Karl Marx

Question 1

Who is Karl Marx?

Answer 1

Karl Marx born into a middle-class family in German in 1818 versus German philosopher , economist, sociologist, historian, journalist and evolutionary socialist

Due to his radical socialist ideas, he had to leave Germany in 1843 moved to Paris, expelled from there, moved-to Brussels, and finally took shelter in England, where he lived in exile till his death.

Question 2

Who was Karl Marx’s partner?

Answer 2

Marx developed, lifelong friendship and scholarly partnership with Fredrick Engels, a German philosopher settled in England . Most of Marx’s creations were with him , who also financially supported him .

Question 3

Whose thoughts influenced Karl Marx

Answer 3

German philosopher - Friedrich Hegel
Economist - Adam smith, David Ricardo, Ludwig Feuerbach.

Question 4

Who played a leading role in the international. Working Men’s Association from 1864 to 1872

Answer 4

Karl Marx and Frederick Engels

Question 5

Karl Marx’s main creation

Answer 5

Economic and philosophic Manuscrputs - Early Marx which contained his theory of alienation.

The German ideology - with Engels in which he propounded materialistic conception of girl story , published only in 1932. Considered as break between early and matured Marx.

The manifesto of the communist party( 1848) - with Engels- contained his ideas of class struggle , conflict in capitalist society , social revolution etc.

Dad Kapital (capital)-1967, later volumes published by Engels after death of Marx - contained dissection of capitalism , its contradiction, destructive tendencies.

Question 6

“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles “ who said This

Answer 6

Karl Marx

Question 7

Life is not determined by consciousness , but consciousness by Life- who said This

Answer 7

Karl Marx

Question 8

What is materialism

Answer 8

Material conditions of life, determine our consciousness, identity and idea.

Materialism is a philosophical doctrine in which preference is given to matter over idea, thought and consciousness .
Our physical body and existence represent matter . Hence under materialism, the body and physical existence is given preference over a material soul or consciousness. Thus our materialistic doctrine or bodily or physical existence determine our consciousness idea and thought. the opposite is idealism.

Question 9

What is mode of production?

Answer 9

Consist of forces of production- factory machines, technology tools
And relation of production - how does producing these products relate socially - the class system.

Question 10

The executive of the modern state is, but a community for managing the common affairs of the bourgeoisie - Who said

Answer 10

Karl Marx

Question 11

Critique of Marx thoughts

Answer 11

Karl popper ( open society and it’s enemy )

Isiah Berlin

Question 12

Materialist thinkers

Answer 12

Aristotle
Kautilya
Machiavelli
Hobbes
Feuerbach
Marx

Question 13

Idealist thinkers

Answer 13

Plato
Dene descartes
Immanuel Kant
Hegel etc

Question 14

How’s is Marx’s materialism different

Answer 14

First, he propounded dialectical conception of matter. Any material being develops to higher level through a dialectical process that is by constant struggle between two contradictory elements natural present in that thing.

Second , Marx visualise history as progression in mode of material production through dialectical process and on this basis , he propounded law of historical progression and also predicted the future mode of production and resulting social arrangement.
In some his materialism, denoted empiricism the use of scientific method to enquire social phenomena, realism, or pragmatism, naturalism or disbelieve in supernaturalist and denial of soul body dualism .

But essentially deferred from other materialism in two ways. First is conception of dialectical, materialism, and second is ideal, historical materialism.

Question 15

Dialectical materialism of Marx

Answer 15

Every thing exists and defined in contradictory relation to something else. Hence, every thing has inbuilt or inherent contradictory or dialectical element in it.
Example- servant gets its meaning only in relation to its master . employee -employer, poor -rich light -darkness.

Every thing is in constant motion, it appears ,develops and decays.

Progression happens dialectical that is by constant struggle between two contradictory elements present in that thing . Example, seed destroyed to give plants which destroys to give many seeds. seed in itself contain forces of its destruction.

To Marx, dialectic is the universal law of nature, human and thought. All development occurs on this pattern.

He applied the dialectical process to historical progression in his mode of production and associated social arrangement.

Question 16

Historical materialism of Marx

Answer 16

Man’s rationality or consciousness for social production, is derived from his material, condition of life and economic relations of production.

Individual consciousness and identity is formed within a specific relations of production in society.

Social cultural system at any stage of human civilisation is determined by prevailing mode of production of that period .

Human history is progression in stages of different modes of material production through the dialectical process.

At a certain stage of development in mode of production , the forces of production comes into conflict with existing relation of production. These produces class struggle the struggle, changes the mode of production and takes it to a higher level.

Changes in mode of production quickly bring changes in the social superstructure- the political, legal system or cultural, social culture, etc

Example- In ancient Period- primitive mode of production, low-level of forces of production, master- slave relation of production
Midival period - feudal mode of production- more developed forces of production, feudal lord- serfs relation of production

Modern period - capitalist mode of production- high-level of forces of production- capitalist-worker( bourgeois- proletariat relation of production.

Dialectical progression of civilisation or history through class struggle - two classes in opposition, class struggle brings change /progress in modes of production and associate social arrangement.

Question 17

Karl Marx’s dialectical materialism was influenced from whome

Answer 17

Hegel ,dialectic idealism

Question 18

In which book did Marx talk bout his theory of alienation

Answer 18

Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844

Question 19

Define alienation

Answer 19

Literarily alienation means condition of disaffection, estrangement and viewing anything as alien. If we are not able to relate positively to anything, we are alienated from that thing.

Question 20

Max’s theory of alienation

Answer 20

For Marx, alienation reflects a human condition in the capitalist mode of production. Essence of being human is the ability of conscious, rational, social production. Product is extension of men’s existence, his flourishment , release of energy ,cultivation of reason. In fact, the producer seem himself in his product but exploitative relation of production and oppressive process of production rob all the pleasure and fulfilment from the producers - the workers.

For them the product becomes alien to them. They cannot relate to their product. Thus they are alienated from the product. Not only that, workers are alienated also from the production process, Fellow workers and from himself. capitalist mode of production Reduce worker to a small part of a giant machine -cog in the wheel. Such de - humanisation alienates him from his sense of being human .

Question 21

How capitalistmode of production alienate working class according to Karl Marx

Answer 21

In pre-capitalist mode of production, producer owned and controlled his produce . He could relate to his product. The dominant class/feudal lords used to take away his produced politically or by force. But this did not alienate producer from his product.
Also he had social bond of obligations and rights with the dominant class. In case of any an emergency, the feudal lord was expected to help the peasant in return the peasant was to fulfil his obligations of subordination and consent to the Lord.

In Pre capitalist mode of production. The producer was integral part of the production system.
The producers were neither alienated from their produce product nor from the production process .

In capitalism worker has no social bond of obligation with the capitalist class. He is free to sell his labour to anyone, accept market determined Wages , capitalist class has no obligation to labour class.

Labourer sell his labour power at market rate to the capitalist . Thereafter, his labour power and products produced from those labour powers are owned by the capitalist.

In capitalist mode of production labourer becomes a commodity and labour power is purchase at exchange value of labour. Also he loses ownership of his labour and products produced by embodying his labour.

Thus capitalist own the labour , extract more value from it than then He paid , do not pay part of the labour and keep them as profit. Therefore exploitation of labour is done economically .

Because of division of labour , specialisation , worker loser sense of his product. For example, a worker in car assembly line fitting a part of the car cannot relate with the car in which his labour is embodied. He becomes alienateed from his product.

Alienation from his product increases because most of the time the worker is not able to afford his own product in exchange rate, he is no more able to see myself in his product. The product becomes alien to him.

Producing for someone else in others, terms and conditions, oppressive production process on which he has little control. All these De- humanise the labour . The man becomes machine. This condition alienate worker from the production process.

Labourer becomes commodity, exchangeable,easily displaced, compete with fellow workers to get job , this alienates workers from fellow workers.

Thus, capitalist mode of production alienates the worker from his product, production process, fellow workers and from himself .

Question 22

4 types of alienation by Marx

Answer 22

1. Alienation from product of labour -
   Product belongs to the employer , not the worker .
   Worker produces small part of product
   Cannot afford to own the product made by him .
2. Alienation from the act of production, labour process-
   Productive work at the work place which is essence his human function becomes forced labour , bondage and is experienced by the workers as suffering.
3. Alienation from species being-
   De humanisation of the worker- man becomes machine

4 alienation from man to man
Market mediated human relation
All relation for instrumental value, people as object, as means to gain economic benefits.

Question 23

Who have the concept of “anomie”

Answer 23

Emile Durkheim

Question 24

Karl’s theory of alienation represents what

Answer 24

Represents the radical humanism in the thoughts of early Marx

Question 25

Marx view on the state

Answer 25

Marx’a view about the state was radically different from the prevailing notion of state in his time .

To him state is part of the society’s superstructure corresponding to specific mode of production of that society . Entire superstructure, that is state, politics , law, art, culture etc promote the interest of the dominant class , the class which dominate the economic base- the mode of production , the class who owns the means of production and therefore control the mode of production.

The state, political and legal system , art , culture etc were all to support the interest of the dominate class in the base.

State is the organ and instrument of class dominance . In stringent or the state like law, govt, police, etc serve the interest of the dominant class .

State becomes mere puppet whose strings are in the hands of the capitalist class.

The state was the unnecessary evil. Human freedom is possible only when the state die, giving a stateless society .

Question 26

Prediction made by Karl Marx

Answer 26

Till classless, stateless society is establish , for a transition period , state would exist but under the dictatorship of Proletariat. It would be socialist state which will work for the interest of the entire society, not just for the capitalist class.

Intimately state will also wither away giving rise to stateless society . Then only true human emancipation would be possible.

Question 27

Three types of states in capitalist society according to Marx

Answer 27

1 the instrumental model - state having no autonomy. The dominant class fully controls it. State becomes a mere puppet to fulfil needs of the capitalist class.

2. Class balance model- state has autonomy to act in its wine interest. Where social power of the two opposing class are nearly balance, the political state can gain independence from high , exploiting class conflict in order to promote own interest .
   Also called , bonapartist state.

The abduction model- the capitalist class in their economic interest stay away from the Direct exercise of political power. Instead they play an indirect role . The capitalist or bourgeoisie class withdraw from direct political rule in order to avoid the troubles and dangers of ruling. Main structures and police’s are ultimately guided by the interest of the capitalist class

Question 28

Marx’s idea of freedom or liberty

Answer 28

Political vs human emancipation- to him, poltics/state is part of super structure which is created to work for the interests of the dominant class in the economic structure of the society. Hence, political freedom in the arena of superstructure is meaningless as it would be false and meaningless freedom.

Human emancipation can be achieved only by changing economic base mode of production , to bring such social protection in which each individual contributes freely as per his ability without any compulsion , constrain and relate to fellowmen as equal .

Such emancipatory, social production will have its own supporting superstructure

Just an equal, social production is the key to human freedom.

Working class are the agent of universal human emancipation. Through social revolution led by the working class, New social arrangement will come which will achieve human emancipation for all classes.

True freedom will be based on fraternity and social solidarity .

Freedom is regaining human essence of social creativity that is , man contributing a social production to realise essence of being human , acts of self-realisation.

Marx’s freedom is not limited to individual, liberty and autonomy. Rather freedom is achieved only by contributing meaningfully in social production process .

His freedom is for all classes, All sexes, all divisions in society. Thus freedom of women in marriage, family and civil society is also part of the human freedom.

True human freedom is possible only when duality of political and civil society is eliminated. For this , the society should be classless and stateless.

Question 29

How to achieve true freedom according to Marx

Answer 29

True human freedom only possible when duality of political and civil society is eliminated, for this the society should be classless and stateless

Question 30

Marx’s idea of revolution

Answer 30

The change in mode of production comes true dialectical process, contradictory elements in the existing mode of production. At some point of time , reach to A point that existing relation of production becomes a barrier in the further development of the forces of production. At that point of time through a social revolution, the mode of production is changed to bring back the forces and relation of production in harmony.

The main aim of social revolution is human emancipation .

First time in history the revolution shall be led by majority but poor class . all previous revolutions were led by the minority but well off classes.

This would be the final revolution as it will eliminate the class antagonism in society.

This revolution will lead to stateless classes society in which human essence of social creativity shall be regained .

In the socialist mode of production and socialist /communist society, everyone will contribute as per his ability and will receive as per his need.

Revolution is not and option but necessary for human emancipation . Modification and improvement in the capitalist system are not possible. It can only be replaced by a new system. Hence revolution is not at option but necessity.

The revolution would be brought in by the proletariat class, but through this social revolution, not only the working class, but also the entire humanity including the capitalist class would be emancipated

Outcome of the revolution would be transitional period in which true dictatorship of proletariat ground will be prepared for classes in stateless social order .

Question 31

Marx’s theory of surplus labour

Answer 31

Labour alone generate value in any product.

Exchange vale or the labour power is less than the use value of that labour put into the product .

Surplus of use value of labour over its Exchange value is retained by the capitalist as profit

Question 32

Young vs matured Marx- the German ideology (1845) is the diving line; this division was given by whome

Answer 32

Loius Althusser