The Relation between State and Society According to Karl Marx

Marx begins by writing, “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. (Jones, 219)” The existing society was divided between the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat, as I stated before. The Bourgeoisie consisted of the social class who owns the means of production. The Proletariat consisted of wage-laborers who have no means of production of their own and they are reduced to selling their labor power in order to live (Jones 219). As you can see the bourgeoisie had the upper hand because they were the people who were mainly in charge of the proletariat. Marx believed that the

In the essay, “The Common Life” by Scott Russell Sanders, Sanders studies the connection between the individual and society. However, this leads to the question, what is the relationship between the individual and society? Individuals and societies may be in opposition but this helps to develop both the individual and society. The decisions that an individual makes reflects on how society views him/her. The overlook of the community can be reverted back to the individual within the society. Society and individuals are a package deal.

The early 20th century socialist revolutionary theorists Vladimir Lenin, Rosa Luxembourg and Leon Trotsky believed that the withering away of the state and the removal of the capitalist mode of production was a necessary outcome if the individual was to ever realize their true nature as being free, equal and self-determining. This, however, could only be achieved through the development of the proletariat’s class consciousness and their defeat over the bourgeoisie. It is in this manner where both socialist revolutionary theory and practice share a dialectical relationship. However untied in their revolutionary visions of this international process, these theorists differ in what the role and functions of the revolutionary party should be in the historical development of the new socialist state.

Civil societies are voluntary social institutions and organizations that are separate from the government and the market where a community of citizens are able to come together and pursue their shared common interest. They are beneficial to the community as well as the broader society as civil societies ultimately promote progressive policies, nurture positive social norms that encourage stability, and advocates accountability and checks against state authority (Edwards 2010). Moreover, civil societies represent a third sphere of association where citizens are able to address the deficiencies that the state and market fail to handle and then have the opportunity to develop their own

Here, Locke gives civil society the power to legislate. Overall, the purpose of civil society is to apply both legislative and executive powers impartially, and for the good of

Marx proves that even when societies have fought for something like freedom, it does not always last. The bourgeois brought in capitalism, which brought freedom, but it brought freedom to the bourgeois and left the other classes behind with very little or nothing. This shows that economics have a massive hold on where the power in societies

Marx's concepts were thought to be so extreme that he was deemed a visionary to revolutionists and deemed a threat by leaders of state governments. Karl Marx held that social class dictated one's social life and who were the bourgeoisie and proletariat. Karl Marx's work has had a tremendous impact on the field of sociology in that his views set the stage for examining how one's social class has a first-hand impact on one's life experiences and life chances. Marx's work also opened the door for many differing perspectives on the issue of the wealthy and the poor in society. One of Marx's main points held that one's social class was the greatest predictor and dictated one's social life.

The view of social justice in today’s society may be different depending on who you are, what religion you come from, or even the culture in which you were raised. According to the Catholic Church and its social teachings, the view of social justice is talked about in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is viewed as the condition that allows individuals and associations to gain what is their due, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s stance on social justice. Since individuals are already created equally through God, therefore the perfect form of social justice is an environment where the individual is able to reach their full human potential.

One of the greatest debates of all time has been regarding the issue of the freedom of mankind. The one determining factor, for Marx, it that freedom is linked with class conflict. As a historian, Karl Marx traced the history of mankind by the ways in which the economy operated and the role of classes within the economy. For Marx, the biggest question that needed to be answered was “Who owns freedom?” With this in mind, Marx gives us a solution to both the issues of freedom and class conflict in his critique of capitalism and theory of communism, which is the ideal society for Marx. His theory of communism is based on the “ultimate end of human history” because there will be freedom for all humankind.

These thoughts on the state of nature have further implications that in large part determine each philosophers’ stance on what the purpose of government actually is. Marx believed that “loose” society was ideal and marked man’s most optimal state. However, as time passed, man desired more than simply his basic needs. People grew to desire more goods. Production increased, and because people did not equally possess skill and intelligence, some acquired more than others. Those who gained more had greater advantage, and societies evolved. Class distinctions began. Marx posited that

He determines the demand for civil government by indicating the state of society without a government. To preserve harmony conformity with the people, there is a demand to maintain equality. This is called the state of nature. The leading end for the human species is survival. In order to achieve it we need life, liberty, health and property. These are the natural rights that we have in a state of nature before the addition of a central government, and every single person has these rights equally. The natural state embodies a sort of form of a utopia as it does not account for the sensible problems of infractions of this natural state. There are no police, prosecutors or judges in the condition of nature as these are altogether delegates of an administration with full political power. Notwithstanding our different rights, we have the rights to uphold the law and judge without anyone else's benefit. We may intercede in situations where our own advantages are not straightforwardly under risk to help uphold the law of nature. In any case, the individual who is well on the way to uphold the law under these conditions is the individual who has been wronged.

Question: what do you make of Karl Marx’s contributions to sociology? What perceptions of Marx have you been exposed to in your society, and how do those perceptions influence your views.

Marx conceived the base and superstructure approach that defines capitalist society. The base relates to all that is a function of production in society and conversely, the superstructure, which can be said to be derived from the base, relates to the values, culture, ideology and the governing bodies of society. The former creates and supports the latter by a process of legitimisation of the economic activities, and in turn, the superstructure ensures the processes remain in place. Class domination plays a large part in this process of organisation; for example, private education providing better opportunities for advancement and primary socialisation into the higher echelons of society. However, a counter argument claims that the state is just as involved in the stresses and “struggles of civil society’’ as opposed to being a mere extension of it for the pure benefit of a particular class interest (Held 2001, in Hall and Gieben 2001, p 113).

Analysis of the Main Strengths and Weaknesses of Marx’s Sociological Thought “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” Marx and Engels (1967, p.67) Born in 1818, Karl Marx, using his philosophical and socialist ideas, attempted to show how conflict and struggle in social development were important in the development of a society. The works of Marx were influenced by three distinct intellectual traditions: German idealist philosophy, French socialism and British political economy. German idealist philosophy is an approach based on the thesis that only the mind and its content really exist. This philosophy maintains that it is through the advance of

Hegel’s political views rejected the ideas of individualism and placed the Nation-State at the absolute and supreme authority. He believed that a person’s primary duty was to serve the Nation-State by participating in its culture, politics, and religion.