A Letter to Mr Marx

A Letter to Mr Marx

Marxism in Contradiction

In the war of ideology, the one who wins, writes the course of history. This implies to victorious warrior also. But the warrior, with the passage of time lost somewhere in the pages of history whereas the ideology become the part of process of evolution and takes the new shape every now and then. In the recent history, the two ideologies which dominantly shaped globe are Communism (Propagated by Mr Marx & Fredric Engel) and Capitalism (Western liberal Democrats). These two ideologies emerged as a backdrop of some major historical events. Let’s look at those events and try to understand the perspective of the time.

The results of Industrial revolution, in the middle and the late 18^th Century, resulted in two parallel events. On one hand it created two basic class-Master & Slave. Masters, the one who own factories, and the slave who were working into these factories in a grim and unhygienic environment. Women and children were put to non-conducive working condition. This later on culminated into framing out of various factory laws in the England. On the other Marxist idea was on the rise against this exploitation. He classified the social order as Bourgeoisie and Proletariats. Bourgeoisie-the newly rich class and the proletariats-the class which was getting exploited by the preceding class.

Secondly Mr Marx was emerging as a counter to this with his famous ideology of “Social ownership of means of production”. He declared the ideas of private property as illegitimate in all spheres of life. According to him, there is two basic classes- the one who owns the mean of production and the one who don’t. This created the class divide. He further advocated that the design of state is such that it is meant to exploit the masses. He defied the idea of private ownership of property. He famously said, workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains.

The two ideologies were in clash as Mr Adam Smith talks contrary to Marxian idea and discussed about “Invisible Hand Theory”. Which he claims, no one will be untouched with the glare of economic development and the economic equality will be established at some point of time as the entire web interconnected. Thus egalitarian society will be established.

The Contradiction

-          He does not clarify on how the social and economic equality be established, except the fact that the same can be established only by revolution. Though Marx never advocated the ideas of violent revolution. Later on his followers used the revolutionary means to establish the communist state.

-          Sate as a tool of exploitation-Further Marxian practitioners throttled this idea completely and wherever revolution came, that resulted into establishment of a “State”. China is ironical example of state capitalist as their governing philosophy is communism with a rubber stamp parliament.

-          Even if proletariats capture the means of production, they may degenerate into becoming authoritarian on the basis of their massive number, as the Bourgeoisie is few. The social order may reverse in that case. This may also results in class division in the prols itself.