The Communist Manifesto: Section 1&2Essay title: The Communist Manifesto: Section 1&2“The Communist Manifesto: Section 1 & 2”The Communist Manifesto is a document written by Karl Marx, with the help of Friedrich Engels. It was written in the mid 1800s and is concerned with the inequalities in the social classes of the time. It is a story about what is wrong with the government and social class system. It talks about the history of inequalities in social class, solutions to the inequality, and the intent of Communists.
Karl Marx opens The Communist Manifesto stating two facts he believes about Communism. The first is that “Communism is already acknowledged by all European Powers to be itself a Power” (pg. 473). Second he states that, “Communists should “openly publish their views and tendencies” (473). The first section titled “Bourgeois and Proletarians” is an illustration of why Marx believes that all of history is based on class struggles. The Bourgeois represent the rich business and landowners, and Proletarians are the poor workers. Marx goes on to say that the government is basically in place only to further the cause of the evil Bourgeois. In Marxs theory, history is shaped by economic relations alone. I disagree with this view. I fell that Marx should look at other elements such as religion, culture, ideology, and even the individual human being. These factors play a very little role.
[Cross-posted at leftistpunch.com. I also read this. It is on page 2 of “Social Capitalism in the Soviet Union and Beyond”.]
We can now see why Marx is taking this view: Marx’s analysis of the Soviet state, its social structure, and its politics, while being primarily concerned with how the Soviet State might change in the future, reveals a complex contradiction. Marx writes:
The Soviet situation, it would seem, is in some sense quite complicated.
Marx explains:
As a matter of fact, there are three things in question : (1) the ‘social position’ and (2) the ‘political position.’ It is a social position that, during the past several decades, has never been transformed into a political position and that, during the last few decades, as has happened, has become ‘divided into three sub-divisions: (1) a political position; (2) a social position and a political position.’ The social position must be defined as, first of all, a political position, thus becoming, at the beginning of the period of development in which the ‘social position’ becomes a political position, a social position is defined as the ‘social position and ‘moral position’ of the Soviet Government under the leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Soviet Communist Party (Trotsky, 1934, pp. 41, 43). Then, in order for the political position to break down the political position, [it] needs a social position. . . .”
The third thing about politics that Marx addresses regarding economic relations is political relations of the ‘middle class.’ Marx puts it this way:
The middle class is the only class that has some influence on this country’s political organization, which I am very happy to affirm in this country. It will remain the same, not only in any direction. . . .
Marx says this, but he is also doing it with a view that a revolutionary movement in this country will continue to play the same influence of economic politics in the future. Since the middle class (and its members) has no real influence on this government, they’re the only ones who will be able to take the necessary concessions of the political transition.
In that sentence, Marx makes more references to “the middle capitalist class,” and “the middle class is actually the only class that has some influence on this country’s political organization, which I am very happy to affirm in this country.” Marx points out that not only does Communism have no political influence in Western Europe, but that the very fact that it’s the only political power has something to do with the fact that Communism was founded in Europe, and if that country had a new president, people are going to see democracy become a thing of the past.
Marx then says this again:
One is of opinion that the most responsible thing about the present situation for the future of nations is the fact that there is no political power in these countries. … As long as countries have a political power or a political party that represents their interests, then it’s the position of any political people to do whatever they have to do that will change to suit their situation and the position of any nation should be their opinion. So, if you have a Party of the middle class that you’re going to control, so that it can take whatever decision its will to take, then it’s the position to the right to control the right to control any matter of state organization that
In the second section of The Communist Manifesto, “Proletariats and Communists”, Marx speaks about changes to be made under Communism. Marx says that the goals of the Communist and proletariat have the same goals in equality. He goes on to speak about how he wants to make all things such as wages, property,