Analyse the main differences between Liberal and Marxist ideology
Analyse the main differences between Liberal and Marxist ideology
Ideology can be defined as a set of beliefs, attitudes, values, and ideas that characterises the consciousness of a class at a given historical moment. This set is determined by social, economic, and historical factors. According to Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, any ideological superstructure derives from a material infrastructure or economic base.
The term liberalism refers to the distinct set of political ideas encompassed within it. Liberalism as an ideology may not have been around until the early 1800's, but the essence of it had been developing since the collapse of the feudal system, mainly in Europe, and it being replaced by a market or capitalist society.
The term individual freedom is what liberals sometimes refer to as the "natural right", a fundamental necessity for having a true life. Individuals should be free to decide where and how they live, creating an environment where they can reach their true potential. However, this is not limitless, as liberals believe there should not be complete freedom, as it can become "licence". This basically means that individuals do not have the right to abuse others - anything that would lessen another individuals personal freedom.
Individual freedom is seen by many liberals as the supreme political value, and in many ways is the unifying principle of the ideology, but to say liberalism is merely concerned by this alone is short-sighted, and easily proven to be incorrect. There are many other core values entrenched in liberalism, equally significant and important as each other.
Social justice is the belief that all individuals are equal so have equal rights due to the fact that they are human. These are also referred to as "natural" or "human" rights, and they are not withheld for any specific group of people, therefore liberals are against any advantages or privileges bestowed on any individuals based on a factor or factors that they cannot control e.g. race, gender, etc. It also includes the belief that individuals should be seen as "equal before the law", so basically no-one should be above the law, or get different treatment when being ...
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Social justice is the belief that all individuals are equal so have equal rights due to the fact that they are human. These are also referred to as "natural" or "human" rights, and they are not withheld for any specific group of people, therefore liberals are against any advantages or privileges bestowed on any individuals based on a factor or factors that they cannot control e.g. race, gender, etc. It also includes the belief that individuals should be seen as "equal before the law", so basically no-one should be above the law, or get different treatment when being dealt with by the justice system under any circumstances. This leads to equality of opportunity, whereby individuals should be given corresponding prospects to succeed or fail in life, in turn leading to the belief in a meritocracy. This view of society is that the talented and best equipped people to lead and rule will rise to the top and do so accordingly.
Another core value of liberalism is called civil society. This means that although individuals are given the opportunity to achieve "self mastery" in society, many individuals survive more successfully if they associate with other individuals to form alliances and relationships beneficial to survival. Economically, individuals need to trade and do business with each other to obtain all the goods they require, and this cannot be achieved autonomously. (?) This includes the belief that individuals enter into these relationships via contracts, but they are only binding if it has moral authority, being that one party was not entering the contract under false pretence. For example, the relationship between a worker and an employer. Both parties enter into the contract voluntarily and for their own benefit, so the contract should be adhered to and if necessary legally enforced.
A liberal society is a pluralistic society, consisting of a multitude of different groups
holding a wide range of opinions and beliefs that are tolerated. This aspect can only be removed by repression or a spread of conformism. It's a willingness to allow people to think speak and act in ways we disapprove. Liberals accept or even celebrate cultural and political diversity. For example, F. Voltaire summarised toleration thusly, "I detest what you say but will defend to the death your right to say it". Therefore liberals are against anyone or thing that prevents an individual expressing their views within society e.g. censorship. This is summed up by J.S. Mill, "society had no more right to overturn the opinion of a single individul than that single individual had to overturn the opinions of the rest of society". Toleration guarantees democratic society as civil liberties are guaranteed. However, there are limits to toleration, such as to views that are themselves, intolerant. For example racist or sexist opinions.
The liberal state does not develop naturally. It is based on the fear that certain individuals may exploit others individuality for their own benefit. Therefore a state must exist to constrain individuals from encroaching on anothers freedom. This is most aptly captured by John Locke, "where there is no law, there is no freedom". There have been many debates whether the state is a "positive good" or a "necessary evil", a liberal would agree with the former of the two statements. This is the basis for a "social contract", obligations to the state from the individual to ensure harmony in society. The state is seen as an impartial arbiter between competing individuals.
Liberals also advocate a constitutional government, whereby its powers are limited by the existence of a constitution. Government exercises sovereign power, which is a constant threat to individual liberty, therefore governments threaten to become a tyranny against the individual. Liberals fear arbitary government, and seek to establish limited government. These constitutional constraints include powers being limited by external and legal constraints, and internal constraints that disperse political power among a number of institutions, so no one individual has absolute power.
Marxist ideology is almost the antithesis of Liberalism. Marxism places emphasis on the individual, but only to fulfil their duty to society through labour, working for one another contributing what they can and taking what they need. The most important features of a Marxist society are its economic classes and their relations to each other in the modes of production of each historical epoch. A class is defined by the relations of its members to the means of production.
Under capitalism, not advocated but generally exists in a Liberal democracy, the capitalists own the means of production, the proletariat own only their capacity to work. Landlords rule the land, and the peasants are less significant than workers and are trapped in the idiocy of rural life. Liberals promote a civil society, however, Marxists enforce a total civil society in which the people have an alliance with the entire population to form a beneficial relationship for survival.
Marxists see history as the history of class struggles among the classes in society. New progressive classes arise that are related to new forms of production and struggle with the old. New forms of society arise appropriate to the new forms of production when the new classes win power. This doctrine is called historical materialism.
Marxists see the state as the means whereby the ruling class forcibly maintains its rule over the other classes. A Marxist state would exist fundamentally to ensure materials and goods are dispensed fairly and according to individual need. Liberals see that the state must exist to ensure the liberty of all individuals in its jurisdiction, which may include restraining certain individuals so that they do not encroach another's freedom.
Marx's view on the individual was that each man is a creature made in the image of a sovereign God. Rather, man is an essentially social being, with no individual human nature. His whole life is bound up with his social relations. Marxism has an ethical imperative for men to act in ways that correspond with the direction of history. Liberalism sees the individual as a social being, a product of his relationships and social class. However, the ethical imperative for the Liberal individual is to be free, and have no restrictions on attempting to achieve their full potential, except those that serve to maintain the individual freedom of others.
John Dunster
