Marxism is a king of Socialism which is based on the views of Karl Marx. He is called the first Scientific Socialist. Most of the people make no distinction between Marxism and Communism, but there is a difference between the two. Socialism based upon the views of Marx and as adopted by Lenin and Stalin in Russia is called Communism.
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
C.E.M. Joad says, “Marx, then, is the first socialist writer whose work can be termed scientific. He not only sketched a kind of ideal society, but spoke in detail of the stages through which if must evolve.” He not only gave a new idea to the political philosophy but also gave rise to a new revolutionary wave in the whole Europe.
Karl Marx who is called the father of Socialism was born on 5th May 1818. He got Doctorate of Philosophy at the age of 23. He was influenced by the ideas of Hegel. He started his career as a Journalist and expressed his ideas through the paper. In 1844 he left Germany and shifted to Paris. There he met Proudhan who was a student of Hegel. His ideas also influenced Marx. In 1845 he left for England alongwith Angels. He had a chance of visiting an association named, “Working Class Radical” in 1847 in England. He named it ‘Communist League’. In 1848 he wrote his famous book ‘Communist Manifest’ for this league which contains his ideas. These ideas are the basis of Marx Philosophy and is considered pious like Bible by the Communists. He also wrote his famous book ‘Das Kapital’ which contains his ideas about socialism. In these two books he has explained about his dialectical materialism, materialistic interpretation of history, his theory of surplus value and theory of class struggle. He has also explained about the attainment of dictatorship of the working classes and then their ultimate aim i.e., the establishment of classless and stateless society.
He was not liked for his ideas and had to lead a very poor life during the last 34 years of his life. He died in London in 1883. He could not see his ideas getting a practical shape in his life. First state on Marxist principle was established in Russia in 1917.
Marx was the most controversial figure. He has been considered God by men and has also been considered a devil by the others. In the 20th Century the world was divided into two blocks—Communist block and non-Communist block. The marxist countries had a say in the world politics. Thus he was a revolutionary who revolutionized the whole world.
Main principles
Marxism is based on the following main principles :
Dialectical Materialism
Dialectical materialism is the central point of ideas of Marx. He was greatly influenced by the theory of dialectics for evolution given by Hegel. According to Hegel in the society there appears an idea or thesis. Then it is opposed and anti-thesis appears. On the basis of coordination between the thesis and anti-thesis originates synthesis and this is the process of evolution in the society. This process continues and changes in the society take place.
Marx has given materialistic basis to Hegel’s dialectics. According to him it is not the idea that is the basis of whole evolution or change in the society but it is the matter that sparks the dialectic. In every society there have been and are two opposite classes whose struggle bring evolution and change in the society. These opposite forces struggle against one another, are influenced by their material or economic conditions. Marx says, “It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence but on the contrary it is their social existence that determines their consciousness.”
Economic Interpretation of History
Economic interpretation of History is another major principle of Marxism. He interprets history through dialectical materialism. According to him it is the economic conditions of a society which give birth to historical events. In human society changes have taken place according to the economic conditions of the times. Changes in means of production affect change in the social relations and accordingly bring changes to historical events. History of a particular period is nothing but the picture of the economic set up of that time. Marx says, “All the social, political and intellectual relations, all religious and legal systems, all theoretical out-looks which emerge in the course of history are derived from material conditions of life.”
He explains that in the primitive communist stage there were little means of production as the man did not know of agriculture. When he came to know of agriculture and the private property had its origin. The owners of land controlled the means of productions and enslaved others. The law helped the land owners. In feudal age land and means of production were owned by the feudal lords. The peasants were just like the slaves before the feudal lords. In the present capitalistic stage the means of production and land are owned by the capitalists who exploit the working classes. Thus the history of every period has been shaped by the economic conditions of that time. The present system is bound to change due to dialectic materialism and the next stage shall be dictatorship of the proletariat.
Theory of class struggle
Theory of class struggle is another major principle of Marx’s philosophy. He says, “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle. Free man and slave, lord and serf, guild master and journey man, in a word oppressor and oppressed stood in constant opposition to one another.”
According to him the society has always remained divided into two hostile groups fighting against one another for economic power. These groups are : (1) haves and (2) have nots. The names of these opposite groups were different in different times, but there has never been harmony amongst these classes of the society. In ancient times it was struggle between freemen and the slaves. Freeman had control over the economic power. In feudal periods the means of production and land were owned by the feudal lords who exploited the peasants. In the present age the two struggling classes are the capitalists and workers. Land and means of production in the present set up are controlled by the capitalists who exploit the working class. This struggle shall come to an end when a classless society is formed.
Theory of surplus value
Another important principle of Marx is the Theory of Surplus Value. Marx was influenced by the ideas of David Ricardo who said that the price of a thing is determined by the labour spent on its production. Marx said that the price of a thing produced should be determined by the labour and time spent on it. But in the present capitalistic setup, the worker or labourer is paid very little wages and the major portion of the profit goes to the belly of the capitalists. The worker is forced to sell his labour for very small wages as he has no other alternative. Labour is a perishable commodity and the worker has no power of resistance before the capitalist who purchases the labour at very low wages and charges high price of the goods from the customers. Thus according to Marx the difference between the selling price and the labour charges, is the surplus value of the thing and should go to the worker instead of the capitalist. In the present capitalistic set up the worker is robbed of a part of his legitimate wages and it is pocketed by the capitalist. The capitalist. There is open exploitation of the workers at the hands of the capitalist.
Ventralisation of Capital
Centralisation of capital is yet another principle of Marxism. According to Marx capitalistic system is itself heading towards its end. Under this system and open competition, rich become richer and poor become poorer. In this way the number of capitalists is decreasing day by day and those small capitalists who are eliminated by big capitalists join the rank of workers and increase their number. Mills and factories are located at one place and this also gives a chance to the workers to come closer and get united. In such a system it would become easier for the workers to capture the means of production and end capitalism.
Social revolution
Karl Marx says that to oppose the capitalist order a social revolution is bound to take place, sooner or later. The centralisation of industries at one place, increase in the number of workers, exploitation of the working classes by the capitalists are bound to create class consciousness among the workers. To fight against exploitation they get organised first at the local level, then at the state level. Development of means of communication and transportation will also help the workers come closer and this will strengthen their organisation at the state level. In such an atmosphere it will be easy for them to conquer capitalism. Marx says that the workers should organise themselves for this revolution. As soon as they think that they are in a position to overthrow the capitalists, they should strike. They shall adopt all constitutional and revolutionary means to bring about the change.
Marx says that “Let the ruling class tremble at the communist revolution. The proletariat have nothing to lose but their chains. They have world to win. Working men of all countries, unite.” He says that the workers should aim at the capture of political power through the social revolution.
Classless and stateless society
Ultimate aim of Karl Marx is the attainment of a classless and stateless society. When the proletariat, by use of state machinery, completely and absolutely end capitalists there will be only one class in the society—the working class. All will be workers. Division of society in two—haves and have nots—will end. Then there will be no class struggle in the society, and there will be no need of the state to support one class or to suppress the other. The state in such an atmosphere will automatically wither away. All workers shall be equal. Everyone shall work and one who does not work shall not cat. Everybody shall work according to his capacity and everybody shall get according to his needs. The people shall live happily in cooperation with one another in the society.
No faith in religion
Marx has no faith in religion or God. According to Marx, religion is the opium for the working classes and God has been created by the capitalists to frighten and exploit the poor people. Religion is the supporter of the rich. It also affects the thinking power and scientific outlook of the working classes and puts an obstacle in their progress. There is no room for religion in Marxian Society.
Main features of Marxism
Following are the main aims of Marxism :
End to exploitation of Workers
Marx was pained to see the exploitation of the workers in the capitalistic society. His aim was that this exploitation should come to an end. He saw that the workers were forced to work for longer hours for very small wages and even the children had to work for as long as 18 hours a day. They could not store their labour which was perishable and the state did not come to their rescue. The laws favoured the capitalists. It was the aim of Marx that the capitalists should not be allowed to exploit the workers and they should get adequate wages.
Unity and organisation of workers
Another aim of Marxism is that the working classes should organise themselves and they should be united. He say, “Working men of all countries unite.” He knew that the solution of the ills of workers lies in their unity, in their organisation. In organising themselves the workers have nothing to lose, but a lot to win. He explained in a very scientific way how the workers unity and organisation is very essential and the circumstances are also favourable for their unity.
Economic equality and social justice
Marx wanted to establish such a system in which every individual may get economic equality and social justice. In the capitalistic order the workers were so much exploited that they could not get adequate wages, they could not get two ends meal after working for the whole day and the whole profit was pocketed by the capitalists. He wanted to establish an order in which the means of production and distribution were owned and controlled by the society as a whole and they were to be used for social benefit. Aim of Marxism is that every individual should live with dignity and self-respect and is not subjected to bow before the capitalists.
Abolition of capitalism
Another aim of Marxism is to abolish capitalism from the very root. Through social revolution it wants to establish dictatorship of proletariat which will make such laws that would root out capitalism. Marx was of the opinion that capitalism was heading towards self-destruction and the workers by means of revolution can expedite that destruction. Marx prepared the working classes for the end of capitalism in a psychological way.
Attainment of Classless and Stateless society
Another aim of Marxism is the establishment of classless and stateless society. This is the ultimate aim. They want to use state machinery for ending capitalism and capitalists from its root. When there is no capitalist, all the individuals shall be workers and belong to one class only. When there is only one class in the society there is no class struggle and there is no need of the state. Thus after ending the capitalists the state can also be done away with. In the classless and stateless society the people will live happily in co-operation with one another.
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