IndividualWorkEssay:CRITICALANALYSISOFTHEPHILOSOPHYOFKARLMARX1

CRITICALANALYSISOFTHEPHILOSOPHYOFKARLMARX

RonnyWright
AlexanderIzrailevsky
Philosophy1000022
November25th,2015

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TableofContents

Introduction..............................................................................................3

Metaphysics.....................................................................................4

Epistemology...................................................................................5

Ethics..................................................................................................5

Socialandpoliticalphilosophy...................................................6

Conclusion.................................................................................................7

References.................................................................................................9

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Introduction
Thecommunistsdisdaintoconcealtheirviews
andaims.Theyopenlydeclarethattheirendscan
beattainedonlybytheforcibleoverthrowofall
existingsocialconditions.Lettherulingclasses
trembleatacommunisticrevolution.The
proletarianshavenothingtolosebuttheirchains.
Theyhaveaworldtowin.WORKINGMENOF
ALLCOUNTRIES,UNITE!(Marx,K.,Engels,
F.,Harvey,D.,2008,p.84).

(KarlMarx,2015,para.1)

KarlMarx,aGerman[philosopher]revolutionary,sociologist,historian,andeconomist
wasborninTrier,Prussia[Germany]in1818totwoJewishparents,HeinrichandHenrietta.He
coauthoredtheCommunistManifestowithFriedrichEngelsandwroteDasKapital,twoofthe
mostinfluentialdocumentsofthesocialmovementsatthetimeandstilltoday.(KarlMarx,
2015,para.1).Wewill,intheremainderofthisessay,exploreMarxianmetaphysics,
epistemology,ethics,andsocialandpoliticalphilosophy.
Asastudentinthe1830sMarxreadtheworksofphilosopherslike,LudwigFeuerbach,
HenrideSaintSimon,andalotofGeorgWilhelmFriedrichHegel,whowasthedominant
philosopheratthetimeandmostinfluential.Hegeldescribesinhisbook,ThePhenomenologyof
Mind,hisinterpretationofthestructureofreality:

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Metaphysics
Thesphereofspiritatthisstagebreaksupintotworegions.Theoneisitsrealworld,its
selfestrangement,theotherisconstructedandsetupintheetherofpureconsciousness,
andisexaltedabovethefirst.Thissecondworld,beingconstructedinoppositionand
contrasttothatestrangement,isjustonthataccountnotfreefromit...Consequently
bothappearonthescenetogetheratthesametime,andthelattercomesbeforeusonly
inantithesistotheformer.(Hegel,G.W.F.,Baillie,J.B.,1910,p.493).
Marxsubscribedtothisinterpretationofrealitythat,consciousnessistheclashingand
subsequentfusing,oftwoopposingforcesorideastobecomeone,morecompleteandwhole,
ideathatwouldserveastheopposingforceorideaofanewclash(Soccio,D.J.,2012)but
maintainedthatthisprocesswasgovernedbytheproductionofmaterialmeansinJohnRaines,
MarxonReligion,saying:
Menaretheproducersoftheirconceptions,ideas,etc.,butthesearerealactivemen,as
theyareconditionedbyadefinitedevelopmentoftheirproductiveforces...
Consciousnesscanneverbeanythingelseexceptconsciousexistence,andtheexistence
ofmenintheiractuallifeprocess.(Raines,J.,Ed.,2002,p.72).
Thenatureofindividualsthusdependsonthematerialconditionswhichdeterminetheir
production(Raines,J.,Ed.,2002,p.169).ProfessorIzrailevsky,inhislecture,TheCommunist:
KarlMarx(18181883),citesMarxasaradicalmaterialist,andmilitantatheiststating
Marxspositionthatgoddoesnotexist,onlynaturedoesexist,andusingMarxsanalogy
thatreligionistheopiumforthepeopletofurtherillustratethispoint,wegainaclearer
understandingofthemetaphysicsofMarxianphilosophy(Izrailevsky,A.,2015).

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Epistemology
Wherespeculationendsinreallifetherereal,positivesciencebegins:the
representationofthepracticalactivity,ofthepracticalprocessofdevelopmentofmen.
Emptytalkaboutconsciousnessceases,andrealknowledgehastotakeitsplace
(Fromm,E.,Marx,K.,&Bottomore,T.B.,2013,seeFromGermanIdeology,Karl
Marx,para.5).
Marxdidntlikeoverlyabstractphilosophy.Helamentedthatitmystifiedrealityand
neglectedtoaddressrealimmediatematerialconditionslikethatofthegrossdisparitybetween
therichandthepoor(Soccio,D.J.,2012).
Hepositedscienceastheultimatepathtoknowledge,citingitasbeingthemeansofthe
blueprintfortherevolutionarychangeofsociety,andevensuggesteditasthemoldforartand
philosophy(Izrailevsky,A.,2015).Thisviewofrealityprobedanaccentuatedinterestoftherich
andpoorclasses,aswellasanurgetolaunchseveralattacksonReligion.

Ethics
Religioussufferingisatoneandthesametimetheexpressionofrealsufferinganda
protestagainstrealsuffering.Religionisthesighoftheoppressedcreature,theheartofa
heartlessworldandthesoulofsoullessconditions.Itistheopiumofthepeople(Raines,
J.,Ed.,2002,p.171).
Marxviewedreligionasasortofpacifierwhentimesgettough.Hecitesitasan
opportunityfortheacademicelitetoconvolutethesufferingofeverydayinjustices,makingthem

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seemintangibleandsomethingthatrequireddeepponderingtounderstandtheirnecessity
(Raines,J.,Ed.,2002).
Selfearnedprivateproperty,thatisbased,sotosay,onthefusingtogetherofthe
isolated,independentlaboringindividualwiththeconditionsofhislabor,issupplanted
bycapitalisticprivateproperty,whichrestsontheexploitationofthenominallyfreelabor
ofothers,i.e.,onwagelabor(Marx,K.,2009,p.294).
InSocciosArchetypesofWisdom8thEditionMarxattributestheprivateownershipof
propertywiththegreatinjusticesofcapitalism(Soccio,D.J.,2012,p.378).Hebelievedthat
Aftertherevolutionanewsocialorderwouldemerge,fromwhichallclassdistinctions,private
ownershipofthemeansofproduction,andexploitationwoulddisappearforever(Soccio,D.J.,
2012,p.386).

Socialandpoliticalphilosophy

Marxsawthisdissolutionofcriticalthoughtinfavorofsubmissiontoasupremebeingas
precursorytothepacificationofthepoorclassesbytheacademiceliteandrichclasseswhichhe
claimedleadtoasymptomofalienationfromournaturalconditionsofproduction.Inhis
CommunistManifestoMarxwrites:
Dowenotalsofeelmorethanalittlealienatedinaworldwherenoothernexusbetween
manandmanexiststhannakedselfinterest,thancallouscashpayment,wherepeople
areviewedmerelyasobjectsandcommoditiesinthemarketplace,andwheremostofus
worktocreatethewealthofothers(Marx,K.,Engels,F.,Harvey,D.,2008,p.6)?
Asaresultofhisseriousdiscontentwithwhatheviewedastheobsolescenceof
capitalism,Marxoutlinedanevolvingsequenceofthe5socialeconomicformations:

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1. Primitive/communal
2. Slave
3. Feudal
4. Capitalist
5. Socialist/Communist(Izrailevsky,A.,2015)
Hecalledthesethefiveepochsofhistoryandassertedthattheirsuccessionwasbased
offofthematurationofthematerialeconomicconditionsofsociety.SocciodescribesMarxs
visionofautopiansocietysaying,Therewillbeonlyoneclass,hencenoclassconflict.The
economywillreachastateofbalance,andhistoryassuch(nottheworld,justhistoryasclass
struggle)willend(Soccio,D.J.,2012,p.377378).
Marxsphilosophywasobviouslypopularamongtheworkingclassandbecamethevoice
ofseveralsocialrevolutionsoneofthefirst,FirstInternationalformerlyknownasthe
InternationalWorkingMensAssociationin1864,influencedotherslike,theRussian
SocialDemocraticWorkersPartyin1898,andtheCommunistPartyoftheSovietUnionin
1925.MarxistcommunismcontinuedevenafterMarxandEngelsdeathand,althoughithas
beenmodifiedinmanydifferentways,itisstillpracticedtodayincountrieslikeNepal,Russia
andsomepartsofChina.Despitethedifficultiesanddislocationswroughtbythetransitiontoa
capitalistmarketeconomy,RussiaandtheformerSovietrepublicsareunlikelytoreestablish
communistrule(Communism,2015,Communismtoday,para.1).

Conclusion
WhileIdonotagreewithMarxthattotalequalityistheultimatepoliticalstructureof
society,Icanthelpbutempathizewithhisdisdainforagrosslyexaggerateddisparitybetween

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thehavesandhavenots.Idontbelievethatexcessivelylavishlifestyleslendthemselvestoalife
ofrealmeaningandpurpose,eveniftheydidnotcomebywayofexploitationofalaborforce
thatisnottosay,thatIdontvaluetheownershipofprivatepropertyandmaterialthings,butI
dontaspiretograndwealth.Ialsoagreethatreligionisanexcusetoescapetheeffortofcritical
thoughtandthatitdoeshavethepotentialtobrainwash,butIdontseeitasatotalnuisancetobe
abolishedrather,Ithinkitisagoodintermediaryfordevelopingmindsandmakesagreat
supportsystemforthe,attimes,overwhelmingphenomenonofsuffering.Allinall,Ithinkthat
ourcurrentcapitalistsocietywoulddowelltoreappropriateitsflowofwealth,butonlyatthe
rateoftheconsentofthepowersthatbe.Ibelieveinthepowerofarttosurreptitiouslyshiftthe
paradigmsofeventhemoststubbornmindsandwouldthatthisbethemethodofsocialchange
employedtohelpourcapitalistmodelmatureandevolve.

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References
Communism.(2015).InEncyclopaediaBritannica.Retrievedfrom
http://academic.eb.com/EBchecked/topic/129104/communism
Fromm,E.,Marx,K.,&Bottomore,T.B.(2013).Marx'sConceptofMan.NewYork,NY:Open
RoadMedia.
Hegel,G.W.F.(author),Baillie,J.B.(translator)(1910).Thephenomenologyofthemind.
London:S.Sonnenschein.
Izrailevsky,A.(2015).TheCommunist:KarlMarx(18181883).PersonalCollectionof
A.Israilevksy,SaltLakeCommunityCollege,SaltLakeCity,Ut.
KarlMarx.(2015).InEncyclopaediaBritannica.Retrievedfrom
http://academic.eb.com/EBchecked/topic/367265/KarlMarx
Marx,K.,Engels,F.,Harvey,D.(2008).Communistmanifesto.London:PlutoPress.
Marx,K.(2009).DasKapital:ACritiqueofPoliticalEconomy.Washington,D.C.:Gateway
Editions.
Raines,J.(Ed.).(2002).MarxonReligion.Philadelphia,PA,USA:TempleUniversityPress.
Retrievedfromhttp://www.ebrary.com
Soccio,D.J.(2012).ArchetypesofWisdom:AnIntroductiontoPhilosophy.8thEdition.
Boston,MA:CengageLearning.