Sunday, August 10, 2008

Review of Communist Manifesto

The goal of this aspect of the paper is to discuss Karl Marx’s theory for social change. To expand upon that idea, I will go into detail on how capitalism will end and how communism will emerge. I will talk about how people in the United States fail to recognize the “collective experience” of
inequality/poverty. I will then discuss the American hegemonic feelings towards welfare.

According to Karl Marx, capitalism begins when feudalism ends. Industry arises and begins to be held in the hands of the elite, the bourgeoisie. The workers of these industries are termed, the proletariat. According to Marx, the proletariat would rise up and revolt against their oppressors, the bourgeoisie. Marx believed this would result because capitalism would fold upon itself and become its own end. Once this occurs, communism will emerge as the form of social change. Property will no longer be held by individuals, but by society as a whole. Property lines would end and eventually borders of nations would disappear.

Socialism was attempts this social change, but wasn’t pushed to the full extents. According to Marx, the bourgeoisie were still involved in many of the different forms of socialism. Marx somewhat downplays the numerous forms of socialism for retaining aspects of the capitalist society. Marx states that the bourgeoisie controlled many of the socialist revolutions, but wanted to make it appear as if the proletariat were gaining power, when in actuality the proletariat gaining little.

Communism, historically, never occurred the way Marx predicted it to occur. Marx believed it would occur once capitalism destroyed itself. However, in history, communism has emerged from serfdom, despotism, and the end of colonial control. It came about in Russia after the end of serfdom, occurred in China in response to serfdom and the end of Japanese control, occurred in Cuba after despotism, occurred in Vietnam after the end of French control of the area, and occurred within North Korea after the end of Japanese control after World War II. Never has it occurred because of capitalism folding upon itself. So Karl Marx’s idea of the social change has yet to occur.

It could be possibly occurring with many European nations having Social Democratic parties that have power, but that would be a stretch to make that argument. Those parties have strongly different views than communism, but it might be a step in the direction of communism emerging as a form of social change.

The term “fetish of capitalism” refers to how capitalist societies are obsessed with having property and owning material goods. There is money involved in all sorts of transactions. This distances people from each other. It is no longer trade one good for another. One has money, a form of currency, and you give it in exchange for another property, the desired good. Neither side realizes the power involved in the situation and become distanced. The fetish of commodity has become the basic unit of capitalism.

There is a failure to recognize the “collective experience” of inequality/poverty within the United States because the majority of people are in the middle class. The American agenda is high individualistic and the theme is to work hard to reach one’s highest possibility. There is little feeling for those on the lower end of the social ladder. Many individuals feel as if those people suffering from inequality or power do not work hard enough to earn resources, they don’t try hard enough at school or at their jobs to better their lives. It is deep-rooted in American society to care about oneself over the well-being of others.

Now, I will explain the American hegemonic feelings towards welfare. Those in power aren’t too happy about welfare. Many feel as if the tax payer is paying for an individual to be lazy and not find a job. The power elite feel as if the individuals aren’t always worthy of the welfare they receive. Hegemonic powers feel as if money is “given” to these lazy people then it may foster others to be lazy and want to receive free money and not work. This goes back to the thought that the hegemonic powers have ideas about working hard to receive money and other resources.

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