MArx and CApitalism

KARL MARX is known for his stand against capitalism. In his various works, he had attacked capitalism for its lack of concern for workers. This was again the theme in his famous work the Communist Manifesto where he explained in clear terms why his attack was justified. He felt that capitalist led to cruel pursuit of monetary ambitions which resulted in reduced human value, unfair wage structure, inhuman work conditions, unethical work practices and acute class struggle. Thus he completely disapproved of industrialization and work practices established under a capitalist economic system. Marx did not essentially have anything against industrialization but he felt that industrialization combined with capitalism was the root cause of many social and economic ills. He was not a supporter of free trade either for it essentially weakened state's control of resources that Marx had advocated so vehemently. "The bourgeoisie has through its exploitation of the world market given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country. To the great chagrin of reactionaries, it has drawn from under the feet of industry the national ground on which it stood." [the Communist Manifesto]

He argued that in capitalist system, workers are underpaid and overworked and this largely results in severe economic disparities, which further lead to social gaps. What we know about rich getting richer was actually a concept first introduced by Karl Marx as he believed that with capitalist bourgeois amassing wealth and using unskilled poor workers to achieve their objectives, world was likely to turn into a living hell for most urban poor.

The modern bourgeois society that has sprouted from the ruins of feudal society has not done away with class antagonism. It has but established new classes, new conditions of oppression, new forms of struggle in place of the old ones" [the Communist Manifesto]

Marx maintained that capitalist system was essentially grounded in greed that results in misuse of power and wealth. He felt that as businessmen under this system amassed wealth, they further contributed to the deterioration of living conditions of the poor especially urban poor working in factories.

Needless to say, Marx's views were challenged by many. Those who had experienced benefits of capitalism simply refused to accept that it was an inherently flawed system. Similarly those who had seen the advantages accruing from capitalism to economies, countries and various societies also questioned the validity of Marx's theories.

In the same manifesto, Karl Marx also made some crude those effective remarks about role of women in a capitalist society. The first important remark in this connection was made rather early in the document when the authors write: "Differences of age and sex have no longer any distinctive social validity for the working class. All are instruments of labor, more or less expensive to use, according to their age and sex." What Marx and Engels meant by this was simply that by supporting equality for men and women, the differences between sex and ages had disappeared under capitalism which was wrong when studied from the viewpoint of inherent differences that accrue from differences in gender and age.

Communism was different from capitalism not only in its approach to economics but in general social issues as well. Communists were of the view that women should be respected for their inherent fragility and must not be exploited. This emerged from a deeply traditional mindset that saw women in certain roles only. But to say that Marx had a conservative agenda on hand would also be wrong. What Marx was propagating for a more socially equal and respectful environment for women where they could work out of their own free will and did not have to resort to prostitution and other evils to support themselves. But I must agree that Marx's sarcastic way of advancing his argument in the manifesto is certainly offensive in tone. It shows disregard for women and levies some unsolicited and unsupported charges against capitalism.

Another important and rather controversial remark is found later in the manifesto when Marx argues: "But you Communists would introduce community of women, screams the bourgeoisie in chorus. The bourgeois sees his wife a mere instrument of production. He hears that the instruments of production are to be exploited in common, and, naturally, can come to no other conclusion that the lot of being common to all will likewise fall to the women."