sickle.
His Philosophy inspired communism.

According to Marxists this conflict is inevitable as those societies which are inferior will be replaced. In other words, conflicts between classes are not created by human beings, they will happen due to the nature of the dialectic. Marx believed that the eventual society will have no classes, and where wealth is share equally amongst the people, who will have enough
and will not need a government.

A further look at the role of economics and the class system is
required to understand Marxism. In Part 2 of this blog
post I will discuss these issues as well as discussing
certain points of Marx's economic theory.