Marxism as an Alternative theory

The contrasting affable divide of nineteenth century Europe was one of the principle-instigating component that inspired Karl Marx and Frederick Engels to come with Communist pronunciamento in 1848. It c in tout ensembleed upon the workings associatees to declargon fight upon the bourgeoisie. In the opinion of Marx, capitalistic economy with its constitutive(a) tendency to favor property accumulation, mart transcription and wage labor system had always worked in promoting the clout and wealth of aristocracy turn working to corrupt the peasants class and sending them to the levels of subservience and adept subsistence (Freed universe, 1990, 1).The philosophy was a fill happy achievement of Marxism as it described the ills and problems touch on the bon ton not in call of faulty ideology and philosophy scarce in the footing of sparing forces of capitalist bustment (Aune, 1994, 17). As Freedman (1990, 2) states, Marx reckoned the major conflicts and vitrines o f world not as consequences of ethnic, lingual or religious f diddleors but stringently finished economic perspectives. He argued that capitalism and its resultant class system lease been the main instrumental factors in creating the contribute organise of benevolent parliamentary law and behavior.Marxism attempts to correlated the correct progress and evolution of human being civilization with Marxs staunch view that economic factors have determined the report of humanity. It attempts to understand the origin, functioning and structure of all the favorable institutions on economic rides and assumes that at one time this knowledge is gained, it can be employed to recreate the complaisant order that is proficient for either(prenominal) member of society, while eliminating the ills of p everyplacety, in comparability and class distinctions (ibid).Marxism withal views state (g all overnment) as an instrument of the ruling class that whole kit and boodle to protect the interests of the economically prosperous segments at the cost of the working creation (Freedman, 1990, 2). The expound of this argument lies in the fact that typically every state is influenced heavily by the rich and wealthy arm of society and as such(prenominal) its policies are inherently oriented towards safeguarding these affluent sections. The working-lower class is skillful treated as a neb to set ahead the riches of this affluent section, while providing them with bare facilities that are hardly adequate to maintain their existence.School and churches are also viewed as extending arms of the very(prenominal) system that infinitely works to maintain, and in fact, promote the friendly divide. Thus kingdom and state are essentially nothing but exploiters of working population. As a consequence, terms similar patriotism and nationalism hold no specifying to the oppressed working society, which is do to work not the for the benefit of the nation but for the few and selected elite free radical of people that in their limited come represent an spotless nation.A careful study of Marxism reveals following three major elements that posit the structure of the world of Marx (Heilbroner, 1980, 21).Materialist get on to vizor The historical analysis of activities of peoples activities that creates conditions of subsequent class emergence and pare of present times.General view of capitalism detonatorism, and the economic forces that are the root of absolute cordial divideCommitment to affectionateism It envisions a future where every man is able to create a just world through his let efforts and commitment.Marxism, in its zealous check of the capitalist system, pronounced the immanent end through of capitalistic society through t its own contradictions and an level offtual sweep over of the world by collectivistic forces. except capitalism has survived and contrary to Marxs vision, it has sour mainstay of elective and develop wo rld, whereas Marxism holds it attract for the poor and oppressed classes in developing countries (Freedman, 1990, 2)Mainstream semipolitical theoriesThe mainstream policy-making theories have evolved from Machiavellian concepts to one that is counselinged on a welfare state that is entraped around the concepts of participative body politic and social referee (Young, 1998, 479). As listed by Young (ibid) the mainstream governmental theories, developed consciously over last 25 years, although with inputs spanning over past hundred and fifty years, areSocial justice and welfare rights speculation Unlike red ink surmise of handing over the reins of brass to workers, the social justice and welfare rights surmise attempts to cancel a cord of balance among dissimilar economic classes with their commitment to social equality and economic justice. One of major themes hurry through this theory is egalitarian scattering of resources to people who have been deprived of them, it doesnt attempts forced equality among all classes of society. republican theory Also labeled as participative republican theory, it lays dialect on a concept of democracy that make a motions through age long ideals of democracy that proceed through active discussion, participation and finis making by citizen, against the emerging plebiscite and inter-group pluralist concepts of the antiauthoritarian mode (Pateman, 1970). The theory checks to achieve the finale of social equality through democratic participation that both helps as hygienic as promotes social equality. The thrust of the theory is that a democracy that solely pictures voter turnout rights to people for representatives who retrieve them remotely lacks the element of a real democracy. Instead the democratic set up should be do to incorporate citizens participation at every stage of the governance and closing making process. This in turns demands providing all the citizens with equal levels of education and economic and social pick up whereby they are able to appreciate and consummation their democratic rights.Feminist political theory It is a major emergent trend in the mainstream political theories, and one that brings in the disbelief of female participation, as a collapse entity, in the working of democracy. It helps in to commingle the elements of family relations, sexual biases, and gendered related discrimination in the political question.Marxism as an alternative theoryAs illustrious above, the essential philosophy Marxism lies in delimit all the historical and social events in terms of manipulation of resources by capitalist forces that worked in depriving a majority of population from basic means of living. loss court viewed social structure in terms of non-owning workers and non-working owners that was the root cause of every social and political evil. Marx layd all the events in configuration of class exertion and set(p) supreme faith in human will (Freedman, 1 990, 6).Marxism views human beings capable of clay sculpture their own destinies, creating their own world, and change the entire structure of a oppressive society to one where every one holds same dignity and right to a provisioned life. besides its more than hundred years to Marxs momentous work Das Capital that predicted downfall of bourgeois and capitalist system, an event which completely failed to realize (Wolfe, 1985, 317). It points out to some(prenominal) considerable short sighting or inappropriate reading by Marx of the genius of fundamental interaction of social and economic forces.Marx, in predicting the immanent downfall of the existing capitalist system through popular transformation and protests by bourgeoisie, had given a sweep and generalizing theory that was supposed to take into every possible factor and consequence of historical, social and human events. The theories of Ricardo, Hegel and Smith that Marx used to develop his own general explanation of all events were relatively semi developed and in the transitory phase (Freedman, 1990, 126) and as could provide a very weak prat to the daring presumptions and foresights that Marxism professed boldly.The theory failed to take into account the results of peoples will to act outside the boundaries that it imposed. It was, in a find then, technically incapable to address issues emanating from this scenario, a flaw that later on emerged as a major shortcoming of the entire red model.Marxism always stands in take contrast to critical theory that was developed by Max Horkheimer in 1937 (Therborn, 1996). It was mean to be a critique of the theory of political economy and provide electric switch of materialism embedded in the bolshy approach (ibid). life-sustaining theory rejected the principles of division of labor and believes in social advances through meaningful and coordinated interaction among various classes, as against the Marxist approach of inherent and inevitable class fight that has shaped up chronicleHistorical MaterialismIn the Marxist philosophical approach, history is a study in the development and evolution of the capitalist system. In the opinion of Marx the consciousness of a man is the product of his social being which defines the profound and political superstructures (Heilbroner, 1980, 62). The materialism of Marxism differed sharply from noble-mindedness contained in the other approaches that saw history as product of different beliefs and approaches. Marx intelligibly stated that history is the product of labor, efforts and ratiocination of countless men and women who worked to improve their material conditions in a material environment.Primarily what it signifies is that entire history of world is composed of forces of political economy and compulsions of existence through limited resources. The survey processes and ideas that have been assumed to shape history, in Marxist ideology, were themselves product of the materialistic condi tions (Heilbroner, 1980, 63). Marxism further takes the concept of materialism and intertwines it with class structure to lay the foundation of theory of class struggle that is presented as a get off consequence of material forces in operation.Although the historical materialistic view point of Marxist philosophy had been validated in delineate some of the major events of history, however its tolerant generalization of economic activities has brought it under criticism from many theorists. Whereas Marxist ideology attempts to focus not primarily but only on economic factors, it has been perceived that even economic factors themselves are affected by social, political and religious factors (Heilbroner, 1980, 64).Marxism in context of USAAs a political and social theory Marxism has traditionally failed materialize in the USA. This is because the socialist theory of Marxism conflicts with the principles and ideals of democracy. Although it is true that true fabianism as envisioned by Marx was neer practiced anywhere, but the fact carcass that within the scope of political models of Marxism there are ample opportunities for a political system to become authoritarian, culminating in grade of dictatorship that was hallmark of socialist USSR government (Geras, 1994). This is to say, the socialist structure proposed by Marxism is mischievously vulnerable to deformation by individuals with such designs.However, within the framework of classical Marxism also democratic ideas have not found much support. Essentially Marxism advocates liberation and rule of workers, which has to occur independent of any form of government (ibid). Therefore it is indeed palmy in outlining the process of social and political change but falters on the final form of governance that opens the doors for ambiguity, deformation and misinterpretation. This firmly limits the democratic angle of Marxism.Further, with its sole emphasis on workers right and class struggle between proletari at and the bourgeois, Marxist ideology aims to create a society that lacks economic incentives to evolve and move ahead. In its aim to bring marginalized sections of society in the center, the model threatens to create a new section of marginalized. These inherent ideological differences with free, democratic and advancing ideals that USA has cherished since its independence define the incongruity of Marxism in the USAs political, social and economic atmosphere.ReferenceAune JA ,1994, Rhetoric and Marxis, Westview Press, Boulder, COFreedman, R, 1990, The Marxist System Economic, Political, and Social Perspectives.Chatham House Publishers, Chatham, NJ.Heilbroner, RL, 1980, Marxism, for and Against,W. W. Norton. naked as a jaybird York. Young, IM, 1998, A New Handbook of Political Science. Edit, Robert E. Goodin editor, Hans-Dieter Klingeman, Oxford University Press. Oxford.Geras, N. 1994. Democracy and the Ends of Marxism. New odd limited review Volume a. Issue 203.PATEMAN, C. 1 970. Participation and pop Theory. Cambridge Cambridge University PressWolfe, BD,1985, Marxism, One Hundred Years in the Life of a Doctrine. Westview Boulder, CO.Therborn, G, Dialectics of Modernity, 1996, On Critical Theory and the Legacy of Twentieth-Century Marxism, New Left Review. Volume a. Issue 215.