Assess the Merits and Limitations of the Ideas and Concepts of Karl Marx.
David Saxton 05496693 A Survey of Social Science
Assess the Merits and Limitations of the Ideas and Concepts of Karl Marx.
Karl Marx was a German social theorist born in 1818. Like many other 19th century Social theorists, Marx refused to see the distinction between what today, we label as ‘Philosophy’ and ‘Sociology’. Instead Marx, along with other theorists (Smith, Weber,) believed that these two areas, though not given names in the 19th century, of thought constituted one single field of academic work and sociological thought rather than different areas of social enquiry. (Lee 1983/2000) In 1835, Karl Marx began to study the subject Law at university in the German city of Bonn. Completing his studies in 1841 at the university of Berlin after being moved their by his father in 1837. (Scott, 1994/2005) After completing his studies, Karl Marx, went on to become a journalist and following on from this in 1841 the editor of a radical bourgeoisie newspaper. The newspaper being, the ‘Rheinsche Zeitung’. However as a direct result due to pressure from the Russian Tsar, Nicholas 1, the Prussian government closed the paper down, this was pressure occurred as result of an article Karl Marx printed within the newspaper. Following this in 1843, Marx married his childhood sweetheart, Jenny von Westphalen and moved to Paris. During his time in Paris, a little over two years, Karl Marx became editor of the ‘Franco – German Annals’, and also during this period met Friedrich Engles. Friedrich Engles was the son of a wealthy industrialist with factors situation within England. Engles became an important and influential to Karl Marx as well as a lifelong friend, collaborator and a much ‘put upon patron’. (Scott, 1983/2005) In 1845, due to the threats and changes created and influenced by the French government, the ‘Franco – German Annals’ were banned and through financial support from Friedrich Engles, Marx moved to Belgium. An important event occurred in 1846 for Marx, this was the establishment of a ‘Communist Correspondence Committee’. During this year, Marx also completed ‘The Communist Manifesto’, with the help of Friedrich Engles. (Lee. 1983/2000) However this manifesto was not published until 1848, and following the publication, both Marx and Engles, were expelled from Belgium. Following this Karl Marx moved to Cologne, where he founds and publishes the ‘New Rhenish Gazette’. In the year of 1849, as result of being expelled from Cologne, Marx moves back to France and then onto England. It is here in England that Karl Marx experiences and lives within extreme poverty. (Giddens, 1989/2005) It is also in England that Karl Marx spends his final years, dying in 1883 due to cancer of the bladder. However during his time in England, some of Marx’s most important concepts, theories and analogies were written and documented, though not necessarily published until a later date. This occurred mainly in 1867, when Marx wrote the first volume of Das Kapital. This publication expanded upon the earlier concept and theories of surplus value, division of labour and the industrial reserve army.
