Marxism is one of the well-known approaches or theories in the Social Sciences.

It focuses on the idea of

“class struggle” between social classes that defines economic relations in a capitalist economy and will
inevitably lead to revolutionary communism. However, Marxism will be completely understood if
capitalism and communism should define first.

CAPITALISM - is an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled
by private owners for profit, rather than by the state. This is according to Adam Smith, the Father of
Modern Economics, who proposed this concept. A capitalist society allows and encourages competition
between and among its citizens. As a result, social inequality fuels the economic activities.

COMMUNISM – is political-economic theory proposed by Karl Marx that advocates class struggle and
leading to a society in which all property is publicly owned while workers are paid according to their
abilities and needs. In communist perspective, society is divided into bourgeoisie (rich people/ the one
who controls the capital) and proletariat (poor / the working class). The differences of living conditions
between the two are based on the unfair capitalistic system. Therefore, a capitalist society should be
overthrown a power class struggle to achieve communism where fairness and equality prevail as classless
society reign.

SOCIALISM – a politico-economic system in which mode of production and property are owned and
controlled by the state.

MARXISM AND SOME OF ITS SOCIAL THINKERS

MARXISM – tackles the areas of philosophy, history, and economics in studying society. Hence, he uses
materialist interpretation to the historical development to understand the social conflicts, class relations,
and dialectical perspective as an attempt for social transformation.

1. KARL MARX – a German philosopher, economist, political thinker, writer-

revolutionary, journalist, and teacher who is considered as the father of 20th century
communism. He was known for having synthesized the philosophy of Hegel, the
political economy of the British, and the socialism of the French.

2. FRIEDRICH ENGELS – a German socialist philosopher who served as the closest

collaborator of Marx. He published the The Condition of the Working Class om 1845
and co-authored The Communist Manifesto with Karl Marx in 1848. He edited the
second and third volume of the said book after Marx’s death. He also organized
Marx’s notes on the Theories of Surplus Value which was later published as the
fourth volume of Capital.
 3. VLADIMIR ILICH ULYANOV (LENIN) – a Russian Marxist theorist and revolutionary.
He founded the Bolshevik Party in 1903 and led the 1917 October Revolution. He
remained the leader of the Soviet state until his death.

This politico-economic ideology come into existence after Marx’s death in 1883 and
was primarily the product of the attempt by Engels and other followers of Marx to
condense his ideas into a comprehensive worldview. However, the idea began with
Plato to Sir Thomas More and eventually to Karl Marx.

Around 400-350 B.C. Late 14th to Early 15th Century 18th Century

Plato – desire for justice Sir Thomas More – utopian society = Karl Marx – Communist
and equality flawless society (harmony & Manifesto (last step in the
communion) progression of society)
Over time, there emerged different types of Marxism: Classical Marxism, Orthodox Communism, and Neo-
Marxism.

1. CLASSICAL MARXISM – refers to a philosophy of history that explains why socialism is meant to take
place of capitalism (Heywood, 2007). This explains how society evolved from primitive communalism to
capitalism, and how it passes through socialism before reaching the final stage communism.

2. ORTHODOX COMMUNISM (MARXISM-LENINISM) – characterized by Russian Revolution staged by the

Bolshevik party led by Vladimir Lenin in 1917, which became the Communist Party in 1918. This brand of
communism provides greater attention to issues such as political and economic management and
organization. In this way, Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin (communist elite) carried out the genuine
revolution, not the proletariat. For Lenin, revolutionary part is needed to lead the proletariat to class
consciousness; while Stalin, gave importance to social collectivization or state socialism – a centrally
planned economy supported by political tyranny.

3. NEO-MARXISM – the updated revised form of Marxism which rejects determinism and emphasizes the
importance of economics and the privileged status of the proletariat. “The idea that class struggle is the
beginning and end of class analysis” is rejected.

HEGELIAN DIALECTICS

Marxism in the area of philosophy tackles the HEGELIAN DIALECTICS which is based on George Hegel
(1770-1831) that talks about the way of thinking which stresses the importance of processes, relations,
dynamics, conflicts and contradictions. Marx believed that history was a series of conflicts arising from
two opposing forces, THESIS and ANTITHESIS.

THESIS – the viewpoint that is currently accepted and widely held. It shows the STATUS QUO.

ANTITHESIS (the Negative by Hegel) – oppose and articulate the problems with the thesis. Mechanism for
CHANGE.
When these two collided to each other, it produces the SYNTHESIS. A modified thesis that presents the
new viewpoint derived from the solution caused by the two opposing forces of thesis and anti-thesis. It is
the PROGRESS.

Thesis Antithesis

Synthesis (New
Antithesis
Thesis)

Synthesis (New Antithesis

Thesis)

Synthesis (Final
Thesis)

For example, applying this dialectic to the Marxist ideas.

Thesis Antithesis

Synthesis (New
Antithesis Antithesis
Thesis)

Employer (Bourgeoisie) – THESIS: In a capitalist society, bourgeoisie ran the factories while the working
class provided the labor.

Employee (Proletariat) – ANTITHESIS: The desire for change of the working class pushed them to the idea
that working class should not be always providing labor for the factories.

SYNTHESIS: Members of the working class begin to take managerial positions. These promoted workers
become middle class that has more power to operate to the factories than the owners. Therefore, this
becomes the new thesis.

Employer (Bourgeoisie) – ANTITHESIS: The power of the middle class threatens the owner. The owner
doesn’t want to share wealth or make them equal to them.

Employee (Proletariat) – ANTITHESIS: The workers will feel unrest about it.
HISTORICAL MATERIALISM

It is a social theory that uses economic principles as the main foundation of its perspective in
understanding and interpreting issues in the society. Marx believed that history was made up of different
methods of provision.

KEY CONCEPTS OF MARXISM

ALIENATION – means separation from one’s true or necessary nature, and the idea was used by Marxists
to describe the process by which labor is reduced to being a mere commodity under capitalism. The
proletariat is separated from the product of their labor since they work not to produce their own needs
but commodities to be sold for profit.

SURPLUS VALUE – is generated or the value extracted from the labor of the proletariat by the mechanism
of capitalist exploitation. The bourgeoisie was able to exploit the proletariat by paying them less than the
value of their labor in order to produce profit.

FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS – a Marxist belief that used by the capitalist to the members of the working class
by deceiving them from their true class position when they fail to realize their class oppression. Working
class disregard the true nature of oppression due to the belief in the possibility of upward mobility (going
up to the social hierarchy).

PRAXIS – the process by which a theory is enacted or realized by critically assessing the world and change
society based on the workers’ own class interests, rather than accepting the capitalist ideology. Praxis
encourages the working class/ community to become empowered and help them challenge their
oppression.

CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS – a set of beliefs that a person holds based on their socio-economic status in the
society, the structure of the class, and class interests. Marx believed that it is an awareness or
acknowledgment of the class oppression that would spark the revolution which creates the “dictatorship
of the proletariat.”