lesson 4 karl marx
DESCRIPTION
Lesson 4 Karl Marx. Robert Wonser SOC 368 – Classical Sociological Theory Spring 2014. Marx ’ s Life. born in Trier, Germany to into a middle-class family of Jewish heritage on May 5, 1818. was introduced to classics of literature and philosophy at an early age - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 1
Lesson 4Karl Marx
Robert Wonser
SOC 368 – Classical Sociological Theory
Spring 2014
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 2
Marx’s Life
born in Trier, Germany to into a middle-class family of Jewish heritage on May 5, 1818.
was introduced to classics of literature and philosophy at an early age
attended the universities of Bonn and Berlinstudied philosophy and literature at the
universitiescould not secure a university faculty positionbecame a journalist in Prussia
2
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 3
Marx’s Life
married in 1843 and moved to Paris1844 Marx meets Friedrich Engels (1820-1895)Engels was the son of a wealthy businessman
(textiles)Engels wrote The Condition of the Working
Class in England in 1844In 1844 Marx writes the Economic and
Philosophical Manuscripts1845 Marx is expelled from Paris and moves to
Brussels
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 4
Marx’s Life
1845-46 Marx and Engels write The Germany Ideology
Marx and Engels join the growing worker’s rights associations emerging in Europe
1848 Marx and Engels publish The Communist Manifesto
Marx moved to London in the 1850’s where he lived for the rest of his life
Marx withdraws from public life and in 1867 he publishes the first volume of das Capital
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 5
Marx’s LifeEngels completed and published the final
two volumes of Marx’s das Capital after Marx’s death on March 14, 1883 in London.
Marx worked very little during his life and was financially supported a great deal by Engels
Marx had become very famous toward the end of his life and was celebrated by socialists and radicals around the world
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 6
Marx’s Intellectual Influences: Hegel
G. W. F. Hegel (1770-1831):Hegel was an idealist and developed a philosophy based
upon dialectical reason (tension between numenon and phenomenon)
The importance of negationTrue reality is reflected in reason “All that is real is rational; and all that is rational is real.”Marx considered Hegel’s philosophy to be a conservative
expression of the status quoMarx argued that Hegel’s philosophy must be “stood on
its head”
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 7
Marx’s Intellectual Influences: Feuerbach
Ludwig Feuerbach and the Young Hegelians: generally, the Young Hegelians argued that Hegel’s
philosophy could be used in politically progressive ways they hoped to use reason to dissolve the legitimacy of
religious beliefs, as well as the oppressive nature of the political state
Marx criticized the Young Hegelians for developing religious-like ideas – many believed in Hegel’s notion of the “Spirit”
The Young Hegelians believed that the important wars would be fought with words
Feuerbach’s The Essence of Christianity – religious beliefs did not emerged from the Spirit, but from social relationships
Marx followed Feuerbach and argued that all social institutions (and importantly those of an economic nature) emerged from social relationships
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 8
Marx’s Intellectual Influences: Smith
Adam Smith:early theorist of the political economy1776 – An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the
Wealth of Nationswhat are the laws of the economic market?assumed that capitalist social relationships were natural
– moved by the natural flow of supply and demandassumed that the economic order of a society is
independent of other social institutions labor theory of value “invisible hand” – individual self-interest is beneficial to
societySmith advocates laissez-faire economics
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 9
Marx’s Intellectual Influences: Engels
Friedrich Engels:The Condition of the Working Class in
England in 1844
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 10
The Dialectic
Basic idea is the centrality of contradiction.For Hegel: used to understand historical change.
A philosophical endeavor only.For Marx: “contradictions of capitalism” and
“class contradictions” needed to be worked out in the real world, not only in our minds.
How is capitalism contradictory? …drive for profit, increases exploitation, increases
likelihood of revolt
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 11
The Dialectical Method
When speaking of causality, they are always attuned to reciprocal relationships among social factors as well as the dialectical totality of social life of which they are embedded.
Accounting for the past, present and future
Current trends lead to possible futures with no inevitabilities.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 12
Men make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered from the past. The tradition of all the dead generations weighs like a nightmare on the brain of the living.” (Marx, 1852/1963:15)
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 13
Human Potential
Our human nature is a product of the time and place, the social relations and institutional context we find ourselves in.What effect in human nature does capitalism
impose?Species being the potentials and powers
that are uniquely human and that distinguish us from other species.
Manifests through labor.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 14
Labor
Our labor can create something that previously only existed in our imagination. Production reflects a purpose.
Process where we create external objects from our internal thoughts – objectification
Works with material nature to satisfy our material needs.
We transform nature through labor but it also transforms us.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 15
Alienation
There was inherent relation between labor and human nature that is perverted through capitalism. This perverted relation is called alienation.
Rather than being an end in itself—an expression of human capabilities—labor in capitalism is reduced to a means to an end—earning money.
Because of labor is not our own (paid by the capitalists and all) it no longer transforms us. Instead we are alienated from our labor, and therefore our true human nature.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 16
Alienation from:
1) Their productive activity
2) The product
3) Their fellow workers
4) Human potential Inherent contradiction found in
capitalism: between human nature and what capitalism requires of us.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 17
The Structures of Capitalist Society
Capitalism creates alienationAn economic system where workers work for
owners of capital and the profits are privatized.More than just an economic system but also a
system of power. Political power has been transformed into economic relations.
Under capitalism the economy appears to be a natural force.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 18
Commodities
Commodity a product of materialist orientation with a focus on productive capacity of actors.
Upon interacting with others and nature, humans produce the objects necessary to survive, which are then used by oneself or immediate others commodities use value. But under capitalism this becomes working to produce exchange value where objects aren’t used immediately but later exchanged for money or other objects.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 19
Use vs Exchange Values
Use value tied to human needs and the objects to satisfy those needs; difficult to compare; they’re qualitatively different.
In the process of exchange though commodities are compared to one another, which are quantitatively different.
Exchange value is separate from the physical property of the object.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 20
Fetishism of Commodities
Commodities are products of human labor but can be separated from the needs and purposes of the creator (becoming exchange values).
EV floats free from commodity and seems to exist independently. In capitalism this the commodity and market do become real independent phenomena and take on independent, mystical external reality.
This is the fetishism of commodities
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 21
Fetishism of Commodities
For Marx, true value comes from the fact that labor produces it and someone needs it, its value represents social relations.
Capitalism distorts this relationship to one of relations between commodities, hiding the exploitative social relations that built it.
Also a process of reification (or “thingification”)
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 22
Capital, Capitalists and the Proletariat
Proletariat are workers who sell their labor and who don’t own means of production.Since they only produce for exchange they’re
also consumers.
Capitalists are those who pay the wagesCapital is money that produces more
money, or, money that is invested rather than used to satisfy human needs.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 23
Circulation of Commodities
M¹- C - M² C¹ - M - C² Commodities are purchased to make a profit,
not necessarily to use (e.g. stocks).Capital is a particular social relation, capital
cannot increase except by exploiting those who actually do the work.
Exploitation is a necessary part of capitalism.Thought to be an objective economic system
rather than system of power
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 24
Exploitation
“Capital is dead labor, that, vampire-like, only lives by sucking living labor, and lives the more, the more labor it sucks” (1867/1967:233)
Coercion is rarely through naked force but instead through the workers own needs but because of capitalism, can only be satisfied through wage labor.
In this regard we are thought to be ‘free laborers’, free to accept the capitalists’ terms.
If we refuse, there’s a reserve army of unemployed willing to take it.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 25
Exploitation
The capitalists pay the workers less than the value the workers produce and keep the rest for themselves surplus value
“The rate of surplus-value is therefore an exact expression for the degree of exploitation of labor-power by capital, or of the laborer by the capitalist.”
Capitalists much engage in exploitation or others will and ruin them (general law of capitalist accumulation), this intensifies since the workers are the source of value, the exploitation increases creating class conflict.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 26
Class Conflict
Class, group of people in similar situations with respect to control of the means of production.
Also defined by Marx in its potential for conflict.Class exists only when people become aware
of their conflicting relation to other classes. Without awareness, they’re a class in itself. When they become aware they become a true class, for itself.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 27
Bourgeoisie and Proletariat
Bourgeoisie particular name for the capitalists in the modern economy who own the means of production.
Conflict between bourgeoisie and proletariat is a real material contradiction.
Increasing proletarianization occurs.Capitalists seek greater productivity
machines fewer jobs more proletariat more gravediggers
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 28
Some of Marx’s famous expressions
“Religion is the opium of the masses.”“Workers of the world unite!!!”“The history of all hitherto existing society is the
history of class struggle.”“The workingmen have no country.”“The ruling ideas of each age have ever been
the ideas of its ruling class.”The bourgeoisie “creates a world after its own
image.”“Capitalism creates its own gravedigger.”
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 29
Key Ideas
all societies have internal tensions – the dominant versus the oppressed
conflict is the basis of society the conflict of modern societies is primarily between the
bourgeoisie (owners) and the proletariat (workers)economic class is the most important factor in
understanding society – the means of productioncapitalism produces a specific form of alienation and
exploitation “those who control the means of production control the
means of mental production” The use of ideologies to perpetuate capitalism and forestall
revolution
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 30
Marx and Economic Revolution
Marx argues that because capital is privately owned by the bourgeoisie, and surplus is not adequately shared, exploitation of workers is the necessary consequence.
Because they are alienated, workers are not aware of their common condition of exploitation. Thus, workers are in a state of false consciousness because they are not aware of their collective interests.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 31
Marx and Economic Revolution
However, Marx argues that inevitably workers will become aware of their shared conditions of exploitation and will develop a class consciousness.A class for itself
This will result in an economic revolution where workers will seize control over the means of production and distribute surplus equally.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 32
Marx and Economic Revolution
Essentially, Marx’s theory is based upon economic determinism. He argues that changes in the economy change all other facets of society.
If there are economic imbalances they will manifest themselves in other dimensions of society.
Lesson 4: Karl Marx Classical Sociological Theory 34
Key Criticisms
1) The problem of actually existing communism2) Missing emancipatory subject (proletariat rarely
assume this position and actively oppose communism)
3) Missing dimension of gender (men’s paid labor relies ion women’s unpaid labor)
4) Marx saw economy solely driven by production and ignored consumption
5) Marx’s reliance on Western notion of ‘progress’ as problematic (what of our current ecological crises?)