FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT

1. FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Transitional govt. that will eventually evolve into ideal socialist society: MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES: No private property Slave society w/more conflict b/w slave & master as wealth increases Feudal soc. w/conflict b/w serf & lord Primitive society w/o any excess wealth  no class conflicts Some owners survive while others don’t  Increasingly smaller class of owners who individually are much richer To stay competitive, they invest in more efficient, but expensive machinery  Must layoff workers No social classes or conflicts No need for govt., family, or religion Marxism successful in some ways but not in others: Pointed out the role of economics & class struggle in history Marxist rev’s happened in pre-indus., not ind. soc’s Caused many govt. reforms both for & vs. Marxism Indiv. genius, greed, stupidity, etc. not accounted for Growing class of poor unable to support themselves or capitalist econ  Workers’ rev. overthrows capitalism. Capitalist society conflict between owners & workers Owners charge more for their goods than they paid Ind. Rev. Social problems (FC.113) Ind. Rev.Social problems (FC.113)

2. Hi kids, I’m Karl Marx. I’m here to teach you about Communism and the coming workers’ revolution that will rule the world

3. But first, for those of you Who don’t believe we’ll soon rule the world, just watch this:

8. Now are you scared? Then listen up while I show you how it’s all gonna happen.

9. First, let’s define the basic principle of Socialism. How about this for starters: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need

10. There were early reformers, such as Charles Fourier, who had idealistic ideas about everyone coming together to live & work in harmony on their own.

11. Everyone would find their own natural way to contribute to the common good. For instance, children like playing in the dirt, so they’ll take out the garbage. I call them Utopian Socialists, which is why I’m talking about them in this fluffy cloud

12. But we’re here to talk about Communism, or Marxism, as some people like to call it. Very flattering, I must say. One way people like to describe Marxism is that it’s just Socialism in a hurry. That’s just a little joke. Hee hee.

13. Speaking of jokes, you know the difference between Capitalism and Communism? In capitalism, man exploits his fellow man, but in Communism, it’s the other way around. Har har. But seriously let’s get to work.

14. For one thing, let’s keep in mind that Socialism of whatever vein, was a reaction to the very real problems encountered in early industrial factories and an attempt to correct some very serious injustices. In case you’ve forgotten, Here’s a little something to jolt your stupid little capitalist bourgeois pig memories.

21. In reaction to these horrible conditions, I published The Communist Manifesto in 1848, the same year as all those Revolutions.

22. Later I worked on a much more comprehensive work, Das Kapital. However, I only finished the first of 3 volumes because, unfortunately, I died in 1886. Bummer. I hate it when that happens. Luckily, my good friend & colleague, Friedrich Engels, finished the book according to my notes.

23. Now, all my ideas together are much too complicated for your puny little bourgeois brains, so I’ll just touch on the highlights, in particular, my views on history & the world-wide workers’ revolution to come.

24. One idea we need to get clear is a little something close to my heart called Economic Determinism: the belief that a society’s economic structure determines its social, & political structure, as well as its culture & history

25. But remember, this isn’t just something that would be nice if it happened.

26. IT’S INEVITABLE!

27. But for now, I’ll turn things over to Mr. B. because I never could get the hang of those flowcharts.

28. Thanks, Karl.

29. Socialism: FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

30. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

31. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

32. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

33. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

34. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

35. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES: Not just a nice thing to happen, but…?

36. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

37. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

38. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

39. Friedrich Hegel, whose idea of history as a cyclical process of Thesis-> Antithesis-> Synthesis heavily influenced Marx’s own theories. However, Hegel’s ideas concerned spiritual evolution, Marx’s were material, being described as material dialecticism.

40. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Primitive society w/o any excess wealth  no class conflicts MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES: First stage of history?

41. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Primitive society w/o any excess wealth class conflicts? MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

42. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Feudal soc. w/conflict b/w serf & lord Primitive society w/o any excess wealth  no class conflicts MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES: Next stage w/conflict between?

43. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Slave society w/more conflict b/w slave & master as wealth increases Feudal soc. w/conflict b/w serf & lord Primitive society w/o any excess wealth  no class conflicts MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES: Next stage w/conflict between?

44. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Slave society w/more conflict b/w slave & master as wealth increases Feudal soc. w/conflict b/w serf & lord Primitive society w/o any excess wealth  no class conflicts MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES:

45. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Slave society w/more conflict b/w slave & master as wealth increases Feudal soc. w/conflict b/w serf & lord Primitive society w/o any excess wealth  no class conflicts Capitalist society conflict between owners & workers MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES: Ind. Rev. Social problems (FC.113) Ind. Rev.Social problems (FC.113) Next stage w/conflict between?

46. Socialism: From each according • to his ability, to each acc. to • his need • - Early idealistic attempts • Marxism: Radical socialism or • socialism in a hurry • Karl Marx • - Communist Manifesto (1848) • Not just a nice thing to • happen, but inevitable in that • order • -Econ. Determinism: a soc’s ec • structure determines its soc. • structure, culture, & history FC. 115 THE MARXIST VIEW OF HISTORY & ITS IMPACT Slave society w/more conflict b/w slave & master as wealth increases Feudal soc. w/conflict b/w serf & lord Primitive society w/o any excess wealth  no class conflicts Capitalist society conflict between owners & workers MARX SEES HISTORY AS EVOLVING THROUGH A SERIES OF ECONOMIC STAGES CHARACTERIZED BY CLASS STRUGGLES: Ind. Rev. Social problems (FC.113) Ind. Rev.Social problems (FC.113)

47. Before going on, we need to discuss a little something called the Labor Theory of Value. Does anyone know what that is?

48. That’s right! Very simply, it means that a product is only worth what the workers were paid to produce it.

49. So what do we call the extra money the bourgeois capitalist pig charges beyond that? Come on, you bunch of bourgeois toadies. Someone must know the answer.

50. Right again! Surplus value. And this is where we get to the fatal flaw in the Capitalist system that will eventually cause it to destroy itself. And for that vicious cycle, I turn it back to Mr. B.