Karl Marx - Alienation Flashcards
German Ideology (1845-1846): premise of historical materialism
Marx demystefies relations – human beings who do not meet human needs cannot make history
How is society organized to meet these fundamental needs
Religious beliefs that don’t fit economic needs are lost
Political institutions insofar as they support economy
Gender relations within family shaped by economic context
German Ideology (1845-1846): premise of historical materialism
way ideas band together to meet fundamental needs
Social structure: patterns of opportunities + constraints
By virtue of class location we have access to different life opportunities
Social location shapes life chances
compelled to work in the ways in which society meets these needs
implication for studying society: how society produces is fundemental
diff + indespensable ways society produces
non-economic must bend to promote production (family, culture, religion)
against idealist approach
implication for studying society: how society produces is fundemental
how human beings combine to meet economic needs is what drives history
in the social production….general character of social, political + spiritual processes – contribution to critique of political economy
implication for studying society: how society produces is fundemental
in capitalist society, to eat I have to sell my labour
slaves sell self
peasants sell labour for protection
way ppl organize themselves is foundation
social consciousness
division of labour: allocation of tasks + production
industrial capitalism most productive form of production
communist manifesto: plead for revolution, but still praises bourgeoisie on their productivity
capitalism produces plenty: potential to free ppl from want, hunger, illness, inadequate shelter, labour
division of labour: allocation of tasks + production
yet makes us more animal
rather than enslaving human, permits them to be free
Adam Smith – Wealth of Nature: advanced division of labour multiplies production
Specialized task
Division of labour consequences according to Marx
Work becomes alienating
Species being: creativity, not being called upon when work is drudgery
not exploiting potential
means of productions: materials, machines, tech owned by bourgiosie
Division of labour consequences according to Marx
those who don’t have no choice but to sell labour power to capitalist
unequal division of profits
development of laws, institutions, religion which keep economic system in place, one of exploitation
Division of labour consequences according to Marx
ideological superstructure, religious beliefs, laws, political institutions whose purpose is to uphold economic system
laws that protect private property fits with exploitation of economy
religion numbs pain + gives hope – fits with economy
school trains good workers that continues to feed system
German Ideology (1845-1846)
Species Being: ways in whoch creative side is stunted under conditions of capitalism
Forces us to overspecialize: have to be a hunter, fisherman, critic
We have more capacities, why are we not exploring all potentials
Work enslaves him
Fulfilling when we feel good about it
Feels that if we’re too specialized, we’re stunted
German Ideology (1845-1846)
How can we explore talents we have under capitalist conditions
He is a humanist here
Human emancipation
Tocqueville talks about freedom
Conceptions of freedoms are diff
Tocqueville doesn’t talk about how he wants ppl to explore their different talkents + gifts
Alienation: Vs. Political economy
takes for granted what needed to be explained
but he doesn’t even explain it himself
Alienation: Capitalism
a) commodification of labour:
commodity good/service that can be bought/sold in economy obeying market situations
people were commodities in futile societies
master had life + death powers
offspring of slave property of master
Alienation: Capitalism
differences in slave + proletariats
there are laws that restricted movement of peasants in futile society
capitalist: ppl free to move where work exists
it is true worker more free than peasant
in a way you’re free to be alienated where you want
Alienation: Capitalism
bourgeoisie controls means of productions
proletariat controls labour power
classes with diff interests
Alienation from Labour
come to hate repetitive tasks
as opposed to doing something they like
Alienation from product of labour
workers rather than feeling pride in what they made
rather feeling alienated because they don’t recognize themselves in it
it reminds them of their oppression
Alienation from human essence (species being)
not allowed to develop
Alienation from other men (workers, owners)
distant/hate ppl exploiting us
do not feel kinship with other workers, but can vary
Craftsperson feel pride + embodied in product
Put heart + soul in project
Alienation from other men (workers, owners)
Species being: in sports feel free, blooming
Being part of a team: feels good, we want to feel connected
marx argues capitalism gets in the way of feeling of community
The End of Private Property
What we need to do is get rid of private ownership of means of production? Get rid of class divisions Leap of the imagination, Doesn’t sketch out what it looks like
The End of Private Property
No state because no need if it doesn’t need to allow exploitation
Religion disappears no need to cope
Ppl can do wider range of activities
The End of Private Property
Is it realistic? How do we do this?
Socialization is a process – may not get there, but it’s important to strive to get there
Marx views on community: What community is not
village life: not like kai erickson
ignorance, caste divisions, exploitation, family
more generous on proletariat marriage
in bourgeoisie is like prostitution
abolition of familiy: day care, women can work
Marx views on community: What community is
working class solidarity (proletarians if necessary willing to set aside partial interests for sake of common, long-term interests of entire working class) shared interest in fighting common enemy form of society towards which socialist movements is struggling (characterized by absence of private property – thus any class divisions – and alienation)
Marx views on community: absence of state: society governs itself
critique: problem of political authority
difficult to believe that problem of scarcity would disappear – it would persist
doesn’t allocate resources for all groups
no eternity of funds for al of societies problem
problem of deciding who gets what
Marx views on community: absence of state: society governs itself
how much do we give to education, or healthcare,
hard to distribute funds
essential political task would remain
authority: political decisions are binding decisions upheld + that ppl conform to them or follow legal channels to change them
still have problem of authority which is usually state
