"What are the main strengths and weaknesses of Marxist histories"?
Matt Eagles
"What are the main strengths and weaknesses of Marxist histories"?
Marxist theories ultimately have their ambitions set upon social upheaval of
whatever current system of governance is in place and the replacing of it with
the idea of Communism. At the fulcrum of these Marxist theories is the
concept of class struggle throughout history.
"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."
(Communist Manifesto)
An immediate potential weakness within the Marxist school of thought could
be the apparent cynicism that is apparent throughout. To grasp the idea that
man is no more in control of his existence and circumstances is a daunting
and uneasy way of approaching the interpretation of history.
"It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but, on the
contrary, their social existence that determines their consciousness."
(Marx, in the Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy.)
However the driving force of Marxist histories is derived from the question of
class struggle and in particular that Marx emphasized the forthcoming clash
between the development of material life and the superstructure it exists
within and stabilizes. Marx illustrated his ideas most prominently by the
example of capitalism supressing the proletariat and by the prediction of the
development of socialism, and ultimately communism from capitalism. This
theory of evolving methods of ideals was adopted by marx after the study of
Georg Hegel one of Marx's predeccesors and inspirations. Hegel adopted a
theory of dialectics although never coining the term himself, where there is a
thesis poised against its antithesis; for example the thesis being the French
Monarchy in the 19th Century, the antithesis being the revolutionary forces
combined with Rousseau or Diderot, the resulting clash and lack of room for
progress results in the synthesis and in this case Napolean. A full revolution
of events and transference of power occurs and after which there is an
element of stability regained. Marxist dialectic goal was the eventual
progression towards the synthesis emerging as total socialism or
communism.Marx used Hegel's ideas and applied them to classes of people
throughout history. Any ruling class controlled the "means of production"
which gave them wealth and power to rule. Whenever a new method of
production occurred, there was conflict between the older ruling class and a
newer class using the newer and superior means of production. An example
is how the Businessman and his money destroyed the power of the old
Aristocracy based on land ...
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progression towards the synthesis emerging as total socialism or
communism.Marx used Hegel's ideas and applied them to classes of people
throughout history. Any ruling class controlled the "means of production"
which gave them wealth and power to rule. Whenever a new method of
production occurred, there was conflict between the older ruling class and a
newer class using the newer and superior means of production. An example
is how the Businessman and his money destroyed the power of the old
Aristocracy based on land and hereditary ownership
Marxist teachings also emphasise the importance of the role of the economic
superstructure.
"The mode of production of material life conditions the social, political and
intellectual life process in general"
This Historical Materialism is key to the focus of Marxist interpretations of
History, although argued is a vital weakness also. By concerntrating on the
importance of the economic factors with disregard for the political it may be
argued Marx's interpretations are flawed. Through the logic of capitalism,
Marx determined that Humans hold an neccesary role as material beings,
driven to take on the role of what is neccesary to survive, be it hunter gatherer
or labourer. Historical Materialism is the application of Marxist science to
historical development.
Marxist theories it may be argued are largely based upon cynicism towards
those with varying degrees of power. At the crux of the investigation of
Marxist histories is the concept of the struggle throughout history of the
classes, the oppression of the working class or the proletariat by the holders
of power. The fundamental proposition of historical materialism can be
summed up in a briefly: That consciousness is determined by your being,
thought is limited by the range of experience of the species, and further
limited more extensively through language. Marx states that language defines
humans and is an additional means of social control. Historical Materialism is
a theory that is sometimes known as the materialist conception of history or
the economic interpretation of history. It was the research program of Karl
Marx and Friedrich Engel's. Through Marx's perception of Materialism it is the
understanding that reality is only material: matter and energy. There are not
Gods or any supernatural phenomenon, politics and beliefs exist solely due to
economic climate and positioning. Induced by the ruling classes throughout
history to serve as means of social control, this is directly related to the
question surrounding the struggle of class and the argument of False
Consciousness. Again contrary to Hegel's work of Idealisms Marx indeed
"stands him on his head". However to abandon the widespread beliefs that
are commonplace in most societies is a weakness as to the widespread
acceptance of Marxist historical teachings.
For example, through practical everyday life wage-labourers reproduce
themselves physically, i.e. work to earn money in order to buy food, shelter
and clothing they need to survive. This is at the heart of Historical
Materialism. Wage-labourers as part of their "jobs" engage in production,
production of the things they need to buy in order to survive.
An underlying theme then to the class struggle is the capitalist way of ruling
without mercy. The capitalist system being based on private ownership of the
means of production, which gives the power to very few. Marx himself
mounted a full-scale attack on the theories, institutions, and philosophies of
industrial capitalism. The crux of his argument was that capitalism was
irrational. Marx did agree that the capitalist system was unparalleled at the
method of production it used. However, under that same system, the problem
existed of how to distribute the products its factories have made. The fact was
that under a capitalist system, production was meant to make a profit, not to
satisfy the needs of the society. Marx stated that as long as those products
being produced, were making a profit, they will remain being produced, no
matter whether the public demanded that product, or not. Also with the
capitalist system, came competition. This drove the capitalists to cut the costs
as much as possible. This is done through cutting the wages of the labourers.
It is then evident that the public could no longer afford even the products they
themselves produce. Also with competition, came the desire of the capitalist
to increase volume, in the idea of grasping a larger portion of the market. This
increased volume of product led to a vicious circle, which includes
overproduction, leading to lay-offs, periods of depression and recession. With
this vicious circle, that is brought by capitalism, comes economic misery for all
of society. Marx also had a theory, which described the workers in the
capitalist system. Marx used the term alienation of labour in describing what
effects the labourers feel under a capitalist system. He believed that
labourers needed productive, gratifying work in order to remain happy. Marx
stated that under a capitalist system labourers did not have a chance to
develop their mental and physical capacities, something that Marx felt was
essential while working. He also believed that man should not only labour as
an individual, but for society as well. However under this capitalist system,
man was working for his boss, who only sought profit, and not the well being
of his workers, or the public. Under these conditions, workers became
mentally and physically drained. Marx believed that every person had a need
to work. However, the capitalist system does not satisfy that need. Marx said
it best when he stated that this type of work does not satisfy the need to work
but is only a means to satisfy other needs such as food and clothes. Marx
used the term alienation of labour because this work left the labourer with a
feeling of discomfort and homelessness.
Marx's solution to capitalism was the socialist revolution by the workers
against the capitalists. Marx figured that this revolution would attain several
things. Firstly, it would overthrow the system of ownership of the means of
production, and place the means of production in the hands of the people.
Secondly, the goal of production would be to satisfy the needs of the society,
and not to create a profit. Finally the socialist revolution would realize a
rational way of distributing out the products it creates in accordance to need.
The resulting system was that socialism, would bring a society which was
based on collective ownership of the means of production, rational economic
planning, equal distribution of goods and services, and lastly, production for
the human need, the example of the Marxist dialectic in full swing.
Marx focuses on the theory of history rather than an empirical way of telling
history how it is. Unlike historians such as Elton who believe in absolute
objectivity or Carr with theories of selection and invention of fact, Marx's
perception of histories tend to cross into philosophical and cultural debates as
well as those of historiographical nature. Marx can ultimately be attributed to
the emergence of histories regarding groups of people rather than the
individual being available and is an indication of Marxists histories relevance
and one of its strengths. Contrary to this can individuals be disregarded
throughout history as in Marxist teachings. According to Marx the importance
of the individual is benign due to the social climate of the time and economic
position the individual is privy to taking precedence over and rubbishing any
innate talent or ability that key political or historical figures may possess. This
almost fatalistic attitude has such strong cynical roots it may be a step to
understanding the shroud of uncertainty as to the acceptance and
understanding of Marxist histories.
Bibliography
Carr, E.H, What is History. Penguin Books
Collingwood, A.G, The Idea of history. Oxford University Press
Green, A and Troup, K, The Houses of History. Manchester University Press
Johnson, R (ed) (et al) Making Histories. Hutchinson.
Thompson, E.P. The Making of the English Working Class. Penguin Books.
