evaluation on marxist leninist philosophy
TRANSCRIPT
POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Sta. Mesa, Manila
COLLEGE OF ARTS
Department of Humanities
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
This EVALUATION PAPER on
“FUNDAMENTALS OF MARXIST - LENNINIST PHILOSOPHY”
is submitted by
EMMANUEL R. CALEON
as a partial requirement in
DIALECTICAL AND HISTORICAL MATERIALISM
under the supervision of
PROF. AMABLE TUIBEO
submitted on
OCTOBER 5, 2010
PAPER OUTLINE
I. Marxism as
a. Philosophy
b. Political Economy
c. Classless Society
II. Metaphysics of Marxism
a. Dialectical Materialism as against Mechanistic and Metaphysical
Materialism
b. Historical Materialism
III. The Marxist Theory of Knowledge
a. How Knowledge is Form under Dialectics
b. Practice as the Criterion of Validity
IV. Mode of Production
a. Forces and Means of Production
b. Relations of Production
c. Conflict between Means of Production and Relations of Production
V. Relation between Economic Base and Ideological Superstructure
a. Explain Social Existence determines Social Consciousness
VI. Origin and Function of the State according to Marx
VII. Why Religion is an Opium of the People according to Marx
VIII. How can the Classless Society be Achieved
IX. Personal Comment of Marxist Philosophy
An Introduction to Marxism
We can hereby grasp three aspects of Marxism. These are aspects in which the world
view of it as significant basically on materialist interpretation gives a view on human
liberation. Marxism can be viewed as philosophy into which dialectical and historical
materialism as a whole is discussed, in political economy that criticizes capitalism and
the vision of classless society into which it advocates proletariat revolution.
Marxism viewed human history as the struggle of social classes. The productive
capacity is the foundation of the society at large. Human history is basically on the basis
of economical condition. Marxism believes to the idea that the society evolves and is in
motion. The consciousness of man is reflected and can be derived on his material
condition. Human society undergone definite stages: the primitive communal; the slave
holding society; the feudal system and the capitalist society. Marxism aims to return the
societal status and values to the primitive communal by establishing the next stage of
socialism. Primitive communal model of society possesses the value of equality and
justice for each other.
These presented stages as shown above and will be discussed at the latter part,
Marxism saw that all undergone class struggle. The breakdown of the primitive
communalism opens the door for class differentiation on the basis of those who have
and those who do not have. It similar grounds, the historical model of Marxism, those
who do not have are commonly being oppressed by those who have. The breakdown of
primitive communalism is due of holding private property. Oppression arises to this
stratum.
Oppression is divided into two competing facts the oppressed or defined as the
working more yet receiving less and the oppressor or defined as working less yet
receiving and getting more. The concept of oppression simply imposes injustice among
people. Hitherto, economic and material conditions are directly manifested in
individual’s social class.
Political Economy of Marxism deals with his critique on capitalism. The relation
of production is duly by virtue, workers are oppressed and exploited. The capitalist that
holds the means of productions dominate the majority of the working class. Ownership
lied on the hands of the capitalists into which they were receiving more than they toil
and worked. Through this point, the workers who exerted effort will get less than what
they deserve. This mode or this situation is to be called as the surplus of labor in which
the workers are performing unpaid labor and was oppressed to receive the right and
just counterpart of his given sweat and labor. Marxism believes that because of private
ownership, the development of human society is disabled and cannot go further and
beyond what it suppose to be.
To breakdown the capitalist system, Marxism suggested for a proletariat
revolution in which it advocates a classless to stateless society. In order to overcome
private property society, workers and oppressed must unite and seized the political
power over the capitalist and bourgeoisie. This is to eliminate private property and to
form a society who can provide the needs of everyone. The revolution promises
socialized society in which it holds the slogan of “from each according to his ability, to
each according to his works”. Marxism asserted that when all the nations in the world
are in the stage of socialism, the world is now ready for a communism that holds the
slogan of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
Proletariat revolution aims that individual ownership will be transposed into
collective ownership by which it is the public that holds the right to everything and
equally distributed. In this way, the social classes will be abolished and all forms of
material inequality will vanish and dissolve in humankind.
Metaphysics of Marxism
Metaphysics of Marxism criticizes them pre-Marxist materialism in which Marx said
that these were mechanistic and metaphysical in form. Marxist materialist agreed to the
notion of the early materialism that the world does not resort into any supernatural
forces or doctrine of nature. This is purely on the cognition and reflection of the
material world. Marxism, however found conflict and created his new theory in the
body of dialectical and historical materialism.
Marxism’s stand is that everything is in motion; if everything is in motion then
matter is subject for change. If it is changing, nothing is immutable and inevitable.
Marxism clearly eliminates the supernatural forces that are immutable and unmoved.
Marxism’s materialism believes that nature is in process that motivates matter for
movement.
Pre- Marxist materialism is said to be mechanistic in view. It explained all the
manifold and phenomena removing the concept of supernatural forces that causes for
movement. It is the mechanical force that gives the matter its motion. This implied that
the rise of science in this age affects the belief. Marxism however saw inadequacy in this
concept. Mechanistic view did not appeal with supernatural forces yet it forgot that the
socio – economic condition of the people gives contribution to the changes and
development. This specific thought will be in fully formed under the historical
materialism. It focuses more on the mechanistic and scientific outlook, in which it forgot
to see the psychological, biological and social process of mankind. This also forgot the
concept of spirituality in which Marxism believes that because of mans shattered
material and socio-economic condition they learned to put necessary connection for
their soul to the being that they believe to rescue them.
Pre-Marxist materialism is said to be metaphysical materialism. It considered the
nature and society to be changeless and immutable. To this view, this denied the
existence of motion inside the matter. It refused to accept the idea that individuals have
the capacity of change. This problem is in the realm of singularity. Commonly referred
that this problem is absolutist the natural approach and forgot the condition for
singular growth. Indeed at some point, thinkers of the pre-Marxist materialism did a
good guesses on the changes that takes place in the nature, the evolution of certain
species yet, it lacks the understanding for the universality and essentiality of
development. It develops quantitatively but not even se the possibility or the chance of
it’s qualitatively. Further discussions on this matter will be in the next part of the paper.
In all, the pre-Marxists materialism, forgot the development of society and it only
develops in the scope of nature. They oppose the spiritual concept of origin that it is
from the supernatural forces and gives justification that it is natural forces that operates
in life. These methods duly did not see the evolution of society. It is the material
condition that the society undergoes changes and development. Thus, historical
materialism can explain the evolution of society, its origin and how the material
condition of the people affects the development and changes.
The Marxist Theory of Knowledge
It is very common in philosophy to the theory of knowledge. It answers the questions
on how knowledge is formed, its origin, sources and verifiability. Marxism, as we all
know it, is materialist in view. Marx, the founder or Marxism, is a successor and
influenced by Epicurus, Lucretus, Aristotle, Vico and Darwin. Marxism deals with
materialism. Materialism is viewed in such a way to emphasize the objects given to us
and they are present in the physical world.
Materialist position is that matter is primary over our ideas. This gives
superiority to the physical and visible world. Materialist pointed out that the world is
knowable, tangible and exists apart from human consciousness. This means that even
there was no consciousness, things exists in itself. The primacy of matter to which it is
present there and thereby we are to grasp them and ideas will follow as mere the
reflections of these physical matter. Thus, materialists are trying to emphasize that, if
there were no physical world that exists outside our mind, then, it is impossible to
attain knowledge for the reason, mind only interprets what is outside or on the other
hand, what are inside and present in the material, physical and knowable world.
The subject of materialism is the physical world and the physical world is made
up of matters. These matters are interrelated to each other. If they were interrelated,
then we could say that nothing is in complete isolation. Every matter links to another.
Each matter contains necessary relation and connection that binds them. Matter is also
capable for movement. If everything is moving therefore we can say that nothing is
absolute that everything or matter is in the process of becoming. Matter, being capable
of movement means that, time will come for it to pass away. Motion of matter is not
because of any inevitable agent, motion is in itself present to every single matter,
meaning it is the character of matter to posses this motion that they, themselves
operates on its own respect.
Matter as moving and in the process of becoming; this implies that matter
undergoes changes and development. Matter must first possess content; this is the unity
and struggle of opposites. Matter can be in for and for not: hey are subjected to take two
positions. These contents are what the matter is made of. It must have form; this
consists of transformation from quantity to quality. This means that singularity could
not be essential when standing alone. These singulars must be in full combinations so as
to produce the quality of things. The quality can be somehow equated to Aristotle’s
essence. Direction is the third, in which it is the spiral development or the negation of
the negation.
Summing what the materialist view on sources of matter can be as simple as this
way, materials exist independently from our consciousness; the only difference in
matter is between what is known and what is to be known. It is very important to note
that knowledge will arise from the covers of ignorance.
Marxism highlighted that practice serves as the criterion of validity of
knowledge. Practice comprises of all the objective forms of man’s activity. This includes
his social being in which material and spiritual culture is created. Practice as
determinant of knowledge or criterion of validity may dictates how the society was
influence by certain ideologies that arise, the inculcated culture and the implanted set of
beliefs that form as the social norm. Marxism maintains the position of historical
materialism that ideologies of every epoch are the ideologies of the ruling class. To this
matter, Marxism respond to this call as, the struggle for change in order to bring about a
new social norm and creating a new breed of individuals that will respond to the call of
service and can go beyond the self centeredness.
Practice indeed influences one’s life to the aspect on how he was molded by the
society. The society is a neutral institution that was manipulated by the ruling
ideologies that turns out to be either destructive or productive causes. It can easily
manipulate one’s understanding and personal outlook in life’s decision making.
Individuals thinking will primarily clings to what he used to be depending on the
nature he was brought out. He can be an active or passive member of the society based
on the environment he used to be.
Indeed, praxis is a reflection of the material condition of every individual. Praxis,
are influenced by the reigning class that is full existence. This is a proof on how the
ruling class maintains their status and achieves the success over the oppression of the
ruled class.
Mode of Production
Indeed, material and economic condition divides the class and the identity of the social
class derives from its relationship to the modes of production. Marx describes the social
classes in the capitalist society: Proletariat and; the bourgeoisie.
The proletariat or those people who sell their labor power and who in the
capitalist system do not own the means of production, in other words, they provide the
force of production. Bourgeoisie on the other hand owns this means of production.
Before we go any further, let us describe what are these means of production and forces
of production. “Forces of Production” is commonly given to the workers who do the
tasks and performs the work. Simply, they are the workers or employees. Forces of
production do not have the capital or means for production but they provide the labor
to accomplish the tasks given to them. The capitalists’ mode of production establishes
the conditions enabling the bourgeoisie to exploit the proletariat because of the surplus
value, whom workers did not get the right wages to the labor they generate.
Means of production holds the capital for providing raw materials, technologies
and the wages and salary of the proletariat or the working class. In all means, they buy
the labor of the working class and then exploit them by not giving the proper amount to
their exerted labor. There are also these so called petit bourgeoisies whom, at the same
time holds the means of productions and forces of productions. These petit bourgeoisies
employs laborers and buy labors and at the same time works or sell their labor as well.
The relation of the two simply goes to be the provider and the doer. The owners
depend so much on their workers ability of producing goods and at the same time, the
workers depend on the owners to that provide materials and will soon pay their labor.
Without the forces, there are no goods to be produced, no one will work and labor to
finish products. Without the workforce, there will be no products to appear. The same
point, the means holds the capital that without them, providing the raw materials, the
machineries, the capital, the absence of means will mean that there will be no one to
provide material conditions that is necessary to start the production.
Production is indeed a foundation of society. Without production, there will be
no goods to use by the people. Production is a necessary element that establishes
societal growth and development. Production provides people their basic needs and
necessities. That without production, society will face trouble and will failed in
achieving its goals to sustain the people.
There is a conflict between the relation and the means. Means of production
provides the materials and the relationship of mutuality are not realized. Conflict on the
one hand is the pervasion of balance. Conflict we can say is the oppression of the
working class. They did not receive what is just and proper for them. The conflict is that
the means hold so much them property while the relations push through imbalance and
injustice to the one who holds the labor. Proletariats are exploited and dominated by the
bourgeoisies who continually grows their means while the forces are exploited. In this
means, the relationship shows in-equilibrium.
Historical Materialism shows that means of production undergone several
changes and in different forms depending on their stages and time of existence.
Conflicts clothed differently, but the fact, it is present even before the capitalist society
exists. Let us take for example the feudal society, the land owners holds the means of
production, they provide the land, the storage, the raw materials and the merchants and
peasants are the forces that works and labor on the land and getting smaller value over
their exerted labor. The manifestation of oppression gives rise for the capitalist society.
The primitive communal has the most balance mode of production; they were
getting the right value for their exerted effort. The nature was their means that provides
their needs and at the same time they are the forces who received equally according to
their labor. The slave holding society possesses the worst scenario of conflict. Slaves are
purchased and work by any means without receiving the proper amount for his labor.
Slaves hold the forces of production and masters provide the means of production.
Relation between Economic Base and Ideological Superstructure
In review of Historical Materialism, Marx believes that the first stage of socio-economic
formation is the primitive communalism wherein everyone receives according to his
ability and to his contribution. This early system show equality of people and receives
the just accordingly. His efforts gained the equal amount to sustain his needs. We are
able to see that in this stage, the base is the only element that functions wherein there is
an absence of chained repression and oppression. The second level of socio-economic
formation hence shows how the first staged of superstructure revealed and manifested.
The second stage of socio-economic formation for Marx is the slave society. As
mentioned in the former paragraph, it is the stage in which the existence of
superstructure can be manifested. As the time goes by, here arrives the moment into
which people from the primitive communal started asking for more than what they
need. The government that was formed in the primitive communal is now becoming in
realization of self interests. In this particular point, we are able to see the early
reflection of wants that will cause for some people to get more than they deserve, since
the society that time have limited resources and these people of the early forming
superstructure gets the remaining resources for the economic base. This stage brings
forth the private property into which those who have gained more power and are
transcendence and superior over those who do not have. Since, those who do not have
need goods and resources to sustain them, they will now engage themselves to those
who have and will become a slave. There are also some slaves that are victims and
products of war. A tribe occupies small size of land but when this tribe expanded in
terms of population, they also need to expand their territory to sustain them for foods
and area. When two tribes meet at the half way, their number one reaction is to conduct
war against each other and the survivor of loosing tribe will become the slaves of the
winning tribe. The slave society is the relationship of masters and slaves by which the
base is the slave and the master is the superstructure. Now, we have presented two
ways of slave purchase, but this slave society will not be forever and the rise of the third
stage is next.
Feudalism is the third stage into which the slave holding society of master and
slaves evolves into land owners and peasants’ relationship. Land owners serve as the
superstructure and the peasants are the base. Peasants cultivate, sow and harvest on the
land of the owners but are receiving minimal amount for the totality of their effort. We
are able to see that in this stage, the relationship of base and superstructure raised into
the next level by which peasants are working on the land of someone who are rich and
are included in the ruling class. We should not forget that the rise of middle classes
vividly reveals itself and these bourgeoisies are those who can afford yet they are not in
the ruling class, they do not have yet they are not in the ruled class. Oppression and
repression to those who do not have is highly manifested in this stage. The oppression
reached the heights and the middle classes gathered all the peasants and started a
revolution against the land owners. They promised fraternity, brotherhood, equality
and justice to the people. This revolution or popularly known as the industrial
revolution, serves as the key for the next stage.
The promised fraternity, justice, brotherhood and equality are then shattered into
pieces. The land-owners and peasants relationship are then replaced by the capitalists
and the workers relationship. This stage is popularly known as the capitalist society.
The middle classes of the feudal society are now the superstructure. They possesses the
biggest private property of this age, they manipulated the system by industrialization.
The oppression of the ruled classes reached the next level in the presence of the
workers. The promised virtues are not attained because of the newly ruling classes
enjoy the leisure and comfort of life with the presence of private property. The
capitalists hold the technology, capital, and others that are necessary for a company to
run. They hire workers or employees to work for them and be their slaves. I can say,
this is the slave holding society in the new form. This particular time, world is in
advance capitalist system. The extremeness of chained wants resulted into chained
oppression and repression of the ruled class. We are able to observe the invisible
presence of the middle classes because people can only be considered into two
categories as the ruled class and the ruling class. Therefore, the relationship of economic
base and ideological superstructure is always in the form of ruled classes and the ruling
classes.
Marx proposes for a classless society or the socialism. This specific area will be in
further discussion at the latter part.
Another important idea we should consider in this particular part is the Marxists
quotation – the social existence determines social consciousness. This is very materialist
in view. This simply means that your social class determines the way you think and
how your lines of thought flow. At the same time, social class is not enough to
determine the thinking process of people, there is a need to consider how the others
influenced one person. The environment is an essential point we could consider to look
up on individuality. This standing on how he grow on how he interacts the world,
nature and environment, the influenced of social institutions is in the highest pledge
that made up man’s ability to think and influenced man’s belief. There are factors that
the society alone cannot build up. There are factors that are inseparable to man’s life.
These factors cause the development of man’s awareness and his consciousness.
Therefore, it is indeed true that the social existence has something to do on individuals’
consciousness basically on the grounds of factors affecting him as man and as
individual.
We are able to observe that during the breakdown of Primitive Communal, the
uprising of the base and superstructure became more vivid and clear. The classification
of the two totally depends on the concept of private property and the upholding of the
resources to the few and letting the rest crave for it. We are able to se that the social
institutions such as religion, politics, education and others made a great impact for the
development of the relations between the two. These institutions give an extreme
margin between them and the development of oppression to the ruled class.
Origin and Function of State
State in a lexical meaning means the territory considered as an organized political
community under one government. It is the organizing body of the people in one
community in which they believes in certain set of rules and laws that are consensus
and objectified by the people. Marx claims that there is no state that exists during the
primitive communalism.
People in the primitive communalism are self-organized. They know their
responsibility and their obligations to one another. They know the concept of
moderation and temperance. The idea of being more than the others was not present.
Since they are in similar paths there is no need for a formal consensus among them.
They were following no laws. The only classes in this time were male and female; the
separation of these two brings forth to family. The family reflects the autonomy of labor
and tasks. The difference between the two started to be manifested. As the group
becomes larger and the differences continually are manifested, here arises the formation
of the government. They started following several laws into which more on moral and
mythological.
The breakdown of the Primitive communalism society brings forth the existence
of state. At this particular point in time, the class of male and female redirected into the
masters and slaves. Thinking masters who are capable to educate themselves created
laws for everyone to follow. Since these laws were created by the masters, basically this
is to protect them for the slaves. Military are then arises to give protection for the ruling
classes.
The feudal society, the state has similar functions. This is to protect the feudal
lords from the merchants or peasants. Military are strengthened to provide more
protection not only to the ruling class but to protect the state from the other state. The
state that was run by the church started to impose their religious beliefs and serves as
opium to the people, teaching the followers of indoctrination. The church that time
holds the biggest farmland. They organize the state to protect their private properties
against the merchants and peasants.
State became as an organ of political power. This particular claim can be vividly
manifested in the capitalist society in which there is an extreme distinction between the
two classes and the separation of wealth to government is impossible. State was
shielded by laws and military that was functioning to one goal and that is to protect not
the citizen but to protect the ruling class, serving them like Gods and Goddesses.
In socialism, Marx proposes that state should be abolished. People should learn
and be educated properly. They should attain intellectualism to organize themselves
that there will be no need for the state. They should produce competent intellectuals
and professionals to take over the states function. State is a pseudo institution that
promises good and beautiful but put people into sorrows and sacrifices.
Religion as Opium of the People
Marx considered that there are social institutions that aim for preservation of the
existing rotten system. These institutions are at some point benefits the socio-economic
condition. One of these institutions is the religion.
Religion once aims to free the people from oppression. Religion during the early
age fights against slavery and do what is beneficial for the people. Therefore, religion is
not for the protection of the ruling class. As the time goes by, these original tasks
changes as the socio-economic conditions also change. From the medieval ages until
now, we are under the influence of religious principles and ideas; we are so amaze with
their promises. It means that what the religion originally aims changes and these
principles give huge contribution to the advancement of capitalism. Through the years,
religion was successful to inculcate distorting type of consciousness.
Marx considered religion as the opium of the people for no reason; opium
provides a false sense of contentment and religion do similar task for the people.
Therefore, religion is on the basis for supplementing people not their material
conditions but what awaits them after the physical existence – this is the false sense of
contentment on the side. Religion prepared people for his eternal life and letting the
material life just pass him by, even if it is full of sacrifices. Biblical interpretations and
scriptures that promote passivity and conservatism among the people is the biggest
factor or the biggest interval that the religion made. Because of religion, people’s
ideologies are prepared for salvation and the achievement of the eternal life and the
kingdom of God. Part of these salvation and attainment of eternal life and the kingdom
of God are the beliefs of what you sow you will reap; the code of humility; the principle
of forgiveness; the love and fanaticism for peace; the sustained healthy spirit but poor in
physique needs; the interpretation of good and beautiful and the idea of inevitable
truth. These are just some of the ideas present in majority of the religion.
These principles serve as element to social preservation and the maintenance of
the status quo. These principles teach people to be passive in a way that the ruling class
are oppressing their rights and perverting them from what they ought to be. They rely
so much on the heavenly promises that await them when the above mentioned virtue
and principles are practiced. Because people are passive and conservative, the
superstructure or the ruling class can easily manipulate the system and the religion is at
great defense and prevention for revolutions or uprising against the existing capitalist
system.
People never realize that they need to improve their life worth living and to
prepare themselves for the so called salvation. Religion prevents the people for thinking
and questioning their existence that what they need to preserve is not the
superstructure but instead the humanity. Religion is very decisive on this part and on
the contrary they promote this pseudo-humanity.
Religion I could say is a neutral institution in which it does not react to anything.
It has an invisible power that is manipulated by the people who runs it. We should also
consider that history show that in the existing system, religion benefits from this so
called superstructure. They were run by the ruling classes of rich and plenty of material
subjugations. It is another reason why they promote this passivity, they were afraid that
when system of classless society is attained, their sovereignty will vanish. Therefore, the
neutrality of the religion made it to be manipulative by the ruling people and people
behind the religious system. The neutrality of religion made it to be leaning away his
original objectives but moving towards the advantages of the superstructure, ruling
class, the oppressor and whatsoever we called it.
Therefore, religion is an opium of the people by promising the ruled class the
eternal life and salvation and the richness of the life in the heavenly world causing the
believers of passivity and conservatism which is an essential tool for the preservation
and advancement of the capitalist system with the intention of the religion to maintain
their sovereignty and continually benefits from the ruling classes.
Achievement of the Classless Society
Basically, it is the private property that gives distinctions on social classes. Private
properties are the personal assets and possession of an individual. To look back again
his historical materialism, Primitive Communal Society does not engaged themselves in
any possessions or in the simplest words, they own nothing except to what the
environment can provide the and they are entitled to it in the virtue of equality.
The breakdown of this society happened at the same time the existence of
personal properties. Those who do not have are being enslaved by those who do not.
The mere point, slaves are considered to be commodities and are be included and
entitled as property of the masters. The feudal system, lands serves to be the
manifestation of power in a sense that ruling class owned lands and the merchants or
peasants work on it. Harvested crops will not be for the ruled class or the merchants or
peasants but rather will fully go to the land owners. These serve as commodities and
privately owned by those who can have. These products can be purchased by those
who can afford it. The breakdown of the feudal system gives rise to the capitalist
society. The rise of technology as the basic property owned by the capitalist or the
capital holder can be considerably an essential distinction. Those who do not have will
toil and works hard.
The most obvious in all these stages were the oppression of the ruling classes to
the ruled classes. Marx, in his analysis in Historical Materialism, the rise of Private
Property causes the distinctions between the two class and the distinctions were
manifested with the oppressions of the ruled classes. Private Property is the evil that
ruined the humanity and the society. Marx’s proposition is to abolish class society by
the virtue of abolition of private property. He considered the primitive communal stage
in which everyone has sustainable life and working for the good of everyone.
We should change Private Property to Public Property. The concept of social
production is for private appropriation is to be change into the equation of social
production is for social appropriation.
We can abolish private property through Revolution. Revolution is the answer to
solve the problem of oppression. The virtue of revolution is to abolish the classes and
the private properties. Revolution of the oppressed will give rise to a new society in
which everyone is entitled to anything; they own nothing except their body. The
proletariat revolution will produce new men committed to answer social needs and can
go beyond their self-centeredness to respond in the call of the social duty. The
revolution will end the struggle of classes and will bring forth new social norms that are
characterized for change and motion. This society is a stage leading to another higher
stage. Socialism aims for social appropriation – from each according to his ability, to
each according to his works.
For us to create new must destroy the old fully. When there exists a remnant of
the old system, the possibility that this remnant may cause for another stain to avoid the
empowerment of the newly created system. Marx also said that progress will not be an
overnight process. This will take time before you realize the effects. This will need
earnest effort to help the society be built in accordance to the principles. People will
then taught to be intellectuals and the mutual values of the primitive communal. By
these virtues, we are able to avoid the values we learn from the past system that rotten
human history.
Personal Comment on Marxism
Like the any other philosophy, Marxism is not a perfect principle. As an individual who
possesses distinct criteria for my beliefs, I agree with Marx yet disagree at some. It is in
the character of man to doubt on things. As I observe, I wish to ask for clarifications on
the following grounds. To some that will be presented below, I have my answers about
it, yet I am asking for more to justification and clarified things out.
The first thing that I observe is with the Division of Labor – this area gives man
to master a specific skill which made him alienated to understand and learn others.
Marxism, as I understand is, was against for this, since Marxism was not for this idea,
then it should not be present in the socialism. What I see is that division of labor cannot
be prevented into whatever stages it could be. Division of Labor has an essential role to
play for a unified society giving one another their perspective tasks, to engage
themselves in fields he can excel. Division of Labor on the other hand can give order for
everyone knows what he will do. This is very significant to Socialism whose idea goes
as – to each according to his ability.
Necessity of revolution, for my point, it should be the last option – maybe
because my consciousness was determined by my social existence that I pointed this
things. With the case of the advance capitalism and the extreme passivity of the people,
revolutions will not be successful unless we unconcealed the passive people. For my
point, better to focus on the aspect of opening people’s mind and if the action is
successful, then we could think of another solution aside from bloody revolution. In a
way, if eighty percent or almost one hundred percent of the ruled class will learn to
fight for their own justice, then, the ruling class, little by little will do volunteered
regression.
Total abolition of private property has the possibility of falling into stagnation
and immobility of products for there will be no goods and product competition. These
two were actually a direct contradiction. To my own point of view and really do not
know how Marxism solve this problem, the absence of competition often results into
ambiguity of letting things to pass by, since there is an absence of competitors, they
tend not to think the improvement of their products.
Equality and classless society will mean abolishment of profession and jobs that
arise through capitalism and this will mean that how to sustain the people’s living if
there are no present job for them to do unless jobs under socialism will appear in just a
snap. I highly appreciate a classless society, but classless for me, is very absolute. To the
extent that who will be the which.
Socialism is a neutral institution which is incapable of controlling the people; it is
run and manipulated by the people. The problem is that what if we fall into wrong
leaders, incapable of governing and does possess self interest. The achievement of
Socialism will seems to be in pseudo but the fact is, the equality and fraternity will not
be at the fullest. The example is the industrial revolution; the promises of the mediator
are not attained. If this is the case, does this mean socialism failed and we need to
revolutionize again? Regaining my point, the failure or success will depend on whose
interest is at the heights.
Conflict of self interest will continually exist. Private properties less society will
not mean that philosophy of thoughts would not revolutionize or the progress of ideas
will not flourish. There will always be competing principles by this time, those who will
fight the ruling classless society versus those who wanted to establish private property
society. Since men are within his sphere of unique beliefs, there will always be the left
and the right of politics.
We need to consider that ruling classes was influenced by scientific discoveries
that made them ask for more wealth, money and power. Inequality can be then
originated from these scientific advancements. People’s craving for luxuries and
contentment are extended to dissatisfaction because here and now, then and there, there
always exists a new of which people aims to have. For this aim in mind, they tend to
forget others and ruling their way in the self centralized environment. For my
conclusion, existence of careless science will continually promote dissatisfaction for
people and inequality and justice for self interest will be the prime most concern of
every individual. To add mo, let us not forget that science contributes to this so called
oppression and repression and the chained and endless wants of people that is highly
manifested to the ruling class.
If the leading ideology of all ages is the ideology of the ruling class, therefore the
primitive communal shows the existence of the ruling class or the primitive communal
has no ideology that will mean they are nothing and just scrap. In Socialism, does this
will mean similar to the primitive communalism since there will be no more social
classes – the ruling and ruled class. I think this is more on ambiguity of interpretation
on my side.
These are just some of my observation regarding to Marxism and I admit, I did
not fully understand the wholeness of the Philosophy. I confess that at some point, I
misinterpret or misunderstood Marxist Philosophy that is the reason why, I exert an
extra effort to analyze my presented comments on this part.
CALEON, Emmanuel R.
2007 – 026158 – 3
October 3, 2010