Marxism - Notes

1. Classical Marxism – Neo-Marxism
Development
Mid 19th
Response to oppressive conditions created by capitalism
Liberalism’s success created political equality but its failure
created economic inequalities
Socialism
-attention to the deteriorating conditions of working
class...so, centralized economy under state control & model

2. communities based on free cooperation...but such models hard
to achieve
Marx & Engels criticized early socialists
1848-communist manifesto-scientific socialism
Elements of Marxism
I. Dialectical materialism
Hegel:
Thesis-Anti-thesis=synthesis=>THESIS...related to evolution of
social institutions (movement of ideas)
Marx:
Thesis-Anti-thesis=synthesis=>THESIS...related to
(re)evolution of social institutions (movement of mode of
production)
II. Economic Interpretation of History (Historical
Materialism)
Mass phenomena determined by economic conditions

3. Superstructure- all others
Base-Mode of Production (MoP)...changes - Material
Productive Forces – Relations of production
Marx identified five stages of economic development known to
history. These were

4. In each of these stages, (except the ‘classless’ primitive
community & the advanced ‘classless’ society of the future, i.e.
communist society) there were forces of contradiction which
made revolutions inevitable.
1st
MoP = Forces of Production+ Relations of Production
2nd
Forces of Production [FoP] = means of productions(tools,
machines, factories)+ labour power (skills, knowledge and
experience)
3rd
Relations of Production [RoP] = Constituted by pattern of
economic ownership of means of production
 1st
MoP = Forces of Production [FoP =means of
productions(tools, machines, factories)+labour power
(skills, knowledge and experience)] + Relations of
Production [RoP=pattern of economic ownership of means
of production]
Man’s search for improvement development of forces of

5. productioncontradiction between Forces of Production &
Relations of Production breakdown in the Mode Of
Productionnew MoP...perfect society
Capitalistic society: middle class displaced older feudal class
Communist society: working class will replace middle class
Production-important activity-survival; unsatisfied needs are –
defective modes of production, but human imagination another
world, all needs met–religion, a resort of all
III. Concept of Surplus Value
Labour (in different stages of production) is the sole creator of
value out of 4 elements of commodities
production{L,L,C,E/O}...but labourer gets back only a part of
the value he produces (that also for subsistence)...the surplus
labour (profit) fills the capitalist
So, revolution by working classoverthrow of
capitalismsocialisation of means of productionelimination
of exploitation
IV. Doctrine of Class struggle

6. Since the dissolution of primitive communism...with the
emergence of private property...class struggle...his classes not
homogeneous...but ultimately divisible to two (Bourgeoisie -
Proletariat)...this struggle up to perfect production
stage...working men of all countries unite!
V. Theory of Revolution
Thesis (Dominant class)-Anti-thesis (suppressed class)
development takes place gradually...synthesis (revolution) in a
sudden stroke...new epoch/society...to end capitalistic society-
proletarian revolution...final one in history...temporary
dictatorship of the proletariat...withering of the state... ‘From
each according to his ability, to each according to his
need...’however, Mao pointed that contradictions continue in
communist state...so doctrine of permanent revolution
VII. Alienation & Freedom
The humanist face of Marxism-young Marx...communism as
humanism & naturalism (man as real human) ...but mature
Marx, class struggle...this is because of full development of
capitalism
Alienation
Which work?
4-Four forms of alienation:
1. Product - Labour,

7. 2. Act of production – Worker,
3. Man-Others,
4. Man-Himself
Theory of alienation helped to analyse superstructure...
(Gramsi)...how capitalistic society sustain?
Freedom
Not only material satisfaction...removing dehumanisation,
estrangement, alienation...knowledge towards emancipation
Recent trend in Marxist thought...Critical Theory...Neo Marxism