SUBJECT: POLITICAL SCIENCE I

COURSE: BA LLB SEMESTER I

TEACHER: MS. DEEPIKA GAHATRAJ
MODULE: MODULE V, MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT

MARXISM

KARL MARX: EARLY LIFE AND WORK

Karl Marx was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist,
journalist and socialist revolutionary. He was born in 1818 in Trier, Germany. His origin
was Jewish. After completion of school, he began to study law in Bonn in 1835 and at the
end of 1836 he went to Berlin University.There he became a member of the Young Hegelian
Circle. In 1838, his father died. He left the study of law and wrote his Ph.D thesis in
Philosophy. Marx completed his doctorate in 1841 at the University of Jena.
Then in search of job he became one of the editors of a newly−founded German newspaper
in 1842. Very soon he became editor-in-chief. Then in Practice of journalism, made him to
involve himself in and face closely political, social and economic issues; and in this
connection he came to consider that if a theory is to be influential, it must be put into
practice.
Practice of journalism, made him to involve himself in and face closely political, social and
economic issues; and in this connection he came to consider that if a theory is to be
influential, it must be put into practice. Marx has written various issues of Philosophy,
Economics, Politics and society. The books, articles, pamphlets of Marx were written during
three decades from the early forties to the early seventies. The important works of Marx
include Critique of Political Economy, The Communist Manifesto, Das Capital.
Marx was an adorer of Hegel, of his dialectical method; nevertheless he was opposed to
Hegel’s claim that the task of philosopher is only to understand the world and to interpret it.
Marx believed that the task of philosophy is to change the world and to make social
revolution; not only interpreting the world as Hegel said.
Marx was a strong supporter of socialism and economic classless society which is against
any type of private ownership. Marx believed in destroying the private ownership in the
society and changing it by making social revolution through putting the thought in practice;
and that, it is not just to philosophize.
The most important event in Marx’s life, was his meeting with Friedrich Engels in 1844
when he had come from England to Paris. Their friendship and cooperation began from
1844. Engels (1820-1895) was the son of a rich industrialist; first he was the follower of

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Hegel’s thought and then was influenced by materialism of Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach
(1804-1872).
The result of their cooperation was a book under the title : " The Holy Family " which was
published in 1845. Marx afterwards joined "Communists’ Society" and along with Engels
published : "The Communist Manifesto".
For the last ten years, Marx’s health was in very poor condition. Finally he died in 1883 in
London and buried there.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MARXISM

1. Dialectical Materialism
Dialectical materialism is the scientific methodology developed by Marx and Engels for the
interpretation of history. Here, Marx has borrowed heavily from his predecessors,
particularly, the German philosopher Hegel. Dialectics is a very old methodology, employed
to discover truth by exposing contradictions, through a clash of opposite ideas. Hegel
refined it by developing the trilogy of thesis, anti-thesis and synthesis. It is popularly known
as the Dialectical Triad. Progress or growth takes place through the dialectical process. At
every stage of growth, it is characterised by contradictions. These contradictions induce
further changes, progress, and development. The thesis is challenged by its anti-thesis. Both
contain elements of truth and falsehood. Truth is permanent, but falsehood is transitory. In
the ensuing conflict of the thesis and the anti-thesis, the truth remains, but the false elements
are destroyed. These false elements constitute contradictions. The true elements of both the
thesis and the anti-thesis are fused together in a synthesis. This evolved synthesis during the
course of time becomes a thesis and so, it is again challenged by its opposite anti-thesis,
which again results in a synthesis. This process of thesis, anti-thesis, and synthesis continues
until the stage of perfection is reached. In this evolutionary process, a stage will come, when
there will be no false elements. These will be destroyed at different stages of evolution.
Ultimately, only the truth remains, because it is never destroyed. It will constitute the perfect
stage and there will be no contradictions and so, there will be no further growth. The
dialectical process will come to an end after arriving at the perfect truth. It is the
contradictions, which move the dialectical process and a complete elimination of
contradictions marks the end of the dialectical process itself.
For materialism, Marx is highly indebted to the French school of materialism, mainly the
French materialist thinker Ludwig Feuerbach. It is the matter, which is the ultimate reality
and not the idea. The latter is a reflection of the former. How we earn our bread determines
our ideas. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence but, on the
contrary, it is their social existence that determines their consciousness. Marx has observed
that “Hegel’s dialectics was standing on its head and I have put it on its feet”. Hegel has
developed dialectical idealism. For him, it is the idea, which ultimately matters. Idea lies in
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the base or the sub-structure, which determines everything in the superstructure. Society,
polity, economy are in this superstructure which is shaped by the prevalent dominant ideas
of the age. Ultimately it is the idea, which matters, and the other things are only its
reflection. Marx replaced idea with matter. According to Marx, the material or the economic
forces are in the substructure and the idea is a part of the superstructure. Idea is the
reflection of material forces. The economic forces determine the idea and not vice-versa.
Thus, Marx has reversed the position of idea and matter. This is the reason that he claims
that “in Hegel it was upside down and I have corrected it”.
The base or the substructure consists of the forces of production and the relations of
production. These two together constitute the mode of production. When there is a change in
the forces of production because of development in technology, it brings changes in the
relations of production. Thus, a change in the mode of production brings a corresponding
change in the superstructure. Society, polity, religion, morals, values, norms, etc. are a part
of the superstructure and shaped by the mode of production.

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REFERENCES:

- http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/23733/1/Unit-15.pdf
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and-revival/807
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