...Karl Marx was a very intriguing philosopher and had a lot of strong opinions that he was not shy about voicing. His ideas on change and how he thougth the world could seriously change were very strong. Marx was a philospher that had many beliefs and stood strongly by each one. From him believing that reality and histroy should be dialectally veiwed, to his beliefs that only a large scale in an econimic system can bring about real change. His beliefs of communism and all other things became its own and is referred to as Marxism. Marxism is defined as the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, later developed as the basis for communism according to Merriam online dictionary. Marx was influenced by many, its said that his ideas of how the structure of this society should be ran stemmed from the orginal philosophies of Georg Hegel. Hegel was once his professor, and I beleive Marx's strong politcal beliefs all started after hearing the views Hegel held close to him. Marx was bold, argumentative and very critical. Critical is a bit harsh but he got most of his points across through critique. According to an untitled article Marx was the first great user of critical method in social sciences and with this tool he'd pursue the job of sharing his strong deep rooted beliefs voiced in a philosophical way to ensure that the public thinks about what exactly is being said. Marx has many things published, such as the Communist Manifesto. He did a lot...
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...Edward Bernstein, Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky. Karl Marx, born on 5th may 1818, was born into a middle class Jewish family. During his teenager years Marx studied law in the University of Bonn in 1835, until he transferred to the University of Berlin the following year to study his main interest of philosophy. During this time Karl started to work on his doctoral thesis, “some contrasts in the philosophies of Democritus and Epicurus” (Singer, P,. 2000, p-5). This was accepted in 1841 by the University of Jena. Marx became interested in journalism and began to write on philosophical, political and social issues for a new founded liberal newspaper, the Rhenish Gazette. Karl Marx also studied Hegel and the dialectical method. Hegel discussed the mode of production. This was about society and how it functions in the world of work. The bosses of the working class held the forces of production, for example owning factories and machines. However the working class held the relations of production, as they worked for the bosses to earn money for their families, using the skills that they held and learning new skills on the job, for example learning how to operate a certain machine in a factory. Karl worked on his philosophical positions during 1844 as he was fired from his job at the gazette, however could afford to not work because of a pay out from the gazette. During his time out from working a friendship between Engels and Marx began. Engels was the son of a German industrialist...
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...Karl Marx: Sociologist of the 19th Century Karl Marx: Sociologist of the 19th Century Karl Marx was a man who was way ahead of his time. He was born in modern day Germany in 1818. He came from a long line of rabbis but decided not to follow that lifestyle. At the age of 17 he decided to attend Bonn University. He was taking law classes at Bonn University, but a year later he enrolled at the University of Berlin. While attending Berlin Karl Marx joined a group called Young Hegelians. This was a radical group full of students who criticized religion and politics. This was really the first noted time that Marx questioned authority, but would not be the last. Karl Marx graduated from school with his doctorates in 1941 at the age of 23 years old (Wolff 2003) In 1842 Marx got his first real job as an editor for the newspaper Rheinische Zeitung (Parsons 1964.) A year after acquiring this job the government ordered suppression of the newspaper, which caused Marx to quit. Shortly after resigning as editor Marx got married to his long time fiancé. They two of them moved to Paris in 1843. While in Paris, Marx worked for a paper while also working on a political journal. The writings Marx had in this newspaper got him expelled from France. (Wolff 2003) The first political journal that Marx worked on was titled Deutsch-Französische Jahrbücher. There was only one issue of this published before Marx and his co-writer got into a disagreement and decided to not continue...
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...February 27, 2012 SOC 200 Karl Marx Growing up in communist Romania in the 70’s and 80’s, deprived of the most basic liberties, as young children we were indoctrinated with communist ideas and schools were used merely as platforms in which curriculum strictly controlled with the purpose of instilling in youth communist principles. Karl Marx’s portrait would hang in every classroom above the old blackboard and his theories were studied and celebrated in every history book, literature book, economics, or any book for that matter. Sociology and Psychology were considered pseudo-sciences under the communist reign and therefore forbidden in schools. As Romanian history books were altered from the truth, describing only his greatest achievements and never the flaws, for the purpose of this project I was rather intrigued to research Karl Marx – I hated him for so many years - and take a really close look at who he actually was, and how he impacted the study of Sociology. I knew that he established the basis of communist ideology, and I have lived for twenty years through the atrocities committed by his followers, but I never really had the interest ( until now) to understand what influenced and drove him into envisioning and writing his proposals for change. Karl Marx was born in 1818 in the German Rhineland (Prussia). He was a philosopher, journalist and economist and even though he produced little that earned him money or recognition during...
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...A comparison between Adam Smith and Karl Marx The purpose of this essay is to evaluate and discuss how economists Adam Smith and Karl Marx contributed to current management practices and, more specifically, how they influenced the field of economics. Through critical analysis, we will explore the theories of Adam Smith and Karl Marx. Adam Smith’s contributions, from division of labor and the shift from a mercantile society to a capitalistic one as proposed in his “Wealth of nations report,” will be critically evaluated as to determine both their relevance today and the influence that they have had. Similarly, Karl Marx’s theories that helped to develop the economy in its most prosperous time will be critically evaluated to determine their influence and relevancy today. Although very distant in their theories and time, both men have played key roles in the development of economics, while in turn influencing current management practices. Both men were able to change and introduce new philosophies while reacting to the circumstances of their times, while creating legacies through their works that are still relevant in today’s vastly different circumstances and society. Adam Smith Scottish economist Adam Smith, born in 1723, is responsible for the initial development of economics in the eighteenth century and provided the framework for how we approach economic issues today. Smith was an “advocate for a free market society where international trade through both imports...
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...Q: The crisis of capitalism that Marx predicted has failed to materialize proving Marx wrong. Discuss. Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a revolutionary as well as a notable thinker; through out his life he worked on politics, economics, philosophy, sociology, class struggle and history but for the most part he dedicated his life to the overthrow of the capitalist order, which he accused as responsible for the degradation and enslavement of the vast mass of its population. Marx was the Co-founder of Marxism(with Engels), the Theory of Surplus Value, alienation and exploitation of the worker, The Communist Manifesto, Das Kapital, Materialist conception of history. Marx worked on his intellectual work started under the influence of G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831) who in the 19th Century Germany was the dominating philosophy. The Young Marx was, during this time, mostly concentrated on criticizing the ideas of political economists and analyzed things from a more humanistic and philosophical point of view. The older Marx had a clear preoccupation with economic analysis and there was again arguably, a disappearance of Hegelian terms in his writings. Marx was straight forward in his approach to capitalism and argued that the capitalist system just like the previous socioeconomic system will inevitably produce internal tensions which will lead to its destruction. Just as capitalism replaced feudalism, he believed socialism will, in its turn, replace capitalism, and lead to a stateless, classless...
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...tony.varley@nuigalway.ie Course Description: The classical sociological tradition has been heavily dominated by the writings of Marx, Weber and Durkheim. Each of these three theorists has carved out a distinctive approach to the study of society and, in the process, has contributed substantially to our understanding of the transition from pre-modern to modern society. There are many who would argue that the ideas of these three classical figures continue to have much to offer to an understanding of contemporary society and politics. There are several possible ways to study the ideas of Marx, Weber and Durkheim. In this course we will attempt to take a thematic and comparative approach by comparing the views of Marx, Weber and Durkheim on a number of central topics. We will look therefore at their ideas concerning the methods appropriate to the study of society, their views on class and the division of labour, on democratic politics and the state and on culture, religion and ideology. Our discussion will begin with a consideration of what a ‘classical’ tradition might look like in the social sciences; and of why Marx, Weber and Durkheim merit inclusion as the most significant members within such a tradition. For a fuller appreciation of the classical tradition in social theory there is no substitute for a reading of the original writings of Marx, Durkheim and Weber. As these writings are very extensive, we will rely on a number of commentaries – principally those by Morrison...
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...Karl Marx and Marxism Karl Marx set the wheels of modern Communism and Socialism in motion with his writings in the late nineteenth century. In collaboration with his friend, Heinrich Engels, he produced the The Communist Manifesto, written in 1848. Many failed countries' political and socio-economic structures have been based on Marx's theories, for example the USSR, East Germany etc. Many people believe that Marxism is not applicable to today's society, as Karl Marx put forward his ideas not anticipating the type of society we have today. The welfare state system has effectively nullified Marx's arguments, and made them irrelevant. Karl Marx, born on May 5, 1818, died on March 14, 1883, was a German economist, philosopher and revolutionist whose writings form the basis of the body of ideas known as Marxism. In his youth he was deeply affected by the philosophy of G.W.F. Hegel, and joined a rebel group called the Young Hegelians, which contributed ideas towards the movement against organized religion and the Prussian Autocracy. Later on in life, he was influenced by the writings of Ludwig Feuerbach, who wrote that God was invented by humans as a projection of their own ideals, and that in creating such a 'perfect' being, in contrast to themselves, mankind lowered themselves to lowly, evil creatures who needed guidance from the church and government. He said that, in creating God in their own image, humans had 'alienated themselves from themselves.' ...
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...Karl Marx and Max Webber both many had many philosophies of the capitalism and its effects on society. Their ideas helped pave the way and expand on theories of previous sociologists. Both men have a deep insight of socioeconomic class in the origins and development of modern capitalism. This paper will analyze the impact of capitalism on society as perceived by both men and the areas in which they agreed, disagreed, and expanded on the ideas of the other. In many ways, the Weberian theory was “rounding out” Marx’s theories, working within the traditions of Marxian (Ritzer, page 26). Weber viewed Marxists as economic determinists who offered single-cause concepts on societal life (27). Marx’s material orientation and its effect on society was something that Weber did agree with completely. Weber had a strong belief that most ideas are what shapes an economy, while Marx believed that it is the economy (and the materials within it, help to define our ideas (27). Weber was said to have taken Marx’s ideas and, “turned Marx on his head” (27). The inverse relationship between Marx and Weber transcends into many tremendous ideas on capitalism and the effects on society. Both sociologists have unique ideas on the driving measures that led to the development and the rise of capitalism. One of Weber’s most famous works called the, Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, dealt with the origins of capitalism and their “ethos”; ideas that are engraved into religious beliefs. Weber...
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...Religion as the Opium of the People For Karl Marx, human dignity is grounded in human labor. It transforms nature into a meaningful whole as well as man's life. It gives him his life meaning and purpose, for through labor, it gives man the chance to express his creativity. People encounter life as a chain of complications rather than transcendental qualities. Karl Marx found this in religion. In Marx's “A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of right,” he made a notion of religion being an opiate or opium, and many others. But what does this religion-opium statement imply? For Marx, he divulges that just as opium intoxicates people with erroneous feelings of well-being without relief, so does religion. Religion promises some cure, some form of shelter form human miseries and a temporary relief, when in reality; life is full of suffering, an affliction. It seems that in religion, when man puts more of himself to God, he loses a part of himself, and when he puts himself into God, he detaches from the reality of life. But here, Marx does not mean that religion drugs the people so as to dull their minds, rather it gives comfort and consoles people who are facing difficulties and suffering. The realization of pain and suffering is shown among the marginalized people. Those among the lower margins of human classes are waiting to be saved. Marx is saying that through class struggle, it is where human consciousness is determined. For the marginalized, he struggles materially...
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...Heather Jones Contemporary Political Thought Dr. Pickell November 24, 2015 Karl Heinrich Marx Throughout history many ideologies have been created and many philosophers have explained their thoughts and ideas. It has been over a century since Marx’s death, but he still remains to be one of the most highly influential figures (Prychitko). Karl Marx was not known as a 19th century philosopher, yet he was known as a German journalist, revolutionary socialist, and revolutionary communist. Not only did he discuss political and social issues, but he also inquired about history. Karl Marx was born to Heinrich and Henrietta Marx in Trier, on May 5, 1818 and was one of nine siblings. According to Ball, Dagger, and O’Neill, his father Heinrich was a Jewish, wealthy lawyer in Trier, but was forced to convert to Christianity because the government did not allow Jews to practice law. He was privately educated prior to going to college, and because Marx’s family was wealthy, he went to study law at the University of Bonn. There his grades began to deteriorate because he dedicated himself to his friends, alcohol, and trouble instead of his studies. As a consequence, his father made him relocate to University of Berlin, and while studying philosophy and pursuing law here he was introduced to the ideas Hegel and Feuerbach. In 1941, Marx graduated with a doctorate in Philosophy, but later turned to journalism because with his radical way of thinking he was unable to find an academic...
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...Marxist theory, the issue of ‘replacement power’ focuses on the necessity and not simply taking over the state but reorganizing it in ways that were unthinkable. This book addressed broad theoretical questions while critiquing academic social movement theory and interrogating what a Marxist theory of social movements might involve. This book examined how movements actually work, explored the political questions that confront movement participants, and argued understanding of how movements developed. The last part of the book gathered together both comparative historical studies and focused on recent movements against neoliberalism. Big Three in Economics Karl Marx is an Exodus. Marx argues that the pursuit of self-interest would lead to anarchy, crisis, and the dissolution of the private property-based system. Karl Marx broke the bonds of capitalism and tore apart the foundations of Adam Smith’s...
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...river floods, bursts its banks, and may take a new course. This represents the dialectical part of Marx’s famous theory of dialectical (or historical) materialism." Historical materialism is a methodological approach to the study of society, economics, and history first articulated by Karl Marx (1818–1883) as the materialist conception of history. It is a theory of socioeconomic development according to which changes in material conditions (technology and productive capacity) are the primary influence on how society and the economy are organised. Historical materialism looks for the causes of developments and changes in human society in the means by which humans collectively produce the necessities of life. Social classes and the relationship between them, plus the political structures and ways of thinking in society, are founded on and reflect contemporary economic activity. Since Marx's time, the theory has been modified and expanded by thousands of Marxist thinkers. It now has many Marxist and non-Marxist variants. Objectives of Study: • To define Historical Materialism. • To discuss about the basic philosophy behind the concept of historical Materialism by Karl Marx. • To study about the Recent Versions of Historical Materialism. • To findout the limitations of the Concept of Historical Materialism. Research...
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...Marx’s Theories of Alienation Prior to diving into the deep waters of Marx’s theory on the alienation of labor, it may be prudent to capture a general overview of his dynamic philosophy of alienation on a larger scale. Karl Marx observed and recorded the functions of society and how particular actions influenced and impacted individuals, groups and communities. Through his studies an emergence of social science was spawn. In relation to the term alienation, his manuscripts have depicted a framework of the effects stratification and economics, moreover, industrial capitalism bears upon people. That stated, Marx, segregated his theory into four levels, if you will. The alienation of labor being the second level, according to Marx (Hodson, 58). Consequently, the alienation of labor simply estranges the working force from the process of production. This process includes...
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...WOMEN UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND GENDER DEVELOPMENT STUDIES PROGRAMME : MSc DEVELOPMENT STUDIES COURSE : PERSPECTIVES IN DEVELOPMENT INTAKE : 5 NAME : NOBUKHOSI NCUBE STUDENT ID : W120979 LECTURER : DR E.S MAKURA ASSIGNMENT: Karl Marx theory shed light on the understanding of relations of people in the society. Discuss. DUE DATE : 06 APRIL 2013. Karl Max’s theory shed light on the understanding of relations of people in the society. Discuss The epistemology of the Karl Marx theory is of the premise that the history of all existing societies is the history of class struggles. Scholars have had a long standing debate on the significance of Karl Marx’s theory of class conflict. The other party argues that the theory of class conflict helps in the understanding of relations of people in society. In contradiction, there are scholars who believe the theory does not help much in understanding societal relations. This essay seeks to establish how the Karl Marx Theory shed light on the understanding of relations of people in the society. In this context society is defined as a group of people in general living together in organized communities with laws and traditions controlling the way that they behave towards one another. Society is divided into three classes namely aristocrats in the upper class, bourgeoisie in the middle and the down liners...
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