KARL MARX’S THEORY

1. KARL MARX’S THEORY • According to Marx, what do you need to have a revolution? • Proletariat gets bigger and bigger (labor saving machinery creates unemployment and drives down wages. Other classes (eg. Artisans and small shopkeepers) and then go broke and are driven into the proletariat) (#2!!!) • Workers paid bare amount required for them to support their families • The real worth of a good = value of the labor that went into making it • The price the capitalist sells the product has to include the wages for the workers + profit. Therefore, they pay the workers less than the value of the work that they put into it. • Bourgeoisie shrinks smaller and smaller from competition • Large unemployed industrial class • Proletariat “gains consciousness” and seize state and economy • The increasing exploitation of the working class leads to economic crisis because the working class cannot afford to buy the products of its labor. These crises get more intense with time. • The proletariat will finally see themselves as losers in the class struggle, and replace capitalism with socialism through Proletariat revolution. • QUTOES? #6, #4 (how bad it is and why want to do away with property) • History of class struggle • New classes usually win power by revolution. • Each stage of history has a ruling class which uses the state to maintain its rule (feudalism – nobility. Capitalism – capitalists. Socialism – proletariat) Primitive Communism and Communism are classless. • The conflict between classes creates progress. • CAPITALISM: Exploitation. • Capitalists own means of production. Proletariat only own their capacity to work. • Capitalism creates a proletariat who have nothing to sell but their labor • State is the means by which the ruling class forcibly maintains its rule over other classes. Has to be violent! Otherwise bourgeoisie won’t give up power by electoral means! • Then, according to Marx, what happens? • Proletariat implements socialism- take control of productive forces, destroy capitalism and redistribute goods. When all is equal, no need for government. • Eliminate old superstructure • Extras (quote: #3 on Wrest by degrees…all property…) • Representatives of the people should determine how the economy should be run. – since capitalism and the means of production are flawed and result in inequality • Extend democracy to include popular control over all decisions that shape people’s lives. • Substantial Equality of Outcome (to be free, you need to be free from hunger, disease and poverty, not just the ability to find cures for those things on your own. • (why get rid private property?(#3)) • SOCIALISM: Dictatorship of the proletariat (as state) • Eliminate old superstructure • Def: public ownership of means of production and egalitarian distribution of wealth and income Transitional! • COMMUNISM: • Classless society under which state wither away. • Def:a political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society • seeks to create human equality by eliminating private property and market forces. • No need for police or law since all share equally in fruits of labor (258) • #5 on page 244 = communism

2. KARL MARX’S THEORY History • Revolution! MARXISM: The theory that in a struggle over resources, the elite will dominate. Eventually the proletariat will create a classless state. Exploitation. CAPITALISM: • Revolution! SOCIALISM: Dictatorship of the proletariat Def: public ownership of means of production and egalitarian distribution of wealth and income • Evolves peacefully from socialism Transitional! COMMUNISM: • Classless society under which state wither away. • Def: a political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society

3. KARL MARX’S THEORY History of class struggle Marxist-Leninism • Vanguard of the Proletariat • Party ruled by democratic centralism • Socialist state needs to be strengthened rather than wither away • The philosophy adopted by ruling communist parties. Emphasizes the strategy and organization to be used by the communist party to overthrow capitalism and seize power as a first step on the road to communism. CAPITALISM: Exploitation. Stalinism • Totalitarianism: state attempts to exercise total control over all aspects of public and private life, through an integrated system of ideological, economic and political control. SOCIALISM: Dictatorship of the proletariat Def: public ownership of means of production and egalitarian distribution of wealth and income Transitional! • COMMUNISM: • Classless society under which state wither away. • Def: a political theory favoring collectivism in a classless society

4. Leadership is highly centralized and controlling to bring countries to Marxism • Working-class needs to be led by a vanguard of the proletariat • small revolutionary movement that could seize power on behalf of the people, ie: the Communist Party • The party itself ruled by democratic centralism (defined previously) • The state cant’ wither away soon; in fact, socialist state needs to be strengthened because of all of its internal and external enemies. Marxist-Leninism • Vanguard of the Proletariat • Party ruled by democratic centralism • Socialist state needs to be strengthened rather than wither away Stalinism • Authoritarian figures become regime’s defining characteristics. • Any movement that calls itself socialist but does not accept the leadership of the Soviet Union and Comrade Stalin is objectively anti-socialist and even objectively fascist. Such movements and their adherents may be treated as class enemies. • Used party, the mass media, and campaigns of terror to subjugate the population and mobilize the people in pursuit of leadership’s goals. TOTALITARIAN! • Totalitarianism: state attempts to exercise total control over all aspects of public and private life, including the economy, culture, educational and social organizations through an integrated system of ideological, economic and political control.