Marxism is a political and economic theory that was first developed in the 19th century by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. At the time, Marx and Engels were writing about the inequalities they saw in capitalist industrial societies, such as Britain in the Industrial Revolution. Marxism, as a theory, argues that economic forces shape history, and that a classless, equal society can be achieved by ending private ownership of production. Regardless, Marxism had a profound impact on economic and political thought throughout the 20th century and influenced the development of modern socialism.
MARXISM – DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORY
Marxism is a form of socialism that occurred after the earlier developments of Utopian Socialism. In particular, Marxism is the form of socialism that developed as a result of the ideas of the famous socialist thinker, Karl Marx. Karl Marx is perhaps one of the most influential philosophers of the last two centuries. His writings inspired revolutions in several countries and are still used today in support of workers rights and other socialist principles. Marx is most famous for writing different socialist-based works and often collaborated with his colleague Friedrich Engels. Their writings generally focused on the conditions of the working class, and the growing income gap of laissez-faire capitalist societies during the Industrial Revolution. Marx referred to his study of these conditions as the “political economy” whereas it has come today to be known as Marxism.
The most important and influential work that Marx and Engels collaborated on is known commonly as ‘The Communist Manifesto’. Written at the end of 1847, The Communist Manifesto was a political pamphlet first published in 1848 under the title ‘Manifesto of the Communist Party’. In it, Marx and Engels set forth the basic principles of Marxism that have gone on to influence many different thinkers and ideologies around the world. The basic ideas of The Communist Manifesto, and therefore Marxism, were centered on the nature of society and the struggles between different classes. For example, they argued that in England, at that time, the proletariat (industrial workers) and the bourgeoisie (wealthy owners) were engaged in class warfare with the proletariat being controlled by the bourgeoisie.
According to Marx and Engels, the only way to overthrow capitalism, and end this class warfare, was by means of a class struggle in which the proletariats violently overthrow the bourgeoisie and take control over the means of production. After doing so, the principles of socialism could be used to develop a classless society based upon cooperation and the common good. For example, in The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels state “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.” They argued that this workers revolution was necessary before any significant changed could be made in society.
In general, they discussed the failings of laissez-faire capitalism and sought to bring about a final revolution that would end the struggle between different classes. For example, in The Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels argued that a socialist society formed by workers should involve a move towards the following: a shift from private property to public property, factories controlled and owned by the proletariat, free public education for all children. In general, the ideas of Marxism have spread across the world and influenced many different people. While Marxism is often linked to the growth of communism in the 20th century, it should be noted that, communism is simply an interpretation of the ideals of Marxism and does not represent the true intentions of Marx or Engels.
In the early 20th century, Marxism inspired revolutions, most notably the Russian Revolution of 1917, which established the world’s first communist state under Vladimir Lenin. Throughout the 20th century, Marxist ideas influenced movements in China with the leadership of Mao Zedong, and Cuba with the leadership of Fidel Castro.
MARXISM – MAIN PRINCIPLES
As stated above, Marxism as an ideology is based on several significant principles. For instance, historians has identified the following as important principles of Marxism: criticism of capitalist societies, collective ownership of the means of production, the promotion of a classless society and a revolution led by the working class.
At its core, Marxism was a critique of laissez-faire capitalism by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They were living and writing in Europe during the timeframe of the Industrial Revolution. As such, they witnessed the hardships created for the working class by the inequalities of capitalism and individualism. As a result, Marx and Engels argued that society would need to evolve from a capitalist system to a Marxist system in order to overcome the inequalities. For example, central to Marxism is the idea that society is divided into classes. In capitalism, the bourgeoisie (wealthy owners) own the means of production (factories, land, and capital), while the proletariat (poor and working class) sells their labor to survive. In fact, Marx argued that this class conflict would eventually lead to revolution and the creation of a classless society.
As well, Marxism argued for the end of private ownership of the means of production. Instead, factories, land, and resources should be owned collectively so that wealth benefits everyone, not just a few. As such, Marxism supported the idea of collective ownership, such that the working class could benefit from the wealth and production created from labor.
Karl Marx believed that after a workers’ revolution, a temporary government led by the working class would be needed to eliminate class differences before achieving true communism. This is because the ultimate goal of Marxism was to create a classless society where everyone contributes according to their ability and receives according to their needs. Marx referred to this as ‘communism’, which he believed was the eventual replacement for capitalism.
MARXISM – SIGNIFICANCE
Marxism was one of the most significant ideologies of the 19th century and had a profound impact on economic and political developments of the 20th century. As a result, historians consider Marxism to be highly important to understanding economic and political ideologies today.
First, and foremost, Marxism provided an important critique of laissez-faire capitalism, by exposing issues such as: the exploitation of the working class and inequality that resulted between the classes. This critique of capitalism was so profound that it influenced some nations around the world to shift economically and use more government intervention in economic matters. Furthermore, many modern social policies, such as labor rights, welfare systems, and economic reforms, were influenced by Marxist ideas.
Also, Marxism was significant because it directly resulted in several revolutions. It shaped the ideologies of countries such as the Soviet Union, China, Cuba, Korea and Vietnam. The most significant of these revolutions was like the Russian Revolution, which erupted in 1917. This revolution saw the nation of Russia transform into the first communist state in world history. Other revolutions also led to major conflicts, such as the Korean War, Vietnam War and the overall events of the Cold War. For this reason, historians view Marxism as a highly significant development that impacted the lives of millions of people.
