Karl Marx's Social and Political Philosophy Explained

Introduction: Marx on Capital and Labor

Karl Marx is widely regarded as one of the greatest philosophers who have ever lived, and he devoted a significant portion of his theories and writings to examining the relationship between capital and labor. He viewed capitalism as an antisocial system — one that allowed those who possessed capital to exploit the labor of those who did not. He argued that the persistent, strenuous relationship between employers and employees is predominantly caused by the exploitative environment created by capitalist trends, in which labor is not remunerated in a reciprocal manner. Marx was steadfast in defending the rights of workers, the poor, and women, all of whom were readily exploited by the wealthy in society.

In the argument that has come to be known as historical materialism, Marx contends that thoughts, political behaviors, and religious, moral, and philosophical convictions are causally determined by the economic conditions that surround them — yet these convictions cannot, in turn, reshape those economic conditions (Allen W.W., 2004).

The Contradiction Between Marx the Author and Marx the Man

Karl Marx is also known for appearing to distance himself from his own work and philosophies, famously claiming, "If anything is certain, it is that I myself am not a Marxist." This statement confuses many philosophy students and readers alike. It is unclear whether Marx changed his mind about his beliefs and inclinations regarding capitalism's distortion of society, or whether he was simply articulating philosophical claims and ethical positions only to repudiate them later.

Historical Materialism and the Separation of Author from Work

However, it is important to recognize that a necessary difference and distance exists between the author and the authored, between the art and the artist, between the creator and the creation. More often than not, these two are distinct and stand apart. There are many instances in which people write professionally about a subject yet are not in a position to implement those same ideas in their own lives. They often adopt a third-person perspective on the ills prevalent in society and use their knowledge and expertise to suggest solutions to those challenges. This was likely the case with Karl Marx.

There is an irony that has existed for a long time — even in the era of slavery, a slave master would "invest" in enslaved people and expect to grow wealthy through their labor, while simultaneously holding contempt for them as persons. Robert Paul W. (2012, p. 30) notes that although Marx devoted all his time and energy to writing about how capital exploits labor, in his private life he actually exploited his wife, his maid, his political comrades, and even his closest friends. This observation illustrates that a philosopher's personal life is not necessarily governed by his philosophies, however much sense or applicable truth those philosophies may contain.

The philosophical truths themselves cannot be dismissed or rejected solely on account of the philosopher's personal conduct. A questionable statement or action from a philosopher does not invalidate the entirety of his intellectual contributions. Accordingly, Marx's self-distancing remark does not undermine his significant and lasting contributions to philosophy, economics, and ethics.

Tenets of Marxist Social and Political Philosophy

There are various tenets that one must believe in and hold true in order to be considered a Marxist in philosophical persuasion. One of these tenets is dialectical materialism — the argument that the primary determinant in history is economic forces. A Marxist believes that the ruling system will remain relevant and at peace with the ruled only as long as it satisfies the economic needs of the population. Once it loses that relevance, it will be overthrown by the people and replaced by another form of rule.

A Marxist must also believe that workers are perpetually exploited, which is why they apparently produce more than they can purchase with the wages they are paid. The value of wages is always less than the value of the commodities produced; the difference — referred to as surplus value — constitutes the profit of the capitalists, a clear indication of the exploitative nature of capitalism.

A person who can be described as a Marxist believes that capitalism is the cause of class division and that it is a system which concentrates the means of production in the hands of the state and a few privileged individuals. Such a person believes that the bourgeoisie must be defeated in order to end class systems in society, so that the means of production will no longer belong to a few but will be held collectively by the working people.

Conclusion: Doubt, Emancipation, and the Marxist Vision

Marxists also believe in the emancipation and freeing of the workers and that this duty lies in the hands of the workers themselves, who are bound to achieve it even if it is through violent means. Marxists further believe in internationalism, which involves the simultaneous recognition of the binding interests of workers across the world and the eventual importance of a united global struggle. They hold that workers share common challenges and that transforming the world into a human community — rather than a collection of segmented, competing states — is both possible and necessary.

Finally, Marxists believe in doubting everything. This is the foundation of understanding reality as it truly is, in order to better comprehend it and ultimately change it. This is the free, critical will that every Marxist must cultivate both as a belief and as a duty — one that propels the individual toward initiating change within society. If one accepts without question whatever the state and its rulers declare, that person is bound to remain a dominated worker for the rest of his or her life (Patterson T.C., 2009).

References

Allen, W.W. (2004). Karl Marx (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Robert Paul, W. (2012). About Philosophy (11th ed.). Pearson Education Inc.

Patterson, T.C. (2009). Karl Marx, Anthropologist. Berg.