MARXISM

Dr. Tharishini Krishnan @ Dr. Tharry

Department of Strategic and Defence Studies
National Defence University Malaysia
tharishini@upnm.edu.my
17/03/2024 +601110055721 1
 Scope
• Introduction
• Classical Marxism
• Historical Materialism/Dialectical Materialism
• Marxism in the context of IR
• Neo Marxism

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 Introduction
• Marxism is the third theory of IR – equally important as R
and L.
• Reject struggle of power or the world instead study the
struggle for distribution of economic resources.
• Postulates the scenario of human progression in terms of
mode of production from the economic point of view.
• Gives a systemic explanation to the nature of IR and all
actors involved in IR just like R and L.

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Introduction
• Seek to understand the social processes/lives which have
been historically constructed.
• Historically in the context of the study of class struggle
through the transmission of the past.
• Study the dialectical framework of interaction between
forces of production - commodity relations.
• Posited a relational and process oriented view of human
beings as material beings engaged in productive
interchange with the world to survive.

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 Key Idea - Marxism

• Conflict theory
(dialectic/alienation)
• Class theory
(class struggle (exploitation)
• Material conception of history

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Is Marxism still relevant?
• Exploitation.
• Justice.

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Father of Classical Marxism
• Karl Marx (1818-1873), Friedrich
Engels (1820-1895), and Vladimir I.
Lenin (1870-1924).
• Use economy as the centre piece to
understand development of society.
• 19th c – capitalism and colonialism
was in rise in Europe – spread to
the world.
• Industrialisation led to society
inequality.

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Historical Materialism

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Dialectic Materialism
Human
Change the new
progression/society
Revolution relations force of
through mode of
production
production

Human material being Better mode of

Dissatisfaction leads to
involved in producing production/distribution
conflict
the products of economy

Interaction occurs at
each stage through Society correspond at
dialectic/alienation each level of
process (class production
consciousness)

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Stage One : Primitive
• First form of property –tribal property.
• Underdeveloped/elementary.
• Division of labor existing in the family.

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Stage Two: Slavery
• Ancient communal/state property.
• Private property developing.
• Surplus (slaves do all).
• Class relations between master and
slaves developed.

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Stage Three: Feudalism

• Estate property.
• Nobody own anybody.
• Some surplus.
• Called as serfs– obey castle orders.
• Serfs – sometimes in land lord,
some can cultivate at own place -
but no title/no possession.

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Stage Four: Capitalism

• Not personally tied exploiter like slave-master or serf-master

• Free, Individual liberty/mobility – but are we really free?
• Another form of exploitation – like feudalism/slavery.
• Why – wages/ more surplus –others distribute for their benefit.

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Stage Four: Capitalism
• Capitalism can also be:
• Disabling
 Social life is distorted – obstructed from self-determination
 alienation
• Exploitative
 Coercive methods in the modern way.
• Undemocratic
 Have control of state because state is dependent on private investment.
 Veto power over public policy.

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Dialectic Materialism

Developed Capitalism
Revolution
Aristocracy/
Bourgeoisie/peasantry/serfs Feudalism
Revolution

Ancient
communal/empire/barbarians Slavery
Revolution

Underdeveloped Primitive
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Worker’s Utopia
• In the end, a classless society with no more oppression or internal
contradictions.
• People will be free to choose how they labor – live to their fullest
potential.
• Ideal world – communism.
• Marx’s Communist Manifesto 1845.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0GFSUu5UzA

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Communism
• Free, classless, equal society.
• No social consciousness.
• Common ownership of means of production and property in general.
• Democracy takes the forms of a means of stateless organisation.
• Is any country really a communist system?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrtDZ-LOXFw

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Marxism in the context of IR
• IR is not a mere study of interstate relations but relations conditioned
by ‘ economic relations’ – determine by economic factors (material,
production and control resources).
• Economy and class struggle is the primary factor that motivate states
actions.

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Marxism in the context of IR
• Not purely a domestic phenomenon – expansionist dynamics –
overflowed boundaries – outdistances geography scope.
• Applying the logic on global level – M study world politics is about
hierarchies of power and wealth – including imperialism.
• Today we closely relate the dynamics of capitalism with globalisation.

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Theory of Imperialism
• Early 20th C – WWI loomed – generation of M discuss the theory of
imperialism.
• Rosa Lumemburg, Rudolf Hilferding, Nicolai Bukharin and Vladimir
Lenin.
• Lenin upgraded Marx and Engel idea.
• How capitalism lead to colonial expansionism.
• Driven by raw materials, overproduction and search for new market.
• Also causing inter-imperialist rivalry – conflict – nationalism - war.

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Lenin’s Theory of Imperialism
• Less developed
Periphery countries
• Capitalism has entered a new
stage – highest and final dominant core
stage – development of exploiting less
monopoly capitalism. developed periphery

• Structured as a two tier – • Capital/centre of

core and periphery. Core
administration & power
• Centre of production &
economic activities.

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Neo-Marxism
• Modern but preserves major features of Marxism – economic factors,
issues of inequality and the problem of exploitation.
• Neo-marxism – exploiters and exploited are actually referred as
state.
• Division of class ? Yes – rich/poor, developed/under-developing – Yes.
• Policies are driven by rich wanting to remain strong and poor wanting
to fight for their rights.
• Consist of dependency theory and world system theory.

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Dependency Theory
• Around 1950s.
• Focus on the dependency of Latin America on US and unfairness
between North and South America.
• Big question – why many countries were not developing?
• Make national government actions/policy – control of monetary
exchange rate, platform for investment, bringing of external capital
and etc.

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Dependency Theory
• Discussed the flow of economic resources from periphery
to core - periphery.
• Periphery has better chance of economic growth if has no
tie with core – if core gets the power back – periphery
will be back to unstable.
• Most periphery still traditional and have close link with
core.
• ’Underdevelopment’.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JN6LlMY2ApQ

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World System Theory
• Gathered ideas from Marx, Lenin –
imperialism, dependency theory – modified
and enhanced the idea.
• Immanuel Wallerstein – founder of the WST -
1960.

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How different from dependency theory?
• DT – bimodal , WST trimodal.
• DT – periphery to core – enriching only core – not fully developed
theory.
• WST - not a one way flow from periphery to core – upward and
downward mobility – dynamic – allows movements and change.
• Can more from periphery to semi periphery (Asian tigers) or core to
semi-periphery.

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World System Theory
• Districts and villages.
• Supply food & resources
Periphery to the capital & provincial
capitals.

Semi- • Provincial capitals.

• Supply food & resources
periphery to the capital.

• Capital/centre of
adminstration & power.
Core • Centre of production &
economic activities.

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Conclusion
• Marxism is not a domestic theory, not a mere economic theory, and
not necessarily economically deterministic.
• Marx’s ideal communist society is democratic in a radical sense.
• But it can also involve culture and ideology.
• Regardless, Marxism is one the most influential theory in the
discipline of IR.

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 THANK YOU

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