Marx: The Economic Basis of Human Societies

Karl Marx (1818 - 1883) Karl Heinrich Marx was born on 5 May 1818 in Trier in western German, the son of a successful Jewish lawyer. Marx studied law in Bonn and Berlin, but was also introduced to the ideas of Hegel and Feuerbach. In 1841, he received a doctorate in philosophy from the University of Jena. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/marx_karl.shtml [Accessed 28 Jul 2015].

Marxism is a critical perspective based off of the ideas of Karl Marx, with Marx’s most famous work being the Communist Manifesto. This book illustrates

The theory of Marxism generates a method for the analysis of society, which focuses on class relations and conflict amongst humanity. Inspired by Karl Marx (a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian and journalist), the theory influences contemporary understanding of labour and its connection to capital. Marx’s most notable publications ‘The Communist Manifesto’ and ‘Das Kapital’ showcase his analytical work and well-know themes related to Marxism.

Karl Marx’s critique of political economy provides a scientific understanding of the history of capitalism. Through Marx’s critique, the history of society is revealed. Capitalism is not just an economic system in Marx’s analysis. It’s a “specific social form of labor” that is strongly related to society. Marx’s critique of capitalism provides us a deep

Marx’s view on social change is due to the struggle between different classes within society who are constantly competing with each other to improve their way of life and the condition that they are in. Marxists analysis leads to the conclusion that capitalism; the currently dominant form of economic management, leads to the oppression of the proletariat; who not only make up the majority of the world 's population, but who also spend their lives working for the benefit of the bourgeoisie or the wealthy ruling class in society. Since the death of Karl Marx in 1883 his viewpoints have not been viewed not to be relevant. Many times since his death his viewpoints have come up as every new generation challenges the unequal, unjust and the people who support every capitalism system and each new generation looks for ideas and a method to change the world we live in. People who are classed as

Karl Marx drew from the philosophies of the great thinkers of his time to perfect his ideal communist system. He was born into a time when ideas of the Enlightenment were widespread. He read the works of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, and the Comte de Saint-Simon (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia). However, he was especially influenced by G.W.F. Hegel, the most prominent philosopher in Germany in the early 1800s (Microsoft Encarta). Hegel believed that ideas evolve through a continual process of contradiction and resolution and that human history is driven by this evolution. Consequently, Marx developed the belief that history evolves through a series of conflicts in a predictable, unavoidable

One of the greatest philosophies from the 19th century was Karl Marx. The German native born May 5 1818 was known for his works as not only a philosopher but an economist, journalist revolutionary socialist and sociologist. Marx’s different varieties of work influenced his understanding of society and and the economy during his time period. Once Marx got older, he moved to London England where he progressed his ideas and even collaborate with Friedrich Engels with whom he published numerous works. Marx’s most well known piece of work is The Communist Manifesto, which discusses his theories about society, economics and politics , together known as Marxism. Through this pamphlet, it highlights the problem of oppression the working class faces. Has a large effect on the revolution following its publication. Became a foundation for organizations, influenced other radicals and subsequently influx and Communist literature. This specific piece of work not only shocked the society during this time but educated people on the system they were living in.

Karl Marx was born in Prussia in 1818. In college he began exploring socio-political theories at university among the Young Hegelians (“Karl Marx Biography,” n.d.)

Karl Marx was a German philosopher, economist, scientist, and journalist. Most famous for his Communist Manifesto, Marx coined the idea of a society in which economic hierarchy did not exist. He continued his work focusing on social and political economics, especially concerning Europe throughout the 19th century, by criticizing capitalism. Karl Marx had a multifaceted view on politics, economics, and society which was affected by the development of his ideas, the influence from those around him, and his influence on others.

Marx explains the idea in how the labor workers do not own they own work. Therefore, alienation is a product from labor and it is used between capitalist societies to alienate the product of a man’s labor and his social nature. The bourgeois society will take the

Karl Marx, also a philosopher was popularly known for his theories that best explained society, its social structure, as well as the social relationships. Karl Marx placed so much emphasis on the economic structure and how it influenced the rest of the social structure from a materialistic point of view. Human societies progress through a dialectic of class struggle, this means that the three aspects that make up the dialectic come into play, which are the thesis, antithesis and the synthesis (Avineri, 1980: 66-69). As a result of these, Marx suggests that in order for change to come about, a class struggle has to first take place. That is, the struggle between the proletariat and the capitalist class, the class that controls

Karl Marx is often called the father of communism, but his life entailed so much more. He was a political economist, philosopher, and idea revolutionist. He was a scholar that believed that capitalism was going to undercut itself as he stated in the Communist Manifesto. While he was relatively ambiguous in his lifetime, his works had tremendous influence after his death. Some of the world’s most powerful and most populace countries follow his ideas to this day. Many of history’s most eventful times were persuaded by his thoughts. Karl Marx was one of the most influential persons in the history of the world, and a brief history of his life will show how he was able to attain many of his attitudes.

The Marxist view of human nature is rooted in the belief that humans are essentially productive beings that work for their living. They have an inherent drive to engage in purposive productive activity. The way that one exerts this productive activity is socially learned and directly affected by the economics of the society in which one lives (Stevenson 197). On an even larger scale, Marx claims that a society’s economic base conditions its entire ideological superstructure, which includes its system of beliefs, laws, morality, politics, and philosophy. There are two components to a society’s economic base: its material powers of production and its

Though Marx views the communist revolution as an unavoidable outcome of capitalism, his theory stipulates that the proletariat must first develop class consciousness, or an understanding of its place within the economic superstructure. If this universal character of the proletariat does not take shape, then the revolution cannot be accomplished (1846: 192). This necessary condition does not pose a problem within Marx’s theoretical framework, as the formation of class consciousness is inevitable in Marx’s model of society. His writings focus on the idea that economic production determines the social and political structure (1846, 1859). For Marx, social class represents a person’s relation to the means of production, a relation that he believes is independent of

All economic theories share common roots, they attempt to address the basic question of how an economy can, and should, be maintained. One of the most influential economic philosophies is Marxism. The fact that economic theories can share common roots is especially evident in Marxism; It even shares a basic premise of laissez-faire with capitalism, a philosophy it directly contradicts (Sowell 12). In studying Marxism, two basic necessities must be addressed; the nature of Marxism and its basis, and the political and economic implications of Marxism.