Marxism

At the opposite end of the left/right political spectrum the followers of Karl Marx [1818–1883] are placed. In practice Marxists vary in their radicalism and in their beliefs. Political scientists in the USA believe that Marx and Engels adopt a collectivist and conflict-oriented view of politics. This is part of both a theory of history and a program of political action. As Marx says ‘The philosophers have only interpreted the world differently – the point is to change it’.

In the more theoretical writings of Marx and Engels ‘the dialectic of Hegel is turned upon its head’. Hegel’s idea of a logic of history was adopted and nineteenth-century capitalism was seen as one of several stages of history, it lead on to new, higher, stages. As Engels puts it: all past history with the exception of its primitive stages was the history of class struggles; that these warring classes of society are always the products of the modes of production and exchange – in a word, of the economic conditions of their time; that the economic structure of society always is the real basis for the whole superstructure of juridical and political institutions as well as of the religious, philosophical, and other ideas of a historical period.

When the class in the future communist society is abolished, class warfare will no longer be the dynamic of history. Marx and Engels’ work was trying to build up a socialist movement (the International Working Men’s Association). As the Communist Manifesto shows, the theory can become rhetoric and political action.

1 Give Ukrainian equivalents for the following words and expressions.

Dialectic, class struggle, warfare.

2 Complete the sentences.

1. In the more theoretical ...

2. At the opposite ...

3. When the class ...

4. This is part of both ...

5. As Engels puts it ...

6. As the Communist Manifesto ...

3 Comprehension questions.

1. What is Marxist theory based on?

2. How are Hegel’s ideas presented in Mark and Engels’ writings?

3. How does Engels see historical process? What is the driving force of historical process?

4. How do Marx and Engels see the economic structure of society?

5. What is the ideal society according to Marx and Engels?

4 Say if the following statements are true according to the text.

1. All Marxists have the same beliefs.

2. Marx and Engels had a collectivist view of politics.

3. Marx believed that philosophers should not describe the reality but change it.

4. Marxism adopts Einstein’s idea of a logic of history.

5. Engels finds class struggles at all stages of history.

6. Classes of society are always the result of the modes of production and exchange.

7. In future communist society there will be no classes.

8. Marxists believe that class struggles are the driving force for history.

9. Marx and Engels’ work was trying to build up a capitalist movement.

10. Communist Manifesto became the basis for political action.