Explain How Marx Views History, Essay Example

Historical Development

Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels founded the Marxism movement, which declared open fight for the working class’ self-emancipation. The Marxist theory declares that the sustenance of a society is directly dependent by its material conditions at a given period. The relationships that human beings fall into in order to cater for their basic needs for instance, food and clothes, are all material conditions. According to Marxism theory, private property implies possession of productive property, which is profitable to the owner. Generally, Marx and Engels identified five unfolding stages of historical development. Although they observed that each progressive stage was marked by raise of living standard, each stage was doomed because of class conflicts and internal contradictions.

Primitive Communism

This is the first stage with the following characteristics; shared property where concept of ownership does not exist, hunting and gathering in tribal societies for daily survival, and photo-democracy. This is a concept of leadership where a community is headed by the warrior. Such societies tend to be small and wholly dependent on the environment for agricultural production. In this stage, survival of human beings is similar to that of animals since they depend on nature to live. Towards the end of this stage, there is development of private property as agricultural production sets in. This paves way for large-scale agriculture, which turns produce into productive possessions such as slaves and cattle.

Slave Society

This is the second stage of historical development, which is marked by the development of “class society.” In such societies, a slave-owning ruling class dictates rules to slaves. The knowledge about agriculture improves as people learn how to cultivate animals and plants on large scale to feed the growing population. As a result, there is the emergence of private property ownership especially in the agricultural-productive areas. In the production system, slaves are considered as cheap sources of labor. This forced labor with no pay dramatically increase agricultural production leading to increase in social classes. When slave society collapses, a society experience huge problems in maintaining its vast empire.

Feudalism

This stage emerges after the collapse of slave society. Many classes such as lords, kings, and serfs emerges who inherit titles for ill or good. Most of the earlier agricultural production is transformed to trading with neighboring nations. The capitalist and proto-capitalist classes are motivated by profitability of their ventures, and, as a result may trade all local production leaving its population hungry. The serfs are tied to land matters, but cannot become wage earners or industrial workers because of the changing trends in the society. Feudalism properties relations also change prevent development of productive forces of capitalists. Productivity is further weakened by civil wars, which cause displacement of people.

Capitalism

In this stage, capitalists overthrow the feudalists leading to a more productive society. In capitalism, the market economy is spearheaded by market forces. Marxists argue that capitalist states extend their boundaries in non-capitalist states to arrest markets abroad. Production means shift from the hands of kings and lords to capitalists who control production through corporations that maximize profits. This stage eliminates all facets of slavery, which in turn, results in independence. Additionally, monopolistic economy sets in where successful commercial entities dictate in the market. Marxists view capitalists as monopolies, which lead rise in social gaps. Reasonably, capitalists are driven by profits, which create conflicts between different classes.

Socialism

This is the last stage of historical development with a decentralized and planned economy. Production is dictated by scientific planning and other means of democratic leadership styles such as consensus of worker through councils or communes. Production means shifts from hands of capitalists to the hands of employees. Reasonably, democratic communes control the means of production. According to the “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” concept, Marx argues that overthrowing dictatorship of capital will democratically plan resources and production of the planet. In this stage, a new quantum of labor emerges. For instance, each working day consist of certain individual hours of work. This is the most advanced historical development since resources are equally distributed among the population.

Impact of Economy on other Areas of a Society

Marx Argues that historical developments have increased human is productive power, which in turn, causes a society to either fall or rise as they impede or enable that growth. On a detailed examination of Marx’s concept, production economic relations affect productive forces such as technology and legal-political superstructures, which form the foundation of economy. Legal-political superstructures such as legal laws entrench or stabilize the economic structure of the affected society. Based on religion, Marxists believe that presence of capitalistic religion regulate religion market which indicates religious pluralism. Notably, economic growth responds to religious believes especially among the capitalists. According to trade trends, capitalists’ nation spread their business ventures to other non-capitalist states. The implication of this was interactions, which affected the cultures of the nation nations. For example, China learnt some aspects of Buddhism religion from India during this era.

Marx Beliefs on the Unfolding of Historical Development

Marx’s beliefs are not based on a fixed and eternal human nature. Marx can be described as “communist” based on his argument. His beliefs are based on the absence of human essence in advance, absence of “human condition,” or inheritance of traits among the Homo sapiens. On the contrary, he believes that human beings dictate the nature of their environments, which he refers to as “ensembles of social relations.” Through entangling in societal activities in the social and biological aspects, human beings have made and re-made their characters and perceptions through mutual relations. Marx confronts natural materials since he believes they are forces of nature. Through experiences that may involve painful encounters, human beings either adapt or look for ways to change the environment. Man formulates movements that act on the external forces to change it. For example, during feudalism, human being realized the offensive nature of trade, and, as a result formulated policies that banned slavery. In addition, socialists noted the increasing social gaps that were caused by capitalists, and, as a result came up with democratic leadership style to improve standards of living of all citizens.

John Stuart Mill and Adam Smith Ideologies of Inevitable Historical Development

Both Mill’s and Adam’s ideologies differs from Marx’s. Mill’s ideologies differ from Marx’s since his argument is based on liberal democracies rather than socialist democracy. Liberal-democracies resolve their problems through theories and creating compatibilities in order to address the problem of social classes. A society, social-divided, should accept liberalism since it promotes political equality rather than socio-economic equality. Generally, it marries both aspects of capitalist’s economy with those found in democratic economy. According to Marx, a capitalist economy should pave way for democracy to ensure equitability in distribution of wealth, improved terms of employment, and elimination of social classes in the society. On a general outlook, Mill society is dominated by monopolies, which in turn, lead to accumulation of social classes.

Smith’s ideology is based on exchange of goods rather than Marx’s labor as a commodity. Under capitalists, Marx argues that accumulation of social classes may lead to economic growth on the basis on national income. On the contrary, Smith believes that protecting some producers and monopoly lead to production inefficiency, which in turn, leads to increase of prices. Unlike Marx who believes in the profitability of socialism, Smith believes that capitalist is the best economic system and describes it as “the true system of natural liberty.” Additionally, he regarded “capital improvement” as the central aim political and economic systems rather than “commodity” in Marx ideologies.

From this study, it can be deduced that the five unfolding of Marx’s ideology of historical development represent the real outlook of economic history. His ideologies have been reflected in economic histories of countries such as the United Sates, Hungary, and India. For example, in the United State, her economy has evolved since the era of slave trade to democracy, which is demonstrated by workers consensus. Notably, the first stages of historical development are marked by g forced labor, social gaps, and extreme poverty. At the late stages, slavery is abolished and workers’ pay rises. Mill’s and Smith’s ideologies differ from Marx’s since they are based on liberalism and capitalism. Unlike Marx’s believe in socialism and democracy, Mill and Smith in protection of some producers and monopoly.