KARL MARX (1818–1883) Key Concepts Class Bourgeoisie Proletariat Forces and relations of production Capital Surplus value Alienation Labor theory of value Exploitation Class consciousness The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. (Marx and Engels 1848/1978:473)
Beginnings • Born: Trier, Germany 1818 • Died: March 17th, 1883 • One of 9 children • Only one to live until 40 • Father: Lawyer from long line
of rabbis
Videos about Marx • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ztVeUX8Hpo&feat
ure=related • Marxism made simple
• Do you know how to make a shirt? • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QbWbwj7-
OE&feature=related
Biographical Sketch: Karl Marx • University career (1835-1841): • History, Philosophy, and Law
• Academic career ambitions ended • Berlin Ministry of Education
blacklisted him due to radical views
Biographical Sketch: Karl Marx • Early 1840s, Began longtime
friendship and collaboration with Friedrich Engels
• Marx and family died due to poverty
and ill health (early 1880s)
Environment and Focus
• Reaction to dire economic and social
conditions
• Due to industrial revolution
• Theory: Not only to
but also to change it
• Focus: • Economy • Classes • Forces of production
interpret the world,
Economy • Ways in which people satisfy their material
needs
• Food, clothing, shelter, etc.
• PRODUCTION: Transform raw materials
into things people use • Products
Means of production & Relations of production • The Means of Production:
• Land • Natural resources • Technology • Factories
Relations of Production Social and technical relationships • Among people as they • Use the means of production • Relations
among individuals • Between or among groups of people or classes
Mode of production • Means of Production + Relations of
Production= Mode of Production
• Mode of production changes • Primitive Communism • Feudalism • Capitalism • Socialism • Cause of change: • Process of “dialectical materialism”
Process of Dialectical Materialism • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9Cpuv4tSyo
• Each historical period’s mode of
production--economy (thesis)
• Challenged by a set of social forces (anti-
thesis)
• New mode of production (synthesis)
Economy: Basic Issues • What goods & services to produce? • In what quantities? • How scarce resources are allocated? • How goods and services are distributed? • What price should be charged for goods &
services?
Capitalism • Natural resources and means of
producing goods and services are privately owned
• Ideal capitalism: 3 Features
1. Private ownership of property 2. Pursuit of personal profit 3. Competition & choice
Socialism • An economic system in which the
means of production are owned by the public and • Operate for the welfare of all.
Socialism • Essential Industries & Services are: • Publicly owned • Democratically controlled • Equal opportunity for all • Equal benefit for all
Communism • “The workers of the world have nothing to
lose, but their chains, workers of the world unite.” - Marx “From each according to his/her ability, to each according to his/her need."
Communism • Economic system in which: • All means of production are owned
by the people, • Private property does not exist, and • All goods and services are shared equally
Dialectical Materialism • Materialism=Material world, perceptible to
senses
• Objective reality • Independent of mind or spirit
• Ideas arise • As products and reflections of material
conditions
• “I labor (work), therefore I am.”
Materialism vs. Idealism • Materialism->Opposite of Idealism
• Idealism: • Matter dependent on mind or spirit • Mind or Spirit • Exists independently of matter
• “I think, therefore I am”
Species Being Essence of creative nature • Humans live off nature (as do other animals) • Express “species being” through free,
conscious activity
• Estranged labor makes work only a
means to existence
Alienation and Capitalism • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCOdHcRkd0E&feature=
related
• Alienation: • Separation of people from aspects
of their human nature
Alienated Labor: “Alienation” • Worker spends 2/3 of waking
hours in meaningless activity
• Little or no interaction with others • Alienated from other people • Alienated from humanity
Alienation Worker Alienated from: 1. Products of labor 2. Process of production 3. Co-workers 4. Species-potential (species being) 5. Self (self-estrangement)
Capitalism • Benefits owners of capital • Prevents workers • From realizing essential human capacity
for creative labor
• Inherently exploitative • Leads to monopoly
Social Class • Class: Relationship to means of production • Class consciousness: Recognize common
relationship to means of production
Social Class • False consciousness: • Unable to recognize oppression &
exploitation
• Incorrectly identifying source of problems
Marx’s Model of Social Change • Generate class consciousness—Awareness by working
class of common relationship to the means of production
The Communist Manifesto • Manifesto is a “scientific prophecy” detailing
the downfall of the capitalist class and the rise of the proletariat
• **The Communist Manifesto Cartoon • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KUl4yfABE4&feature
=related
• Communist Smurfs • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qra0hlO6hZk&NR=1
