The Nature Of The Good Life

The Nature Of The Good Life
Philosophers have been thinking about the nature of the good life since ancient times. The good life
was a central topic during the ancient period of philosophy. Many people say that the good life is
living a prosperous life full of happiness. There are many different ideologies of the good life and
each philosopher has their own values and beliefs. I decided to pick one of the most well known
philosophers, Karl Marx. Karl Marx's philosophy is by far one of the most looked at. He called
capitalism the dictatorship of the upper class. , saying that it was run by the wealthy class solely to
make profit and maximize their own benefits. The end product and goal of capitalism was simply
economic gain. In this philosophy there has to be organized production, which includes the means of
production, such as factories, facilities, machines, and raw materials. Throughout this paper I will
describe certain aspects of Karl Marx's philosophy mainly focusing on why capitalism is not the
way to road to the good life. A good example of this can be looked at by recognizing the class
struggle between bourgeoisie and proletariat, otherwise known as the upper and lower class.
The bourgeoisie owns the means of production and the proletariats are the labor and means of
production. The relationship between these two social classes is very unique. While they both work
together in a way, and have similar interests, they are completely different from each other. This is
called the relation
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Karl Marx And The Productive Power
Karl Marx believed that growth is driven by the progression of the productive power by human. This
productive power was also the rise and fall of an economic structure according to how progression is
supported and downcast. Marx suggest that through communism it is possible to eliminate the
constraint that exploitation has on the society's laborers.
The mode of production involves the methods humans use to produce the resources to sustain the
provision for survival and to improve society as a whole. The two components to the mode of
production are the means of production (what is used) and the relation of production or property
(labor, capital). The mode of production is the union of creative powers and the relations of
production. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Feudalism
The very definition of the term feudalism as it relates to the 19th century is that of a dominant social
system in medieval Europe, in which the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for
military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles, while the peasants (serfs) were
obliged to live on their lord 's land and give him homage, labor, and a share of the produce,
notionally in exchange for military protection. Thus, the feudalist mode of production was
constructed on a mixture of the enormous landholdings belonging to the feudal lords and the lesser
smallholdings of the direct makers, the serfs, who were misused by added economic restraint, as
distinctive of feudalist power. This is a form of stratification. "Some Principles of Stratification" by
Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore advocate that stratification is needed in order to make a society
functional. The lords (upper class) have the power while the serfs (middle/lower class) tends to the
labor. However, Max Webber's "Class, Status, Party" defines stratification as taking something
which is not yours to take. This is a justified cause to change the function of society. The lords
demanded that the labor of the serfs be a right belonging to the lords. The mode of production under
feudalism permitted the exploitation of labor by forcing the people to the very land that they worked
and not rendering them the economic freedom they deserved. The downfall of feudalism was due to
the

Marx 's Critique Of Capitalism And Society Essay
Alienation was a topic of central importance to the young Marx, which analysed the way in which
society organises itself around the modes of production and how this materialistic structure
(particularly in a capitalist society) can lead to a sense of estrangement or separation of a worker
from the product of his labour. In order to demonstrate this theory of alienation, I will examine it in
relation to Marx's critique of capitalist society and will then proceed to talk about the different forms
and whether or not the phenomenon is still seen today in contemporary society.
In order to understand the concept of alienation and its dimensions, we must first understand how it
is related to Marx's critique of capitalism and society. As stated above, Marx believed that the
development of history was a sequence of the modes of production. This refers to the way that
society is organised to produce goods and services, vital to human existence. Marx believed as
human beings, in order to survive and enhance our social being, we must produce material
requirements of subsistence (Seligman, 1901, p163) and the way that we do this is through the
modes of production. The modes of production consist of two major aspects: 1) the productive
forces i.e. land, raw material, labour power, machinery, tools etc. used to produce material goods 2)
the relations of production: whether you own and control the means of production or whether you do
not. (McLennan et al, 2010)
According to Marx,

According To Marx, Society Is Primarily Divided On Those
According to Marx, society is primarily divided on those who own property, For Marx, he believes
that there are only two primary groups in society and these classes are the bourgeoisies and the
proletariats whose social relationship is the motivational force for change in capitalism. But before
humans can do anything, they must satisfy certain their basic needs, they must feed, clothe and
house themselves though productive labor, as it is the This approach is called by Marx, the
Materialist Conception of History. Because humans produce their own means of life, the only
available means would determine their level of existence, as the "productive forces of society"
consist of the means of production and labor power, enabling them to ... Show more content on
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With everything bought and sold at its value, with the capitalists pocketing the surplus– value made
from the labor of the proletariats.
Now Marx isn't saying that all components of capitalism are bad, it's just that the capitalist class
must exploit the proletariats to remain on top of the hierarchy. They must continue to exploit to
build their wealth at their best interest, as their class division entails them to continuously do to
continue the wealth bloodline
In this context, Marx realizes that the productive forces in a society develop faster than production
relations, and they may also conflict with each other. Formally breaking down what consisted of the
hierarchy structure that depersonalized many, in which freedom was limited because one's social
class, attempting to break free of the oppression that once was. This conflict was to be resolved by
replacing the old socio– economical production relation with a new one. According to Marx, there
are five socio–economic formations. They were "primitive–communal, slave owning, feudal,
capitalist and communist". Marx claims that each class conflict between each production has
ultimately reached their final stage of revolution after transitioning from one socio economic format
to another. This underlined the progressive character changes of the social development scheme.
With Marx believing that the changes made in society would correspond to the mode of production
in society by replacing the exploitative mode of

Historical Capitalism And The Context Of Historical...
Over time, capitalism has become one of the most dynamic economic systems that have ever
existed. Not only has it been successful in bringing the entire world into a solitary framework, it has
also shifted the economic state, primarily focusing on maximizing profits for the owners. This is
evident as presented throughout Frederick Engels' Theoretical. Engels peers deeper into the
fundamental context of capitalism; however, in order to do this, he must develop a better
understanding of its inconsistencies and how it has impact the overall development of the world.
The notion of historical materialism is addressed when further analyzing the overall context of
capitalism. According to Engels, he argues that historical materialism "starts from the principle that
production, and with production the exchange of its products, is the basis of every social order..."
(Engels, 1959: 292). In simpler terms, historical materialism is a system of production and exchange
which have always been the driving forces in social and political changes. It addresses that in every
society, wealth is distributed and divided into classes or orders dependent upon what is produced,
how it is produced, and how the products are exchanged (Engels, 1959: 292). However, Engels does
not see historical societal changes independent of the economic system corresponding to it. He
believes that historical materialism is not something that only concerns capitalism, it involves itself
with all economic systems, from

Socialism Vs Communism
In 1848 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote "The Communist Manifesto", and even had it
published. Their main goal in writing this book was to completely get rid of capitalism. Karl Marx
did not believe in social classes. He believed that everyone should live equal lives and personal
ownership should not be allowed. According to Marx, everything should belong to the community,
or working class. Communism is a more complex and advanced version of socialism. Although both
economic systems believe in putting the most important means of production in the hands of the
people, whether its directly or through the government, they differ from each other in many ways.
While in a communist society ownership is ascribed to the state or community, a socialist ... Show
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There is also an efficient distribution of resources. This is possible because the government owns all
means of production. Even if you graduated from one of the best colleges around, you would still
have the same chance of getting the same job as someone who does not even have a high school
education. Every person is paid the same amount no matter what job they have. Since the
government dictates the economic structure, it remains internally stable.
Individual needs would be put under any needs of the society. The government monitors everything,
especially computers. Privacy almost does not exist. Communism also eliminates any competition,
which is not healthy for any society. People need to be able to make goals higher than what they are
allowed in order to keep motivated and actually take pride in their work. If everyone is paid the
same regardless of what they do, the economy will become lazy and nothing with be of good quality
if it does not matter to begin with. It is not a successful economic system as a whole.
The government benefits mostly from communism, they even own most of the factors of production
and control how things are done. This affects everyone in the economy and their everyday

The Road To Communism: Karl Marx. Over The Years, People
The Road to Communism: Karl Marx Over the years, people have interpreted Karl Marx's work
incorrectly and sometimes only partially. Since his explanation of communism, people have changed
what they think communism really is. In present day if someone tells someone they are communist,
they picture a society oppressed by its government. They picture removal of all their private
belongings and burglary of their finances to be distributed amongst society as a whole. Societies and
governments have over simplified Karl Marx's description of communism and altered some of it to
fit their situations. In Marx's piece, he first states his initial views of how society is, then he analyzes
the issues and contradictions within capitalism, and then ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Marx explains that men produce these ideas, and they are, therefore, dependent on the historical
time period, for men's thoughts change. These ideas that seem so important and detrimental to
society do not decide what men are because men are defined by their production. "Men are the
producers of their concepts...Consciousness can never be anything else than conscious existence,
and the existence of men is their actual life–process" (Denise – Marx 190). Marx describes that
these supernatural ideas and moral dilemmas are simply decided based on economic status. Marx
continues this by explaining that in order to define reality, one must not do this based off what men
think and say, but one must focus on what men do. "We set out from real, active men, and on the
basis of their real life–process we demonstrate the development of the ideological reflexes and
echoes of this life–process" (Denise – Marx 190). Marx describes all of this to say that these things
are defined based on the specific society's economic status. Meaning that men are defined not by
their moral or religious values, but by their production and their process. Marx defines these times in
history through whether they had a class system or not. He titles three times in history: the primitive,
the ancient, and then the medieval. The primitive was the tribal way of living; people lived for their
community. There was no division of labor; each person in the tribe were

Marx 's Views On Capitalism
Capitalism was believed to be the answer to achieve an ideal society. Necessary for means to grow
as a society, a community, a population. This system was utilized to create technological
advancements, build networking, ensure equal rights for all owners, and improve the quality life.
This was deemed to be done through competition. Competition that consisted of individuals striving
to be better than the other. This left individuals with no choice but to compete with their neighbors,
friends, and family. Capitalism was supposedly believed to be virtuous for all, bringing the
individual closer to self actualization. However, as Karl Marx predicted, this system was, and still is,
too good to be true. Frederick Engels analyzed Marx's work and ... Show more content on
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The economic base of society is significant as it shapes the superstructure of society. Capitalism is
an unethical economic system that ultimately results to failure in blame of it's contradictions.
The opposition of claims or facts made within a certain situation is otherwise known to be a
contradiction. An analogy representing a contradiction is something being black and white at the
same time, as opposed to being grey. This generates a great deal of confusion to many. Capitalism is
consisted of bounteous contradictions, making it subsequent to disruption. In the foreground, the
fundamental contradiction of capitalism is ultimately between the opposing forces of social
production and capitalist appropriation of productions. Products are produced through social
relations, in large workshops and manufactories. A number of people are needed to create the whole
of the product. As well, each person has an assigned task to complete with the use of the owner's
instruments of labour. In addition, the proletariat in return receive minimum wages. As a result of
the instruments of labour belonging to the owner, the goods produced belong to the proprietor as
well. The contradiction is entirely illogical, as social means are expended to generate production,
albeit the commodity belongs to the individual capitalist, also known as the bourgeoisie. Equally
significant, this system creates inequality as the workers receive low income wages, while

Karl Marx Totalitarianism
I interpret this as meaning that people who wish to leave a nation or overthrow the Communist state
will have their property confiscated. I see how this could help a Communist state to thrive because it
would prevent a mass exodus from the state is people weren't sympathetic to the new government.
Also, it would help with the transition of private to public property. This principle does have cause
for concern though, in that it limits the rights of people who wish to leave, but (more importantly) it
is a means to silence critics of the government. It is understandable that to form a stable Communist
state, dissenters have to be dealt with, but for fear of losing property (or possibly other
repercussions), it is possible that "rebels" would ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
But, if the state genuinely acts in the interest of all citizens, this is a positive means of de–alienating
workers and redistributing wealth. In "What is Socialization? A Program of Practical Socialism,"
Korsch, Denton, and Kellner explain that "The "means of production" are all those physical objects
or goods that are used for the purpose of product." In other versions of the Communist Manifesto,
this sixth measure demands the "centralization of the means of communication and transport in the
hands of the state." Though the means of production are not limited to communication and transport,
these are important physical structures/systems which are necessary to the existence of any state. I
will only focus on these two at the moments because there are various components of the means of
production and it is important that I not make generalizations about each aspect of the means of

Marx Alienation
Marx's theory on species being and estranged labour. The theory of alienation by Karl Marx
describes the act of estrangement of persons beginning from those characteristics of their species–
essence in place of a magnitude of existence in a society or community of stratified collective
classes. The isolation from oneself is generally as a result of being an automatic part of the
communal class (Meszaros, pg 54). Philosophically, this theory depends s upon the essence of
Christianity which was described by Ludwig Feuerbach. Marx further extended this theory of
Ludwig by stating that even the idea of humanity is also an alienating perception for people to
logically deliberate in its complete metaphysical implication (Meszaros, pg 57). In his work of 1844,
Marx explained alienation in the following way: In any capitalist society, the isolation of employed
workers from their humanity is believed to occur because the only thing that a worker can express is
labour (Meszaros, pg 59). This is a significant societal facet of particular eccentricity through a
privatised system of industrial production where every employee is considered a thing but not a
person. The following are the four types of alienation that normally exist to a worker who is
labouring under a capitalist form of industrial production: 1. The disaffection of workers from their
respective products. Here, Marx explained that product designs and how it is manufactured are
determined by capitalist classes who part

Why Is Karl Marx Called The Proletariat
The Harvest shows the life of what Karl Marx termed "the proletariat". Proletariat is Marx's term for
the exploited class, the mass of workers who do not own the means of production. These people
have been put in poor work conditions and work for the class, as Marx puts it, called the
Bourgeoisie. These are the capitalists who own the means of production. The capitalists watch over
the companies, and make and change policy. The proletariats have to work poor means to keep these
companies going. The one girl from The Harvest, Zulema, says that in 1 week she makes 64 dollars.
This is sad, but none the less she is part of this lower class and must abide by these means. The main
problem that this presents is what Marx is known for, which

El Salvador Marxist Analysis
matter what type of government was imposed. The relations within a nation depend on, "..the stage
of development reached by its production an its internal and external intercourse," (Marx,
4).Therefore, Marx states that the way civilians are treated depends on production of goods and
services. Therefore, it can be argued that citizens of El Salvador were subjugated during
colonization because of the way cash crops were being exploited. Things slowly began to change
when people revolted against this mode of production. Marx would argue that the Salvadoran Civil
War began because of materialistic motives such as the change from feudalistic policies to more
industrialized ones which is evident in its history. Marx argued that the mode of production ... Show
In sum, "..circumstances make men just as much as men make circumstances," (Marx, 12). In
regards to El Salvador the land and cash crops along with the relationships between the government
and the working–class are what shaped El Salvador's history, which is evident. Therefore, under
Historical Materialism, the and political construction of El Salvador is decided by the relationships
built on production. During the colonization the political structure was decided through the way
money was being produced which was through the subjugation of native Salvadorans. Marx would
argue that the subjugation of the native El Salvadorans was because, "The class which has the means
of material production at its disposal has control at the same time over the mans of mental
production... the ideas of this who lack the means of mental production are subject to it," (Marx, 15).
Thus, the native Salvadorans were the ones lacking mental production and therefore, were subject to
it. This changed during the time of industrialization where the working class had more power and no
longer was

The Marxist Theory Is The Political And Economic Theories...
The Marxist theory is the political and economic theories originated by German theorists: Karl Marx
and Friedrich Engels. Marx was born in Germany in 1818 and studied philosophy and law. He was
among many the most important authors of sociology and was best known as the "father of
Marxism" (McIntyre, 21). Along with Friedrich Engels, he wrote and published The Communist
Manifesto. This document helped shape the revolutions that reconstructed much of the world with
over the course of the next century. According to Marx the most important thing about society is the
way a society is organized to produce goods and services, also known as mode of production. The
relationships among people and people's relationships to the forces of production are how decisions
were made about what to do with the outcomes. The Marxist theory recognizes several typical
modes of production and characteristics of different periods in our past history (McIntyre, pg28)
These modes of production includes: "Primitive communism" which had no categorized social class
structures or capital growth, "Asiatic mode" which is allegedly the original form of society where
small groups removes social additions through violence directed at settled or unsettled band groups
within a domain. "Ancient mode" is when property is the control of the individual, the forces of
production connected with this mode is the widespread use of animals in agriculture, and advanced
trade networks." Feudalism" the property is the

The Social Changes And Political Revolutions
To begin with, " The social changes and political revolutions are to be sought, not in men 's brains,
not in man 's better insight into eternal truth and justice, but in changes in the modes of production
and exchange" by Engels. Basically what Engels's means by that is the materialist formation of
history starts from the scheme of the production and how exchanges of things are produced, and that
is the basis of all social structure. Fundamentally, as in every society it has emerged in history and it
still is happening that the manner in which wealth is distributed and how the society is divided into
classes or estates is dependent upon what is produced, and how it is produce, and how the products
are exchanged. And this is what that needs to be sorted out. Therefore, the mode of production is
playing a big role in today's society and also as it did back in the days. Everything is dependent; one
person is dependent on other in this society. Moreover, society is divided into two groups; one group
is whom who are ruling over the other group by taking his/her rights; capitalism is playing its role.
Moreover, changes in the productive forces are more powerful cause of revolution. In conclusion,
Engels takes an historical materialist approach. He indicates that the capitalist mode of production is
fundamentally contradictory and from this he traces a series of social and economic conflicts that
follow inevitably from this basic contradiction by establishing Historical

Marx And Engels 's Impact On Society
"to a mere money relation," (Marx and Engels [1848] 2013:35]. Marx, saw the tear down of the old
as the only way for the bourgeoisie to survive. Periodically, a crisis occurred where productive
forces threatened their conditions and bourgeoisie would have to bring in new productive forces and
destroy the old. Marx believed that these changes to technology and productive capacity were the
main influence on how society and the economy were organized. The bourgeoisie had to push for
the modern world to quickly and continually develop to protect capitalists' monopolies. However,
constant development caused continual disturbances of social conditions by breaking down stable
aspects of human life. Capitalist used their power to push the world to advance so that they could
prosper with no concerns to the possible effects on the economy, which would have been most
detrimental to the proletariat. For Marx, this showed that capitalists' self–interest pushed economic
progress, which led to societal progress but also risked crisis. Capitalism not only affected society
through the creation and separation of social classes but also in influencing societal progress and
social relations.
The bourgeoisie created capitalism using revolutionarily activity but in doing so it also created the
proletarians who Marx believed could use revolution to bring an end to capitalism. The proletariats
were a class that depended on selling their labor to survive. Being just another commodity

How Did The Collapse Of Capitalism
I agree with Karl Marx statement about capitalism. Marx felt that capitalism through
industrialization had increased the productive capability or power of the world's economy far
beyond what individuals had ever witnessed before. Despite this fact, Marx also felt that capitalism
created two different classes of people that were competing with each other on social hierarchy.
First, was the bourgeoisie who owned and controlled the means of creating a production, and they
also hired wage laborers to distribute their production. Second, was the proletariat, who were mere
common workers who owned nothing of a real production or any real power to hired many workers.
They had the right through to sell their own labor. Capitalism's foundation is that it ensures these
classes would struggle against one another. To the point where the class of workers would become
massive, and oppressed each other enough that it would overthrow the bourgeoisie. Moreover,
capitalism social classes would seize the means of production from bourgeoisie and end the
economic system eventually. The system of socialism would be ushered in and would gradually
develop into pure communism.
Capitalism in my opinion, has been the subject of criticism or backlash from many perspectives
during its history. Criticisms mostly ranges from ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marx defined capitalism as a social economic relation between people, rather than between people
or things in the grand scheme of it. Furthermore, individuals or the general population wanted to
abolish capitalism. They believe that private ownership of the means of production enriches
capitalists' owners of capitalism, sadly, at the expense of workers who needed to support their
families. Lastly, individuals argue that the owners of the means of production exploit the workforce
to the point of overworking

Capitalism And Imperialism
Imperialism is the policy of extending power and dominion of an empire. It is most notably
accomplished through the acquisition of territory or gaining control of foreign political or economic
systems. Capitalism, by nature, is imperialistic. While this system is not driven by nationalism, it
does facilitate competitive rivalry, and it's often distinguished by its usage of economic competition.
Wage workers are hired by competing businesses in an industry, and these businesses strive to
outperform each other. The most effective businesses sustain their dominance in the market by
equipping themselves with the latest tools and tactics to gain increasing amounts of capital. From
there, they continue to efficiently expand their territory to maximize profit and increase market
power. Smaller businesses that do not efficiently grow their profit margin and increase their market
share tend to fail in the shadows of these more powerful businesses.
The natural tendency of capitalism is to spread. Corporations are in constant pursuit to keep gaining
access to new or untouched markets that will grant them the best prices for their products and
services. They often do this by targeting new customer demographics, selling more products, and
dispersing their products or services into new territories. As these corporations infiltrate new
markets, maintaining market power would require that executives also continue to constantly
innovate the framework of their businesses–refining and

In Defence of Marx's Account of the Nature of Capitalist...
In Defence of Marx's Account of the Nature of Capitalist Exploitation
ABSTRACT: According to Marx, "at any given epoch of a given society, [there is] a quantity of
necessaries [recognized as] the necessaries of life habitually required by the average worker." The
variations in the type and amount of goods recognized as necessary for life between different epochs
and different societies is due to the different 'physical conditions' and to the different 'degrees of
civilization' and 'comfort' prevalent. In advanced capitalist societies, the necessities of life include a
heated dwelling, food, clothing, and access to some means of transportation, be it public or private.
However, the average laborer in advanced capitalist societies has ... Show more content on
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But the average laborer in advanced capitalist society has access not only to the necessaries of life
but to a variety of luxury items as well. For example, the average worker has access to at least some
subset of the following luxury items: "fine" food and drink; an automobile; a television set; a hi–fi
set.
In this paper, I will (I) explain Marx's theory of the nature of capitalist exploitation; and (II) indicate
how the phenomenon described in the previous paragraph may be interpreted as evidence against
Marx's theory, and sketch an interpretation of this phenomenon according to which it is consistent
with Marx's theory. My interpretation will suggest that the average worker's access to luxury items
can be explained by the necessity in capitalism of reproducing the working class.
(I) In some of his early works, Marx suggests that the poverty of the workers goes hand in hand with
capitalist production. For example, in "Alienated Labor" he claims that in capitalist society, "labor
produces marvels for the wealthy but it produces deprivation for the worker" (61). Indeed, "so much
does the realization of labor appear as diminution [of the worker] that the worker is diminished to
the point of starvation" (61).
This view, that as a necessary result of the capitalist mode of production the average

Self, Culture and Society
In this paper an excerpt titled "Theoretical" from Engels' Anti–Dhüring will be examined in
reference to Engels' ideologies regarding materialism, the social work order, and the fundamental
problems confronted in the clash between the social production and capitalist appropriation.
In the chapter titled Theoretical, Engels lays out the basic conflict between what we know as
socialism and capitalism, doing so by first examining what he calls the "Materialist conception of
history" (Engels 1939, p. 292). In his materialistic history he claims that the exchange and bartering
of products, and their production is the "basis of every social order" (Engels 1939, p. 292). He states
that in every society that has ever appeared in history, the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
294) Thus small workshops slowly became obsolete, being replaced by gargantuan factories where
hundreds of peoples would come to produce a product together. The fundamental issue that arises
however is this: in Feudalism, and in earlier times it was clear who the owner of the product of labor
was, "the individual producer had produced it, as a rule from raw material which belonged to him,
and often was also produced by himself..."(Engels 1939, p. 295) As a result of this, there was never
any need to appropriate the product to him, as it belonged to him as an absolute. (Engel 1939, p.
295) The problem here is that this idea continued on even after social production had taken the place
of individual producers, and the "Social products were treated as if they were still...the products of
individuals." (Engels 1939, p. 295) "Now the owner of the instruments of labor continued to
appropriate the product, although it was not longer his product, but...the product of other's labor.
Thus therefore, the products now socially produced were not appropriated by those who had really
set the means of production in motion and...produced the products, but by the capitalists." (Engels
1939, p. 295)
Therefore the original contradiction in capitalism can be summed up as such: "The mode of
production is subjected to

The Non Sequitur of the “Dependence Effect" Essay
1. Introduction: The problem or issue the author addresses is who should control the means of
production – the private or the public.
2. Summary of the article/argument.
von Hayek counters Galbraith's The Dependence Effect by pointing out that the crux of the
argument relies on a flaw that ultimately leads a faulty conclusion. While agreeing that many of our
wants are created by production, von Hayek illustrates that society's "highest" desires, including art,
literature and education, are instilled in us by there very creation. Were it not that, say, the works of
scholars, artists and writers ever created then there would be no desire for the Mona Lisa, Romeo &
Juliet and Plato's The Republic.
3. The author's conclusion is... ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Clearly, in such a case, people are being treated as means to corporate profits, rather than ends.
Galbraith uses this claim of moral wrong to justify redress.
Galbraith's solution is equalized re–distribution, where by the means of production are controlled by
the state. The only way to prevent this injustice, he claims, is to let the state decide how wants are
fulfilled. This will prevent the moral wrong committed by the producers who are creating demand in
order to generate profit. It is, however, inconsistent for Galbraith to reach this conclusion. Galbraith
would have us take from the collective, by force if necessary, in order to prevent the manipulation of
individuals. In other words, to prevent people from being treated as ends the solution is to treat
people as ends. The Inconsistency of the "Dependence Effect"
In The Non Sequitur of the "Dependence Effect" von Hayek critiques Galbraith's argument (in The
Dependence Effect) that the means of production must be controlled by the state. Galbraith, a
socialist, argues that consumer demands are manufactured – by the very companies that create
products to meet those same demands. Because these wants are created, rather than intrinsic,
Galbraith contends, they are not urgent or important. The completion of Galbraith's syllogism
provides that ultimately the state should own the means of production to

Alienation And What Effect It Has On Contemporary Society...
Introduction It has been argued that Karl Marx theory of alienation has lost relevance in
contemporary society when understanding the relationship of the individual worker in a capitalist
society. It is this statement being proposed by several sociologists who believe alienation being an
empty statement in relation to contemporary society. However like many other sociological concepts
this one is still contested which is why I will explore the theory of alienation and what effect it has
on contemporary society, and argue that Marx's theory of alienation still applies to the process of the
owners of production exploiting the working classes. I will start by looking into the four different
dimensions of alienation and how these relate to Marx's critique of capitalist society, then relating
this concept to modern society. the four dimensions of alienation Alienation as a definition was
initially conflicted as it has very different meanings such as the English definition defines alienation
as to turn away the feelings of someone or to transfer an individual's property Affine, Y. H. (1997).
Alienation has been described as a lack of "self–actualisation" (ester, 1985, p. 77) which results in a
non–satisfaction of needs in an individual however this is vague because there are a variety of basic
human needs that need to be satisfied. While others went further to say that alienation is when an
individuals is lacking in self–worth which leads

The Historical Development Of Capitalism
The most effective system to exist in the world, capitalism, triumphed in uniting the world into a
solitary system. Capitalism can be defined as "an economic system in which employers hire workers
to produce goods and services that will be marketed with the intention of making a profit" (Bowles
et al., 2005) (p. 74). Furthermore, the social order is significantly impacted by the relationship
between the capitalist mode of production and the mode of exchange, however, there is a rebuttal in
the economic order of this system. The purpose of this essay is to, first explain what Engel's means
by historical materialism, and then to analyze the fundamental contradictions the capitalist mode of
production has on the social order, and examine the social and economic problems that arise from
the contradiction. The conclusion of this essay will state the outcome of the historical development
of capitalism, according to Engels. It is very important for one to understand the concept of
historical materialism before analyzing Engels' ideas and critiques of capitalism. Historical
materialism examines the material conditions of the society, along with social relations and social
structure. In simple words, this means that material conditions shape the social structure and
economy. In his work "Theoretical," Engels establishes what he means by historical materialism.
Engels (1939) states "The materialist conception of history starts from the principle that production,
and with

The Rise Of Self Service Machines
Marx and Technology Karl Marx's theories were written in the 19th century, it is debated whether
they are applicable to the issues of modern society. This essay seeks to explore the key ideas of
Marx and apply them to the chosen contemporary concern of the rise of self–service machines.
Primarily it will give an in depth description of his idea of human nature and the key ideas
surrounding Marxist theory. Secondly, it will explain the current issue and argue the rise of
technology through the eyes of Marx by relating to his main concepts. Marx's views on human
nature make up the philosophical element of his ideas. He believed human beings define themselves
primarily through their labouring activity. Labour is therefore what they live for, it defines human
beings and also performs functions by connecting them to their existence. This is achieved in three
senses which Marx outlined (Morrison, 2006). Firstly individuals exert control over nature which
makes them active in history, rather than passive. Secondly, labour provides the necessities a human
requires to live, without it they would have no food, shelter or clothing and would not exist. Thirdly
Marx believed labour allows an individual to define themselves. Through labour humans feel in
control of their survival and are confirmed in their own existence (Morrison, p. 120). The essence of
the individual is labour, it is central to human development. Humans still hold the power of
creativity but the nature of the capitalist

Karl Marx And Max Weber
Both Karl Marx and Max Weber sought to understand the emergence of modern bourgeoisie
capitalism and its pervasiveness, at least throughout the western world, in the nineteenth century.
Both authors saw modern capitalism as an inherently superior system of economic exchange for the
generation of wealth, but greatly differed in their epistemological approach to its genesis. This in
turn influenced their loci of analysis, as well as their eventual conclusions on the processes of
historical change itself. In this essay I will argue that Marx's historical–materialist view of historical
change was based on an analysis of the objective similarities on the material conditions of all
individuals. And informed his view on class and its corresponding social relationship. On the other
hand, Weber acknowledged a more nuanced relationship between ideas and historical change. He
asserts that ideas are dependent upon subjective contexts that give meaning to and rationalize
actions. It is from this basis that Weber analyses modern capitalism from the ideal type of the
protestant work ethic and is related to the the role of ideology in the rationalization of the modern
world. Marx and Engel's (1978) historical materialism asserts that what drives history is an evolving
relationship between the means of production and the corresponding relations to those means, where
production that is ultimately the fulfillment of material needs. Marx explains this through his base–
superstructure theory.

Karl Marx 's Concept Of Value And Real Value
For more than one hundred years, Karl Marx's ideas has shaped the political, economical and the
ideological world by arguing against the free market system; a market in which distributes the
majority of the world's profit to corporations and businesses. Marx observed that this lead to an
unequal distribution of wealth and resources, bringing forth class struggle and the exploitation of the
working class. When I started my first job on Aeropostale at the age of 16, I never really took into
account how much of my energy and time I devoted to my work unless I got my paycheck at the
end. Needless to say, now with a basic knowledge of the role of workers and the capitalist class, the
working environment in which I worked in a few years ago and our society today makes much more
sense. Throughout professor Zarembka's lectures, the concept of value and real value was
continuously mentioned, making me think about the value of the clothing at Aeropostale. Marx
described value as something that is created by production labor and scarcity. Smith states, "The real
price of every thing, what everything really costs to the man who wants to acquire it, is the toil and
trouble of acquiring it. What every thing is really worth to the man who has acquired it, and who
wants to dispose of it or exchange it for something else, is the toil and trouble which it can save to
himself, and which it can impose upon other people." (Smith. 1776) In simpler terms, value is the
amount of labor

Communism In America Essay
Despite what my opponent would have you believe, communism is not a danger to America
meaning that Nixon, McCarthy, and the HUAC are all unnecessary. Firstly, a brief explanation of
some of the terms I will be using. Capitalism is an economic system where businesses and the
means of production are owned by private individuals for profit. In a socialist economy, the means
of production are owned by the community as a whole and individuals get rewarded for their work
based on the following principle: from each according to his ability, to each according to his
contribution. In communism, items are divided up based on, from each according to his ability, to
each according to his need. Finally, I will use the terms proletariat and bourgeoisie. ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
There is a difference between a country and the economic theory that it is currently using (reminder,
the USSR is not communist nor is it socialist).
Fourthly, suppressing an idea from America is the least American action you could do. In America,
free speech is a highly valued freedom, and, to quote Benjamin Franklin, "Those who would give up
essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety (all
perceived threats from communism are not actual threats since the threats would be coming from the
USSR)." Freedom of speech is an essential liberty.
Fifthly, all perceived danger from the USSR is nowhere near the amount of actual danger they are in
because of us. America was the first to use a nuclear bomb in war, and we have a general intolerance
for the USSR. Combined, this is frightening.
Finally, Joseph McCarthy and Richard Nixon have accused both innocent and guilty people of
communism and/or being a spy for the USSR because of their communism.
To recap, Senators McCarthy and Nixon have attacked innocent people for being communist spies
since they are possibly communist for a country that isn't even communist and tried to suppress a
simple idea, thereby proving that they deserve neither liberty nor safety, all in the name of political

Marx Private Property Essay
According to Marx's private property only refers to private ownership of factories, and mean of
production which are owned by capitalists. Marx's doesn't want to do away with personal property
which is defined as property that is movable and not fixed in one location. Private property and
exploitation is Marx's main concern and cause for class division and struggle. Marx describes
private property among the two social classes: bourgeoisie and proletariat. The bourgeoisie views
private property as a mere money relation in which wage labor creates capital, not property. Marx's
is not concerned with the private property of personal belongings, but instead wants to abolish the
private property of the bourgeoisie in which they use the proletariats in means of production to
produce capital. The means of production refers to the facilities such as factories, and shops in
which are privately owned to produce capital. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Marx's wants factories and shops to exists, but not to be owned by the bourgeoisie. Marx's explains
that the average price of wage–labour only "produces the bare existence." The proletariats, the
working class, heavily rely on capitalism and exploitation in order to survive. Private property
revolves around the antagonist the reduction of wages is implemented, and the products created by
the proletariats turn into capital. Marx states, "does wage–labour create any property for the
labourer? Not a bit. It creates capital, i.e., that kind of property which exploits wage–labour." This
implies that if wage labor continues to exists the bourgeois with only receive the benefits while the
proletariat cannot attain any property. The more the proletariats worked for the bourgeoisie under
wage labor the more their individuality diminishes. Marx wants to target the ruling class and abolish
their rights and privileges to make equality for

The Fall Of Feudalism And The Rise Of Capitalism
The fall of feudalism in the 12th century eventually led to the rise of capitalism. To get there, the
first thing needed was a change in thinking. This began with the scientific revolution, and led to the
Enlightenment in the 18th century. The Enlightenment, also known as the Age of Reason, was
highlighted by individualism, reason, and skepticism. Skepticism caused people to denounce divine
right of kings, thus moving from monarchies to democracies. This desire for knowledge coupled
with the scientific revolution resulted in new manufacturing inventions that made the production
process more efficient and advanced society, this is referred to as the industrial revolution. These
major events altered almost every feature of daily life for ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The means of production are everything needed for manufacturing. This includes the factories, the
labor force, and the raw materials. Marx also uses the term social relations of production, which is
the social relationships people enter by being a part of the means of production. The mode of
production ¬¬is the combination of social class and the social relations of production of that period
in time. These both establish life in general: the political and social institutions, culture, and
ideologies. Marx believed that you are born into societies where the social relations of production
are already predetermined. This means as a result, things like a person's knowledge, ideologies, and
beliefs are determined by their place in class. There are also other features of society that are an
outcome of the social relations of productions. Things like products and institutions come out the
need for them. Educational institutions come from the need for a higher educated population.
Products come from the need of a product to solve a certain problem.
It is no secret that Marx and Engels believed capitalism was detrimental for society. They believed
capitalism caused alienation– feeling of being separated from the world and society you live in– in
its workers. Marx distinguished four types of alienation: (1) alienation of the worker from the
product of his work, (2) alienation of the

Essay about Marxs Manifesto
Marx's theoretical work is the understanding of the nature of human beings and how they have
constructed their historical world. Marx is considered a modernist because his views and theories fit
the meaning of Modernity, which are human freedom and the right to free choice. To Marx,
Capitalism is a barrier to the notion of human freedom and choice. Five aspects of his political
theory are: how he views human nature, effects of Capitalism on human natures with emphasis on
significance of labor, class struggles within Capitalism, the demise of Capitalism and the need for
the transition to Communism.
Marx belief of human nature is that it changes over time; it is historical and dynamic. In
understanding human nature, it is important to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As the result of Capitalism, labor has been under admonition and oppression. Instead of picturing
the world as it is, Capitalism pictures the world in a distorted view. A view that leads to the
alienation of the true meaning of human nature. The view that places the products of laborers more
important than the laborers themselves; thus the laborers are objectified. Laborers then do not
realize that they are the ones who are in control of the product that they produce. "Alienated labor
hence turns the species–existence of man, and also nature as his mental species capacity, into an
existence alien to him, into the means of his individual existence." The distorted view leads to the
miscognition of self of the working class who are cut off from their essential powers. They fail to
realize that the world is of their own making and that they have the ability to create and recreate the
world in which they live in. Marx's theory of privileging of economic matters places an emphasis on
class struggles that are related to the forces of production as well as the relations of productions.
Economics is the production of the exchange of goods and services through labor arrangements. In
every society there is a way to distribute goods and services called a mode of production. The mode
of production is the combination of the forces of productions; like raw

Theories of Karl Marx
INTRODUCTION
Karl Marx, also a philosopher was popularly known for his theories that best explained society, its
social structure, as well as the social relationships. Karl Marx placed so much emphasis on the
economic structure and how it influenced the rest of the social structure from a materialistic point of
view. Human societies progress through a dialectic of class struggle, this means that the three
aspects that make up the dialectic come into play, which are the thesis, antithesis and the synthesis
(Avineri, 1980: 66–69). As a result of these, Marx suggests that in order for change to come about, a
class struggle has to first take place. That is, the struggle between the proletariat and the capitalist
class, the class that controls ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(Carver, 1992: 55).
During the industrialisation era, the factories were now in desperate need of a minimally educated
workforce as a result, mandatory and free educational systems were put into place. This is clear
example that shows that the economy was indeed the base for all other structures in the society. The
relations of production shapes the superstructure as it consists of the bourgeoisie exploiting the
proletariat. The base of the superstructure shapes the superstructure (education, family, religion,
mass media, politics etc.) and the superstructure itself legitimizes the base. Law facilitates the need
of those who are in power and own the means of production, eg. Apartheid, Group areas act. The
society was governed by rules that were made to suit the upper class.
The model formulated by Karl Marx may also face a lot of criticism. It puts a lot of weight,
concentration on the economy as a whole and pays so little attention to other very influential
structures such as religion, politics, education etc.
EVALUATE MARX'S THEORY OF FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS
Consciousness refers to the human ideas, views and conceptions. Therefore false consciousness
means misunderstood or misinterpreted ideas, views or conceptions. In capitalism, both capitalists
and workers have incorrect assessments of how the system works and of their role and interest in it;
this in itself is false

A Contribution To The Critique Of Political Economy By...
Karl Marx was an influential German philosopher who is widely known for his work on capitalism.
Class was a notable social category for Marx; he discussed ruling class ideas and explained how a
person's class was defined by their relation to the means of production. Specifically, in the "Preface
to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy," Marx (1859) writes, "In the social
production of their existence, men inevitably enter into definite relations, which are independent of
their will, namely relations of production appropriate to a given stage in the development of their
material forces of production" (pg. 20). In this essay, I will be discussing what Marx means when he
refers to the relations of production as "independent of [men's] will," in that people enter into
enforced, coercive relationships with owners of capital because of the economic system which
structures society. The class relations are built upon a base and a superstructure which in turn shape
the structure of society and its means of production. Consequently, the forms of social consciousness
of society are predetermined and dictated by the ruling classes as people must enter into these
relationships in order to survive, thus creating a dialectical economic superstructure.
Society abides by the social relations put in place between proletariats and the bourgeoisie due to the
coercive nature of these relationships, autonomous of free choice. Though dominating the actions
and choices of society, such coercive relationships with owners of capital are tolerated due to
people's need for survival. People's need for survival results in the need to make money for their
material existence, which includes food and shelter. Awareness of one's current economic system
also contributes to the understanding of the established social order. However, due to their
subordinated status, low–income and low–skilled jobs may be their only opportunity for survival.
For instance, undergraduate university students are only armed with high school diplomas and few
skills, but require earning a living to complete school to try and succeed within a capitalist society.
As a result of the few skills and little schooling students possess, taking low–skilled jobs

How Does Karl Marx View The Superstructure
Karl Marx believes the substructure controlled the superstructure. The substructure, according to
Marx is the economic system, which includes the means of production and the relations of
production. The superstructure, is made of the politics, religion and the philosophy, and sits on top
of the substructure. To Marx, the substructure is the foundation of the superstructure. Meaning, the
economy is the base of the superstructure and wherever the economy is, the superstructure will
follow. "People's connections to the economy shaped their lives" (Orum, 14). The substructure, or
economy, consisting of the means of production, shaped politics, religion, philosophy, and
education. In order for their lives to change, the proletarians need to cease the means of production.
Marx makes it very clear that nothing will change unless the means of production were changed.
Ralph Milliband agrees with Marx. Milliband and Marx both believe that everything is built on the
substructure. The superstructure will follow ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Gramsci has a view of the state being divided. The state is made of the political society, and the civil
society. In order to make a change, the proletarians need to affect the civil society, because they
need to have the support of the people. Gramsci states, "The superstructures of civil society are like
the trench systems of modern warfare. In war it would sometimes happen that a fierce artillery
attack seemed to have destroyed the enemy's entire defense system, whereas in fact it had only
destroyed the outer perimeter; and at the moment of their advance and attack the assailants would
find themselves confronted by a line of defense which was still effective" (Orum, 28). The
superstructures would be built better than was known to common people. The enemies of a nation
would expect a nation to fall when they attacked the superstructure, but it was built with better
quality than was

Property Rights and the Economic System
The property occupies a central place in the economic system . It is associated with: 1) the purpose
and functioning of the economic system ; 2) economic way to connect employees with the means of
production ( as with his or foreign ); 3) forms of production and distribution, exchange and
consumption of the results of labor ; 4) The social structure of society , certain groups , classes and
strata in society; 5 ) the nature of work incentives . Property relations form all other kinds of
economic relations are the backbone and so basic.
Enhanced the importance of the problem of property in connection with the transition to a market
economy , as it is the foundation of the property becoming a new economic organization of society.
Therefore, economic reform must begin with the transformation of property relations.
In Soviet economic literature , including textbooks on political economy , property was considered
simplistic. Socialist property was presented as an economic phenomenon , which automatically does
all employees own all the means of production . In fact, the property – a multifaceted socio–
economic phenomenon , covering all aspects of the economic life of society.
Property – is a complex and multi–level category . At the first level , or on the surface phenomena
property expresses the relationship of man to things , man's power over the thing . This power is
manifested in human capabilities own, manage , use the objects property. Man's relation to things ,
being

Pros And Cons Of Democratic Socialism
is a political ideology that advocates political democracy alongside social ownership of the means of
production, often with an emphasis on democratic management of enterprises within a socialist
economic system. The term "democratic socialism" is sometimes used synonymously with
"socialism"; the adjective "democratic" is often added to distinguish it from the Marxist–Leninist
brand of socialism, which is widely viewed as being non–democratic in practice. Democratic
socialism is also sometimes used as a synonym for social democracy, although many say this is
misleading because democratic socialism advocates social ownership of the means of production,
whereas social democracy does not.
Democratic socialism is a cohesive system or it purports

Historical Materialism : The Concept Of Historical...
The notion of historical materialism is established by Engels in an excerpt from Anti–Dühring
entitled "Theoretical". The conception of historical materialism is established from "the principle
that production, and with production, the exchange of its products, is the basis of social order,"
(Engels, 292). Historical materialism is the study of the general laws governing the functioning and
development of society. Historically, the distribution of products and the division of society into
classes and estates is determined by what is produced, how it was produced and how the product is
exchanged (Engels, 292). Engels defines historical materialism as a source of history that seeks the
ultimate cause and importance of events in the modes of production and exchange, the economic
improvements of a society, and the division of society into distinct classes and the struggle of these
classes against one another. He further argues that the ultimate causes of all social changes and
political revolutions are often sought in the minds of men but should rather be sought in the changes
in the mode of production and exchange (Engels, 292). Engels explains historical materialism as a
concept in which the modes of production and labour belonged to the sole producer. This quickly
changed as societies began to adapt to the capitalist mode of production. With this change came the
creation of the present ruling class, the bourgeoisie. Engels explained that "the mode of production
peculiar to

Karl Marx 's Theory Of Capitalism
Through out history money, wealth and capital have dictated a way of life to the masses. Wealth
dictated the lives that the rich lived and the lives of the poor that worked for and surrounded them.
In some cultures your class could never be escaped in life, you had to wait for your next incarnation,
while in other cultures the idea of wealth transcended a life and allowed for growth from one class
to another. This is the reality of a capitalist society that was first discussed by Karl Marx in the 19th
century.
When Karl Marx first penned his shaping works on communism, he assumed that the relationship
between workers and capital would always be opposing. While most rejected his overall theories,
they did not argue with the basic idea that the interests of workers would always be at odds with
those of owners. This is one of Marx 's only theories that has proven to be true. As a consequence,
over the years, that thought has guided the marketplace in terms of deciding wages, working
conditions and other worker centered benefits.
The bourgeoisie (rich/owners class), by rapid improvement of production instruments and by
powerful means of communication, drew all, even the most underdeveloped nations, into
civilization through production. Their fast development and ability in many cases to exploit the
worker allowed them to get a foothold in the market. So capitalism evolved into globalization. This
is the major reason why all other systems, communism included, found themselves

According to Marx, How Does Capitalism Alienate Workers?...
SS 2029 Basic Sociology
2011–2012 (Semester A)
Individual Term Paper
CHEUNG Kai–HO
(52596777)
7. According to Marx, how does capitalism alienate workers? How did Marx feel that workers could
overcome their alienation?
1. Abstract
Alienation, a term used to describe the feeling of no connection with others or the separation from
former attachment. When it comes to sociologist aspect, especially on Marxism, this term describes
the stage of losing one's identity. To Karl Marx's belief, Alienation means the loss of control over the
process and product of work (Bell, 1959). Thus, under the capitalism, workers are alienated by the
production system.
2. Content A
First and foremost, from Marx's point of view, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The most important part is that, the final outputs of production belonged to the producers, whether
sell them or not was totally depended on them. But in Marx's time, factory owners, which mean
capitalists, paid money to workers in return of labor force to carry out productions. Let aside the
boring rigid production actions, the products belonged to the factory owners, not the workers.
Workers had no control over the products and what products should they produce. So, Marx stated
that this was one of the four aspects of alienation.
Furthermore, this alienation also creates a negative effect on workers. In Marx's writing Economic
& Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, he said:
All these consequences are implied in the statement that the worker is related to the product of labor
as to an alien object. For on this premise it is clear that the more the worker spends himself, the
more powerful becomes the alien world of objects which he creates over and against himself, the

poorer he himself – his inner world – becomes, the less belongs to him as his own. (Economic
& Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844)
We can see that Marx believed that workers' labor force become an external object that is alien to
them. This external object will be a hostile force:
The alienation of the worker in his product

Karl Marx : Foundations And Concepts Essay
Name: Rhianna Hutchins
Student ID: 300334471
Tutor: Grant Ellen
SOSC 111: Foundations and concepts
Essay One
Karl Marx is known as one of the most influential individual in history. Marx was a sociologist that
laid down the foundation to understanding class struggle in a capitalist society. Karl Marx's theories
became known as Marxism. In this essay I will be focusing on Marx and his view of capitalism.
This will then be applied to alienation that occurs from capitalist conditions. The four main points of
alienation are; alienation from the product, alienation from the production, alienation from human
nature and alienation from other workers. I will also look at the contemporary relevance of
alienation in modern society.
Marx and the capital society A capital society is the "mode of production based on private
ownership of the means of production." (SparkNotes Editors, 2005) This productions goal is to
make as much money as the private owner can get, "Main focus of capitalism is profit – businesses
exist to make money" (Johnson, n.d.) This is achieved by exploitation, "Capitalists enrich
themselves by extracting a "surplus–value" from their labourers–in other words, exploiting them."
(SparkNotes Editors, 2005) The capitalists will pay the workers as little as possible usually enough
to just get by on, which in turn creating a better profit for themselves. In doing so, "The working
class would get poorer (pauperisation); that the rich would get richer and that

Marxist View Of What Law Is The Foundation Of Society And Law
1. Marxists argue that control of the means of production is the foundation of society and law is a
reflection of that dynamic. Do you agree? Discuss.
"Law is only a superstructure; in reality it only translates the interests of those who hold the reins of
command in any given society; it is an instrument in the service of those who exercise their
'dictatorship' in this society because they have the instruments of production within their control."
For Marx there were two distinct classes in society, the ruling class, the owners of the means of
production, the "Bourgeoisie" and the ruled class, the "Proletariat". The quote, with which I begin
this essay, clearly explains the Marxist view of what law is in a given society. For Marxists ... Show
Those in power within the law–making bodies are quite clearly what Marx would consider
bourgeois: they are highly paid, highly educated individuals who have a means of controlling how
(and indeed what) laws are put in to place. Arguably it is unavoidable, to find ourselves in a
situation, in which, we have a select group in society in positions of power, who can implement and
change legislation. Most would argue that these people have been democratically elected, and
chosen by democratic means. Marxists believe that the bourgeoisie have the control of law–making
bodies and thus make laws which are favourable towards their social class whilst penalising the
proletariat. We can see this expressed in the Communist Manifesto
"Your very ideas are but the outgrowth of the conditions of your bourgeois production and bourgeois
property, just as your jurisprudence is but the will of your class made in to a law for all".
This statement highlights the Marxist belief that control of the means of creation of law, allows for
the creation of laws which could be seen as coercive and controlling. An example of these, unjust
laws, within our society which coincide with this Marxist view could be the under–occupancy
charge, more commonly known as the "bedroom tax." Under this legislation we see a reduction in
housing benefits for people who have

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