Marx's Theory of Alienation in Capitalist Society

Introduction to Alienation

One of the philosophical concepts that has marked the world and its history through its deep political, social, and economic implications is Karl Marx's theory of alienation. A harsh interpretation of the social and economic reality in which he lived, this theory became the basis for new political ideologies which, unfortunately, later led to consequences that Marx would have surely disapproved of.

Alienation is a process through which things that naturally belong together become separated. The term describes the creation of antagonism between entities that would normally coexist in peace and harmony. Marx applies this concept to argue that what occurs in the modern world is a general estrangement of people caused by capitalist society.

While Marx's view was socialist, he also supported political democracy. On the one hand, the individual had to be helped in his endeavors and provided with all his rights and liberties. On the other hand, the individual had to assert his freedom through the exercise of those rights. In other words, humans must be aware of their own condition and of the world that surrounds them, decide what the best actions are, and then perform them.

Human Nature and Species-Being

Marx uses the term species-being when referring to human nature. The dynamic character of this nature is already implied in the construction of the expression. People are, by nature, free and endowed with reason. Not only are they capable of clear judgment, but they also have the power to create and manufacture things. It is their nature that makes humans want to create items they will afterwards use to satisfy precise needs, whether basic or elevated. In other words, work is considered partially synonymous with creation and is a purpose in itself. In addition to bringing pragmatic advantages, the process of work and creation allows the individual to express himself — his ideals, desires, and beliefs — and his nature as a creator.

In order to understand how alienation occurs, it is essential first to understand this conception of human nature. Marx argues that because humans are fundamentally creative beings, any social arrangement that strips them of creative agency strikes at the very core of what they are.

Capitalism and the Roots of Alienation

The contemporary reality is, however, the opposite of this ideal. People no longer work because they want to; they work because they have to. This happens because society has been divided into two categories: those who own the means of production (the capitalists) and those who own no property (the proletariat).

The proletariat works for the capitalists, who care only about their own well-being. Capitalism emerges as a new form of slavery. Workers enjoy a large number of formal liberties, but their work is so arduous, the conditions so miserable, and the earnings so meager that they become too exhausted to reflect on their rights and freedoms. They perform work not as they choose, nor when they choose, but as it is imposed upon them — because this is the only way they can survive.

Taking all these elements into consideration, it is safe to say that labor is no longer an expression of the individual's nature. On the contrary, it works against the human as an individual and therefore against his own nature. Labor in capitalist society creates an antagonism between man and his essential being.

In feudalism, there were not yet enough technological advances to allow man to control nature fully. Since land was the primary source of production, people defined themselves in relation to it. Those who owned land made others work it to survive, producing clear social relations of domination and subordination. Nevertheless, the relations between workers remained open in a meaningful sense — peasants were still people to one another, not tools, as they would become in the capitalist framework. What capitalism fundamentally changed were the relations between people and the means of production.