French Revolution in 1789 and the Russian Revolution - Essay Example

? Political Theory There have been many political theories over centuries, and mainly the last two centuries with some major events that happened in Europe, such as French Revolution in 1789, and later the Russian Revolution that brought Communism to the country later. During these two centuries until nowadays, the basic economic system prevailing is Capitalism based on theory of capital that has existed and survived in the world since ancient years. Of course each political and financial system is base on a relative theory that produces ideology in all terms. Since 1789 with French Revolution, and until say 1989, with the chute of Communism in the Eastern bloc countries, there have been too many change in Europe mainly after Middle Ages and chute of feudalism. The upcoming civil class with French Revolution in Europe that caused chute of feudal system, as well as Industry Revolution and industrial Progress with new means and sources, brought these sources to the hands of big merchants, the owners of means of production and thus a new era for Capital and capitalism commenced. Hence, also the Paris Commune with Leon Bloom in 1871, and even some years before the industry Revolution prepared the way for flourishing of other theories such as Marxist theory of Marx and Engels, causing Revolution in Russia and Communism in all countries of East Europe, until 1989, when ex Communism fell, and modern years of Capitalism and nowadays globalization have been established in Europe and all over the world more or less. Then political and thus financial system are based on theories produced at a time, and we’ll now see, how some major Spiritualists and Philosophers , such as Rousseau, Hegel and Marx, face the issue of political theories, and political as well as financial systems in regard to their own theories and the criteria on which these theories are based. After chute of Feudalism, and the Renaissance era, in the 15-16th centuries, there was even a spiritual Revolution in Europe, mostly in France, after the religious wars between Catholics and Protestants, before French Revolution there was an era for few decades called Elucidation. The representatives of that new steam called Spiritualists, such as Montesquieu and Jean Jacques Rousseau influenced very much the political system of France and contributed to Revolution. It was thus the era of Spirit and Letters, mentality on political theory changed little by little, and mental horizon of people by means of these theories got more wide, and by means of French Revolution, the whole political and social system was about to change. Rousseau (28 June 1770-2 July 1831), among books that he wrote were, “The Spirit of Law” and “Social Contract”, two similar books in which he treats Monarchy and Sovereignty as systems that limit freedom of people, thus social freedom, by means of law. As social freedom is based on natural law, monarchs who apply law, being the responsible and competent ones to apply may limit freedom, against individual real freedom. In his book ‘’Social Contract’’ (Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1978, P 97), he cites: “How would we like a political system? Would Social contract ensure individual freedom, or am I about to limit one’s natural freedom, based on natural law? Then he moreover claims that the monarchy system is what contributes to constitution of Social Contract, whereas anybody would sacrifice his/her own freedom for the sake of society”. And also, within society, all people are correlated and interrelated, within predetermined relationships, which define individual’s social role, in advance, then individual is just “a unit” condemned to social freedom the way it is in society, and his social being and substance are defined by means of this system. Individuals by sharing “common charge” in regard to their social role, are thus forced to obey to laws of sovereign, in all terms, such as political, social, financial and cultural, what composes the ever existing political and social system, the one of capitalism, and financial liberalism. Then monarchy on basis of former feudalism is feeding capitalism, and restrict natural freedom of individuals to financial system, as all people of society are compelled to accept this system, and unit becomes just a social unit, subordinated to principles of capitalism, the ration (logic) of capitalism and financial blocking. Then his theory consists on social liberation of individual, that in terms of freedom, equality and fraternity, will be ‘’hence’’and should be responsible for his/her own fate, free, and committed only to those three principles and derivatives of it, that will enhance one’s social role, and will be for the sake of the whole society. As these principles, are good for society as a whole, getting rid of any social barrages, and should be able to develop free, within a certain society. Because, the existing theories so far, do not really ‘’want’’ individuals to being really free, subjected to the ratio = (logic) of individualism and personal profit. Then Rousseau with his theory is interested mainly in the individual in terms of society as a whole. Also Rousseau talked about ‘’Emotional Intelligence and Spirituality’’ consisting in the fact that emotional spirituality, is the one, who can conceive the way and state things are, this is more empirical intelligence based on relative criteria, and the way the world is interpreted. Then he applies rather emotional criteria, than rational ones, in explaining the system he want for man, this being the way we can most conceive individual and one’s needs, as rationalism just explains individual’s needs in terms of personal profit and individual property. Also Hegel, another Philosopher of the era, (1770-1831), and as long as political events were being held in Europe that time, formulated a theory that was supposed to be the basis of Marxist theory along with Engels later. So, Hegel said that the only possibility in conceiving the material world are ‘’ideas’’ for giving an explanation, and on basis of ideas, we can proceed to further building of the world. The Idealism of Hegel is based on ‘’abstract ideas’’ and it is said to be a theory of ‘’absolutism’’ as he conceives ideas an absolute way of interpreting the material world. So, Marx (5 May 1818-14 March 1883), on basis of theory of Hegel, on individual, as being the dominant being on the world as such, created theory of interpreting the world within terms of Determinism. That, on basis of laws of History, the evolving of history, can be only explained in terms of ‘’fight and competition’’ among social classes, that civil class, generates proletariat class in turn, on basis of the scheme of determinism, and this based on dialectic scheme (“these-antithesis-synthesis”), where as the labor surplus, of worker is what creates capital, and thus destroys individual value. He thus applies a rational method of interpreting the world, but not on basis of ration, but on basis of emotional criteria, that are oriented to ratio, instead of being based on it. We thus do not “search the ratio of things, but the thing, the object of ratio”, on base of which we explain material world, in order to further build a world for individual, free of individual property, that wants him/her slave to capital. Then individual should acquire his/her own personal value, as workers should own themselves, the means of production, and will not be subordinate to this system on basis of determinism (Marx and Engels Reader, 1972, P 146-200). Then this way Marx is mainly interested in the individual, as political, financial and social unit. Social system, within logic of personal profit and property, defines personal conscience, as society defines conscience. “We shouldn’t only interpret the world, we should also be able to change it”. References Jean Jacques Rousseau ( 27 June 1770-2 Jule 1831, The Social Contract, Publisher Sfakianakis, Athens, Greece, 1978), page 97 Marx ( 5 May 1818-14 March 1883) and Engels Reader, on Theory of Materialism, Publisher Norton, New York, USA, 1972), pages 146-200 Read More