A Comparison of Marx and Engels with Mill Regarding Social and Economic Progress To understand what these two different philosophies tell us about the nature of social and economic progress it is important to clearly establish, for the purpose of this essay, a definition of the word progress. Many philosophers see progress as being a positive, continuous advancement into the future where, if we do not gain full scientific and empirical knowledge of our surroundings one day, then we will at least gain a deeper knowledge of our lives than we at present possess. If we can therefore have a fuller understanding of our surroundings there leaves the further question of whether we will ever reach a stage of progression where we can have complete knowledge of the more abstract concepts of man’s social and moral ‘perfectibility’. Marx, Engels and Mill attempt to demonstrate how this ‘perfectibility’ may be reached and/or will be reached with their contrasting (Marx and Engels vs Mill) views of social and economic progress. ((The most prominent similarity of these philosophers is the emphasis that they all put on freedom as being the ultimate goal of human progress.)) Marx and Engels believe that this ‘perfectibility’ would be reached through a material process. They reject the views of the young Hegelians. These new Hegelian followers re-interpreted Hegel’s idealist philosophy that illustrates history as the progress of the ‘Mind’, thus the spiritual side of the Universe, into history being an account of human self-consciousness freeing itself from the illusions that prevent it from achieving self understanding and freedom. Marx and Engel... ... middle of paper ... ... they chose. There is also a further division in labour as men have to specialise in one aspect of work which does not fill potential or realise aspects of human power. Harry Braverman, writes about the consequences of this division of labour: 'While the social division of labour subdivides society, the detailed division of labour subdivides humans’ Workers become dependent on capitalists who own means of production. It is impossible for workers to escape as they would their jobs and then their lives. Labour has therefore become forced labour. As Marx puts it ‘labour is external to the worker, does not belong to his essential being…… he feels miserable and not happy, does not develop free mental and physical energy, but mortifies his flesh and ruins his mind….. the worker feels himself only when he is not working’ (23)
The Marx-Engels Reader by Robert C. Tucker is an anthology containing essential writings of German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Major writing selections are to understand Marx perspective about history and society, such as The German Ideology. Marx introduces his historical materialism philosophy in the German Ideology: Part 1 of this book, where he proposes communism. Although I agree with a few points Marx gives, I cannot accept his overall conclusion that communism is the only way to become truly free. Marx suggest abolishing private property ownership and remove economic power from the hands of privileged people to accomplish freedom.
In the Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels. The authors make sure that it’s very well known that proletarians (the working class), are being oppressed by the Bourgeois, and they also make sure every one knows that it is not the first time in history when there is a minority that rules over the majority, and that this ends up in class conflict, that leads to a revolution where the powerful are overthrown. The way that the Marx, and Engels demonstrate that the Bourgeois are inherently oppressive is by talking about the way their private land is giving them increase of power over the proletarians, and that the proletarians are being in a way enslaved by their labor (job). Instead of feeling enslaved by their job they should (in a ideal society) happy about their labor, but are instead, in the contrary, being exploited to mass produce, and not being paid enough for their labor; demonstrating that Bourgeois are benefiting from the
Society is built and run on social and moral obligations and while these two are closely related, both impact cultures around the world in different ways. Marx’s Communist Manifesto and Mill’s On Liberty demonstrate the relationship these obligations have with successful and unsuccessful social constructs. For the purposes of this paper, a moral obligation is a consideration of what is right¬¬¬ and wrong and can vary depending on pressures from external sources such as religion, while a social obligation is a responsibility the individual has to act to benefit the best interests of their class as well as supporting the stability between society and the individual. Marx and Mill differ greatly in their opinions on the role and effects of both moral and social obligation, with Marx claiming that social obligation is one’s responsibility to one’s class and Mill claiming that it is one’s responsibility to further the society by expressing one’s own ideas because doing so is key to preventing society from becoming stagnant. Both authors also have differing views on moral obligation since Marx also claims that morality as a whole is a social construction used to oppress the Proletariat and that it is therefore invalid, whereas Mill claims that moral obligation is one’s debt to oneself to express their opinion, since not doing so would leave one’s character undeveloped.
Marx, Karl, Friedrich Engels, and Robert C. Tucker. The Marx-Engels reader . 2d ed. New York: Norton, 1978. Print.
"History is nothing but the succession of separate generations, each of which exploits the materials, capital, and productive forces handed down to it by all preceding generations." Marx resists any abstraction from this idea, believing that his materialistic ideas alone stand supported by empirical evidence which seems impossible to the Hegelian. His history then begin...
Marx, Karl, Friedrich Engels, and Robert C. Tucker. The Marx-Engels reader. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 1978. Print.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels from “Communist League”, a radical workers group, was authorized to produce The Communist Manifesto on behalf of the group. Marx was the author of The Communist Manifesto with Engels as the assistant and editor. The Communist Manifesto was published on February 21, 1848. In the document Marx and Engels argue that struggles between classes and the exploitation between one classes of another, is the force behind historic development, “all history has been a history of class struggles, of struggles between exploited and exploiting, between dominated and dominating classes at various stages of social development,” (Karl Marx). In addition, Marx and Engel’s The Communist Manifesto was greatly influential in the labor movement of the late nineteenth century.
John Stuart Mill suggests that a person’s ethical decision-making process should be based solely upon the amount of happiness that the person can receive. Although Mill fully justifies himself, his approach lacks certain criteria for which happiness can be considered. Happiness should be judged, not only by pleasure, but by pain as well. This paper will examine Mill’s position on happiness, and the reasoning behind it. Showing where there are agreements and where there are disagreements will critique the theory of Utilitarianism. By showing the problems that the theory have will reveal what should make up ethical decision-making. John Stuart Mill supports and explains his reasoning in his book, Utilitarianism. Mill illustrates the guidelines of his theory. Mill defines utilitarianism as the quest for happiness. His main point is that one should guide his or her judgements by what will give pleasure. Mill believes that a person should always seek to gain pleasure and reject pain. Utilitarianism also states that the actions of a person should be based upon the “greatest happiness principle”. This principle states that ethical actions command the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. Mill further explores the need for pleasure by noting “a being of higher faculties requires more to make him happy.” . He acknowledges that some pleasures are more alluring than others are. He adds to this by making known that when placing value in things to calculate pleasure, not only quantity important but quality as well. Mill’s criteria for happiness is easily understood, some statements that he gives are questionable. John Stuart Mill plainly laid out what he believes that the basis for ethical decision-making. First, the pursuit of pleasure is directly related to happiness. This idea can be easily accepted. It is natural for a person to focus his goals on things that will bring him pleasure. It would be absurd if someone’s goal in life was to be poor and starving. This being said, it does not mean that people are only happy due wealth but that no one’s goals are focused on poverty. Although there are many issues that can be agreeable with Mill, there are problems that exist with his theory of utilitarianism.
Marx and his coauthor, Friedrich Engels, begin The Communist Manifesto with the famous and provocative statement that the “history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of class struggle.” They argue that all changes in the shape of society, in political institutions, in history itself, are driven by a process of collective struggle on the part of groups of people with similar economic situations in order to realize their material or economic interests. These struggles, occurring throughout history from ancient Rome through the Middle Ages to the present day, have been struggles of economically subordinate classes against economically dominant classes who opposed their economic interests—slaves against masters, serfs against landlords,
During the 1760s the industrial revolution was about to begin in Great Britain. Before the industrial revolution started people did manufacturing in their house with hand tools and small basic machinery. Once the Industrial Revolution started most of the at home work stop and factory work had began. The industrial Revolution had improved life for people, not only did it improve life but it also improved banking, transportation and communication systems.
During the time of the industrial era, there were many people upset over the manner in which the nations were being run. They were upset with the idea of capitol gain and how it was affecting people’s actions. They saw this era causing people to exploit each other with the intent of monetary gain. Those that were already part of the higher ranking class, the richer, would see reason to force the lower class, the working man, to spend his life in the new factories. He would be bullied into risking life and limb at the monstrous machines while hardly earning a penny. The working man suffered because the richer man owned the factory and consumed all the profits himself. Some men, however, saw a solution as well as the problem. They thought that if the power could be taken out of the hands of the strong and power hungry, then the working class would realize the rights they had all along. The constant struggle for power would be eliminated and so society would become better. Two of these men were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Marx had received all the recognition while Engels has been shunted off the pages of history. He did, however, still have an impact on the development of communism.
Selsam, Howard, and Harry Martel. Reader in Marxist Philosophy: From the Writings of Marx, Engels, and Lenin. New York: International, 1963. Print.
Analysis of the Main Strengths and Weaknesses of Marx’s Sociological Thought “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles” Marx and Engels (1967, p.67) Born in 1818, Karl Marx, using his philosophical and socialist ideas, attempted to show how conflict and struggle in social development were important in the development of a society. The works of Marx were influenced by three distinct intellectual traditions: German idealist philosophy, French socialism and British political economy. German idealist philosophy is an approach based on the thesis that only the mind and its content really exist. This philosophy maintains that it is through the advance of human reason that human beings progress. French socialism is a political doctrine that emerged during the French Revolution and emphasised social progress led by a new industrial class.
The end of 19th century, Western Society was changing physically, philosophically, economically, and politically. It was an influential and critical time in that the Industrial Revolution created a new class. Many contemporary observers realized the dramatic changes in society. Among these were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels who observed the conditions of the working man, or the proletariat, and saw a change in how goods and wealth were distributed. In their Communist Manifesto, they described their observations of the inequalities between the emerging wealthy middle class and the proletariat as well as the condition of the proletariat. They argued that the proletariat was at the mercy of the new emerging middle class, or bourgeoisie, and could only be rescued by Communism: a new economic form.
Marx, Karl, and Friedrich Engels. The Communist Manifesto. Trans. Paul M. Sweeny. New York: Monthly Review Press, 1998.