Marxist Tradition of Political Science/ Marxism
Marxist Tradition of Political Science/ Marxism
Marxism
derives its name from that of Karl Marx (1818-83), a famous German economist
and social philosopher of the 19th century who is the chief exponent
of this theory. It is also called as Marxian socialism or communism. Engels,
Lenin, Stalin, and Mao also are the other
propounders of Marxism.
According to Marx state is an instrument of
exploitation in the hands of the ‘haves’ by which they exploit the ‘have-nots.
The government is regarded as the handiwork of the rich, which uses state power
for serving the interests of the haves. Society is divided into 2 types one
is capitalist which owns the means of production or haves and another is
proletariat or have-nots which sells labour
for earning the livelihood. Man is regarded as the economic man who
is always in the process of fulfilling his material needs. According to
Marxism, politics is an aspect of economic relations. It includes all social,
political and cultural relations of man on the basis of economic relation.
Main
Tenets of Marxism:-
Main
tenets of classical Marxism are - Dialectical Materialism, Historical Materialism, The doctrine of Class Struggle, Theory of Surplus Value and Concept of Alienation.
Dialectical
materialism
Marx
borrowed his dialectical method from German philosopher G.W.F Hegel
(1770-1831).According to Hegel ‘idea’ or ‘consciousness’ was the essence of the
universe and all institutions were the manifestations of changing forms of the idea. Hegel has given the concept of the clash between a thesis (partial truth) and
antithesis (opposite of the thesis) resulting in synthesis, which is nearer to the
truth.
On the contrary, Marx believed in ‘matter’, not in the idea was the essence of the
universe, and the social institutions were the manifestation of changing material
conditions. The matter is the main driving force behind all manifestations of social
change. Marx developed the theory of ‘materialism’ against Hegel’s theory of
‘idealism’.
Historical
Materialism
Historical
materialism is known as a materialistic interpretation of history. According to
Marx the determining factor of the development of history is the productive
forces. The material or economic factor is mainly responsible for all
historical changes.
Marx interpreted all historical events by means
of the materialistic interpretation of history. According to him all political
institutions, social systems, trade, industry, art and craft, customs and
practices, traditions, religion and every aspect of the life of any country or of
any age are determined by the material conditions prevailing there. All the
social and political revolutions described in history are determined by the
material conditions of life. According to him, all historical events are
basically determined by the changes in the economic spheres. Man’s conduct is
determined not by the ideas of ethics, religion or nationalism, but by the
economic conditions and the changes in the means of production modify the form
of life.
The doctrine of class struggle
Class
struggle or class conflict is an integral part of historical materialism which
was clearly elaborated in Marx’s Communist
Manifesto(1848). According to Marx
in every society in every age there exist two conflicting economic classes. The
economically strong class has a tendency to exploit the poorer class. According
to him, world history can be interpreted as on the basis of class struggle.
History gives many examples that two classes constantly clash to possess
economic and political power and this clash even continue till today. In
ancient slave-owning society was characterized by the class conflict between
master and slave; between lord and serf in medieval feudal society; and modern
society, by the class conflict between the bourgeoisie (capitalist) and proletariat
(workers).
The main features of the present struggle which
is between the capitalist and the working class are fighting a frontal battle
with all their power. Marx concluded that the result of the organized struggle
of the working class against the capitalist would be the victory of the working
class, end of capitalism and establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat.
It will be the rule of the working class. It will be the rule of one class only
and this will pave the way for the emergence of a classless society which will
mark the end of class conflict.
Theory
of surplus-value
The
theory of surplus-value has been explained by Marx in his book ‘Das Capital’.
Surplus value according to Marx is the difference between the value of wages
which labour produces and which he actually receives. The capitalist does not
give just wages to the workers. They pay according to their will and monopolize
the profit.
According to Marx, the actual price of a
commodity is determined by the cost of labour. But the market value of the
commodity is higher. Thus the difference between the actual price and the
market price of a commodity is the profit monopolized by the capitalist as
‘surplus value’. In practice, surplus value is that value which the capitalist
earns through the labour of the workers, but denies them of any share. This
theory of Marx based on Recardo’s ‘Labour Theory of Value’.
Concept
of Alienation
Alienation
means the process of depersonalization; separation. Alienation is the process
whereby, under capitalism, labour is reduced to being a mere commodity, and
works become a depersonalized activity. In this view, workers are alienated
from the product of their labour, from fellow workers, and ultimately from
themselves as creative and social beings.
Conclusion
Marxism has been criticized for major reasons like accepting classless and stateless society as the result class struggle which is criticised by the contemporaries because creating classless and stateless society has no relevance and it also a myth in 21st century. Inspite of all marxism has a lot of relevance in modern society and it is always studied as a significant theory of political science.
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