The Communist Manifesto, Essay Example

Introduction

The Communist Manifesto is a publication of 1848 written by two political theorists by the names Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels after the beginning of a spectre of communism that had a haunting effect in Europe. With the proliferation of an anti capitalist movement on a global context, there was an emergency of this ghost that was preceded by the fall of the communist countries involving the Soviet Union as well as Eastern Europe about 10 years ago. The commissioners of the manuscript were the communist league with the ultimate purpose of laying down the purposes as well as the program of the league. The question in the minds of young people revolved around the existence of any other alternative to capitalism. Their ideas also features the notion of the manner in which capitalist society was sequentially replaced by socialism and then communism. A great turmoil of revolution was evidenced in 1948 across Europe and prior to this revolution saw the publication of the communist manifesto. The writing of the script took place seventy years prior to the Russian Revolution that was witnessed in 1917 with th results of overturning capitalism. 100 years later came the Chinese Revolution followed by the proliferation of Communism to half of the whole globe and specifically in Eastern Europe.

Aspects from the Paul Brians background information to “The Communist Manifesto” most helpful in understanding Marx and Engel’s manifesto

The Communist Manifesto was a political manuscript that was notably associated the greatest influence across the globe.  The conventional struggles against capitalism, oppression as well as atrocious wars that are associated with capitalism forms the fundamental themes surrounding the communist manifesto. The manifesto is a presentation of the analytical approach towards historical as well as present day class struggle together with the problems associated with capitalism.

The role played by “bourgeoisie” in history according to Marx

There were a number of diverse classes that preceded class society which were involved in continuous amongst them. However, the capitalist society simplified the problem of class antagonism leading to two major classes. The first class was the proletariat which involved people of working class and the bourgeoisie representing a capitalist class. These were the most important classes in the society because they had the full control of the means of wealth creation as well as the forces of production. The communist manifesto gives a clear account of the reason that the mode of production of the capitalist had to eradicate feudalism and gives a detailed outline of the process leading to globalization. The manifesto gives a detailed explanation of the worker who is seen sink even deeper below any conditions that allow for his existence in his class. The manuscript asserts that, “constant revolutionizing of production, uninterrupted disturbance of entire social conditions, everlasting uncertainty as well as agitation…The need of a persistently expanding market for its products chases the bourgeoisie over the entire surface of the globe… It compels all nations, on pain of extinction … to introduce civilization into their midst.” (Hobsbawm 101-120). The worker continues to become a pauper with an overwhelming development of pauperism at a faster rate more than wealth and population. At this point, it is evident that bourgeoisie are declared unfit as the ruling class of the society. This is attributed to the habits of the bourgeoisie to make ordinary people live in poverty and slavery and wait to be fed by the bourgeoisie. The society finds it hard to continue living under the bourgeoisie thus making their existence to be incompatible with the society. Although the world is seen to have opulent wealth, the contribution of the bourgeoisie is to make masses impoverished and this is a sufficient basis of condemning the capitalist system. The bourgeoisie contributes significantly to the anarchic system of market characterized by capitalism. Marx advocates for a socialist economy that is democratically planned and no fetters allied to the capitalist market are evident since this is the only way of matching production along with resources to the needs of the people in the entire society. According to the manifesto, the internal contradictions evident in capitalism makes a series of crisis to be experienced while the bourgeoisie are very smart to get over the crises. The bourgeoisie achieve this goal through conquering novel markets which are further consequential to highly destructive as well as extensive crises. According to the manifesto, “But not only has the bourgeoisie forged the weapons that bring death to itself; it has also called into existence the men to wield those weapons – the modern working class – the proletarians.” (Hobsbawm 101-120).

“Proletariat” as a creation of the industrial capitalism according to Marx

As mentioned in the above paragraph, several classes that existed prior to class society were eradicated by the capitalist society leading to the proletariat which involved people of working class and the bourgeoisie representing a capitalist class. According to Marx and Engels, the proletariat had a special role to play in overturning capitalism instead of following an otherwise anarchist style called terrorist bomb to accomplish a coup. So their role was to convince the highest politically advanced proletariat. Marx and Engels proclaimed the communist manifesto to be a struggle that was closely allied to a struggle benefiting the proletariat. Their success was attributed to getting the nod of the secret revolutionary league  of the chiefly proletarian. Marx and Engel responsibilities were expresses in the following terms:  “continuous correspondence… influenced the theoretical views of the most important members of the league by word of mouth, by letter and through the press…we also made use of various lithographed circulars…” (On the History of the Communist League, Marx and Engels selected Works, 440).  According to the terms of Marx, the factory and industrial workers were not taken as the exclusive members of the proletariat but rather, the working class incorporated the cosmic majority in the society, accounting for about 99 percent. According to the declaration of the manifesto, “The proletarian movement was considered as a self-conscious, independent movement involving immense majority, which served the interest of enormous majority.” The implication of the proletariat based on the manifesto never excluded the people who could not work and was not an implication of the impoverished. According to the manifesto. “The lower strata of the middle class — the small trade people, shopkeepers, as well as retired tradesmen generally, the handicraftsmen together with peasants — all these sink gradually into the proletariat … Thus, the proletariat is recruited from all classes in the population” (Hobsbawm 101-120). All unemployed, children caretakers, disabled, school and higher education students were excluded from proletariat class although they could also work if conditions were favorable. From the viewpoint of Marx and Engel workers were perceived as the only individuals with the willingness to “sell themselves on piecemeal” to get a salary or a wage. The same scenario is applicable at the present for any type of worker. Some of the workers whose income are relatively good are placed in middle class but this does not go with the views of Marxist. Anybody working to receive a wage or a salary is classified as working class by Marx. This include the teachers, the civil servants, the lecturers all hav been placd in the working class from the perspective of class struggle. In the civil service, workers were at one time placed in lower middle class but potent trade unions have been developed which has a key responsibility of trade union struggles.

Private property abolish by Marx and Engels

The manifesto gives a clear account of existing relationship between communists and proletarians with communists aiming at forming a class from proletarian, implying the bourgeois supremacy has to be overthrown and proletariats political power conquest. Abolition of private property is manifested in the manuscript as a historical movement underway. The desire of the communists is the abolition of rights of private property acquisition as a result of personal labor. Marx also indicates that the labor’s labor does not warrant acquisition of a property but the capital that they produce is responsible for their exploitation. The bourgeoisie are the controllers of property which is the representation of social power. Changing the property to common property does not eradicate the concept of right in that property but it is transformed to social character through elimination of the class character. The existence of labor in the communist society merely serves the laborer so that the property controlled by the bourgeois can be produced. This gives challenges to the freedom of the bourgeois, and as a result condemnation of communist philosophy is apparent among them. According to Marx, Marx writes, “You are horrified at our actions of abolishing private property. But in your existing society, private property is already done away with for nine-tenths of the population” (Callinicos, 8). Despite the claims by the bourgeois, the communists never restricted anyone from appropriation of the products of their labor. However, people are restricted from subjugation of other people during the process of appropriation. Some objections however have been addressed in the manifesto. There is an indication of a possibility of unwillingness of people to work after abolishment of the private property. Another argument rlates to the destruction of intellectual products by the communists although this was later interpreted as a reflection of bourgeois misunderstanding.

Communists to abolish the family

The proposal by the communists for the abolishment of the family is perceived as being infamous by Marx. The intentions of abolishing the family relations by the communists are intended at eradicating child exploitation by their parents. According to the arguments of Marx, capital as well as private gains forms the basis of the modern family. The communists are therefore guilty for their intentions of family relations abolishment. Child education is not intended to be abolished but it is intended to be freed from being controlled by the ruling class. The communists perceive a destruction of family tis by the proletarians with the increase i8n industries and therefore, the family as well as education is linked to the transformation into commerce articles for the children.

Radical points

Some points in the communist manifesto appear radical.  They include:

• Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to public purposes
• Abolition of all rights of inheritance (the communist manifesto, 88-89).

These two points involve abolition of some rights from the people and therefore they have an oppressive connotation.  Denial of rights from people is not a means to the achievement of intended goals

Points in the manifesto adopted in the United States

Some issues in the manifesto have been implemented in the US and they include the following:

• Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
• Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children’s factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with industrial production, etc.

Conclusion

Inclusion of these two issues is a step in the right direction according to my opinion. These are issues with positive development are therefore can be adopted in any state that aspires for development.  They also impact the society in a positive way.

The communist manifesto is basically a summary of the basic ideas presented by Marxism and continues to be an inspiration even at present. Marx and Eagle attempt to present theories addressing the nature of politics along with society and the asserts that the history of society is a representation of history of the class struggles.

Works cited

Callinicos, Alex.. “The Manifesto and the Crisis Today”.The Communist Manifesto (Marx, Karl and Engels, Friedrich).Bloomsbury, London: Bookmarks. Page 08,  2010.

Hobsbawm, Eric “On the Communist Manifesto“. How To Change The World. London: Little,   Brown. pp. 101–120, 2011.