Conceptual Tools for Understanding by Marxism - Case Study Example

Critically assess some of the ways in which Marxism offers useful conceptual tools for the understanding of post-Cold War international politics Institution Marxist theory Introduction Marx offered a set of ideas which could be used to critically assess some of the ways in which Marxism provides useful conceptual tools for the understanding of post Cold War international politics. Some of the ideas could include; 1. An explanation of how society works, how history has been understood, and more importantly the account of nature of capitalism. The great importance of analyzing what is happening in the world and understanding the challenges, problems and directions of our society today. 2. However, Marx regarded capitalism as insufficient, and he was much concerned to burn it and geared toward the establishment of communist society. Therefore, Marxism is more about the action and political goals. Most of the people in western society think that capitalism is desirable whereas a few accept the communist .The two set of ideas are crucial to understanding our society today and understanding the post cold War international politics. Marxism is a philosophy, a system of economic and social analysis on the perception of world. Also, it became the political doctrine. Marxism developed when America still had slaves, women never had the right to vote only had few rights to most places, they had no right to vote anywhere also globally, the poor were extremely in bad state in Europe, imperialism and colonialism were the talks of the day. The world was occupied by the wealthy, and science was embraced by the most average citizens all over the western civilization than ever before. Marxism is based on the philosophical materialism that explains that all things in the universe are natural and follows the law of nature therefore nothing is supernatural. Marx developed an idea that all things in the world were material, and evolution takes places at all levels of existence. The philosophy also argued that science is the only means by which the truth can be determined. Marx also developed the philosophy of historical materialism which was seen as a scientific approach to understanding of the history and also applying the Marx understanding to the present events and situations (Booth, 318). Marxism argued on the economic structure, forces of production, classes’ conflict, labor theory of value, profit and exploitation, the alienation in work and the destruction of community. Importance of Marxism in economic structure Marx argued that the form of production system and the economic situation is the most important determinant of all other aspect of the Society. Some of which may include social institutions and ideologies like the morality, the system of law and also education he further opposed the reformers who thought and argued that a change in ideas can change the society. Marx distinguished the feudal and capitalist, the slaves, and the primitive. He argued that capitalist have the control of the productive resources thus workers can only own their labor and work for the capitalist, who then sell their product and services at a high profit. The feudal society land was the vital productive factors which belonged to feudal lords and were its controllers. In the capitalist culture the mines, machinery, factory, and capital were owned by the capitalist unlike belonging to the members of the public. Therefore, the Marxism gives us a useful idea of understanding the post-cold War international politics (Mingst, 133). Marx stressed that the capitalist had brought a great increase in the human welfare and economic growth. However as time goes on the situation becomes less beneficial since the new social relations of productions hindered the full development of the forces of production. The class conflict consequently emerged, as a result of the capitalist and those who owned their labor. Inequality in wealth and powers was the main concern to the Marx, since some groups came to dominate others and won a big share of the society’s wealth and power. The Marxism aimed at fairness society where all the people should enjoy the equality in wealth and power. The social analysis by the Marxist toward the focus of the class structure and relations has contributed greatly to the post war international politics by eliminating social class of people. The process needs a lot of capital investment and requires a great knowledge in science and technology in developing better processes. The most important social relations that were put forward by the Marxist were in a capitalist society where ownership and control of the societies productive was in the perception that those who invested much of their capital would realize much profit. The other members in the society were to sell their labor to capitalist. Marxist also argued that people who are rich should be able to receive an income as interest on their savings or investment. This meant that the rich people consume the goods and services made by the people who must work to earn their income. This social relation is significant even today in understanding the post-cold War international politics. Marxist theory also argued that it is important for production and development to be driven by the profit. This is applicable if the capitalist produce what people demand and the profit is maximized and the most efficient allocations are made. He further had an opinion that there can be a big gap between production for profit and also production to meet the needs. Therefore, the profit can be maximized by producing what the richer people can demand and also buy, as a result, the urgent and most important needs for the society and the poor people are neglect. Marxist argued on the value of the goods that they should be calculated in terms of the amount of labor that went into their production (Booth, 322). The Marxist argument of the capitalist profit making constitutes the exploitation of the workers merely. The capitalist in this regard does not work toward the creation of the product and, therefore, the labor created the total value of sale price realized but only received the small portion of the value. The argument of the Marxist explains more on the shareholders who do nothing in the industry but they only invest a lot of money in the industry and waits for the laborers who work in the industry to create wealth for them. However, Marxist insists that it would be ease to organize the society that all people own and control the capital and nobody should get an income or money without working for it. Thus, the local cooperative groups could own and control their basic factories and most of them should be privately owned and carefully regulated by the society. The contradiction of the capitalism Marx argued that initially capitalism realized great developments especially in production and therefore, in the material wealth of the people. But as time goes by the production and social relations of production came increasingly into a conflict and problem. The social relations of production began diminishing the application of technology and also the potentiality to social needs. These contradictions continued to increase and ultimately contributed to the destruction of the capitalist system. Capitalists are involved in competitions with each other and therefore they develop a greater pressure in development of more efficient production and better technology. Moreover, the workers may have less purchasing power and cannot buy all the goods that the capitalist factories can produce, hence, resulting in reduction of capitalists in the long run. The capitalism has built into its foundations forces and tendencies that will eventually destroy it in future (Robert, 129). The capitalist sought more profitable fields for investment since they are competing against each other and thus, appeared as a deadly competition. It had been facing a great problem in finding the outlets for the capital that was constant accumulating. Capitalism also alienated labor and thus, workers in the capitalist society were required to perform a few routine operations. In capitalism, the workers rarely see the final product of what they make, and they have no say in what happens to the product because it is not on their premises, and they own nothing. Therefore, they have no say in the management and just follow the instructions. Marx regarded satisfying worker as being important for humans’ spiritual welfare and emotional satisfaction. Capitalism destroys any possibility of a worker being self-sufficient, self-controlled and intrinsically motivated. Human beings are deprived important thing if they cannot engage in a worthwhile and satisfying effort toward producing things for themselves and their peoples. The destruction of a community by capitalism Marx outlined that capitalism act to devastate almost every non-economic values and non-profit related values. The progress of capitalism has weakened the strong emotional attachments persons used to have to peoples, places and traditions. This has largely contributed to the degradation of the community. The community now exists in absence of any strong social and emotional bonds. Hence, the incidences of loneliness, suicide, crimes, alcoholism and individual family breakdown developed. Capitalist also turned everything for sale especially labor and land (Taylor, 133). Money had no commodities for sale in the feudal times. Therefore, we should be careful of the increase commercialization. The impact of capitalism in the state Marxist argues that the state serves a dominant class in the society. In a capitalist society, the state rules primarily in the best interest of the capitalist class such that the state takes the top economic activity since it has the power to manipulate the members of the society. This is clear that such rule is accompanied by low quality of life and environmental destruction. In addition, Marxism argues that the state will cease to exist when society becomes classless by emphasizing that police and army in a classless society will have no work since their primary action is enforcing the rules that benefit the dominant classes. However, he contrary argued that there should be need for the bureaucracy to look after organization and planning. Impact of capitalism in revolution and after revolution According to Marxism, capitalism has the forces that increase and contribute to its internal difficulties to the extent where it collapses. The major social changes to all people are not achievable without the revolution. He also outlined that the dominant classes will not freely give up their wealth, powers, and privilege since they are not actionable to their capacity. Doing away with this may bring chaos in the society. Some of the historian argued that works will not rise to the evolutionary consciousness on their own, advocating for the development of communist party to lead the workers. Marx was confused whether to push the capitalism while at the same time causing self-destruction. Therefore, Marx seemed to think that non-violence and the non-industrial path to socialism might be possible (Ross, 92). After revolution, Marx had little to say in the structure society would emulate after the capitalism since a classless society would arise into realism. The society was free from exploitation, domination, political conflict, and coercion. At this time, the state socialism people would still be stimulated to work for different compensations and a strong state to be constructed. However, Marx thought that in the time of the collectiveness in the society, communism will emerge in which decision-making and the control would be in the hands of the people as a whole. The coercive state would fade away, specialization and intense division of labor would cease. The peoples outlook would change to be collective and cooperative. Thus, people will be in a better position of developing and fulfilling their potentiality. According to Marx, people will contribute much and do more though they will not be rewarded according to their output, status, knowledge or skills but in proportion to their needs. He argued that this was the way a good family works. The needy persons should be rewarded more than those who worked hard since not all those who work hard are needy. Therefore much of what is wrong today with the world is explicable in the Marxist terms. An example is the consequences of allowing the profit motivation to determine the production and the distribution of the goods and services. This happens when a view capitalist owns all the capital. The probable result is now producing the most profitable goods and services but not the needed ones. The needy are ignored, and most of the capital is dedicated to buying of the luxurious goods and expensive ones that are mostly used by the rich. This means that the third world’s productive resources like the land are used in producing crops for export to the rich countries when it should be used for producing food for the hungry and needy people. Nevertheless, capitalist system had a negative impact in the interest of the people. Marxist’s description of the economic life in the view of the society is a general and incomplete in discussing the political forms. Therefore, as Marx believed that the cost of administration will diminish, he does not imply that there will be less government expenditure in the short run. He argued that the cost reduced in proportion as the Society develops. Therefore, he gave a sufficient reason for the immediate drop in the expenses of running the government. Marx favored the politics and argued that less is said about the conflict between individuals, groups and leaders elected by the masses (Ross, 78). Therefore, these conflicts should be addressed and resolved. Thus, what Marx recommended for includes the following among others; 1) Heavy progressive income tax. 2) Application of all rents to public resources and abolition of property land. 3) Free education for all children in public institutions. 4) Combination of the manufacturing industries and combination of agriculture. 5) Establishing of the industrial armies that are an equal liability to all labor. 6) Extension of the factories and all the instruments designed for the production owned by the state. 7) Centralization of the transport and communication networks in the authority or the heads of state. 8) Centralization of the credit in the hands of the state. 9) Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and the rebels. 10) Abolition of all inheritance and the abolition Communism develops extraordinary qualities in people that are necessary for the way of life. The people become brilliant, highly socialized, rational, successful creators and humane. Notably, communism became useful in the understanding of the post-cold War international politics. The person can successfully engage into many activities if he reasonably cooperates with the fellow people at every stage in life. The qualities of life that Marx ascribes to the people of communism are the complete victory of the alienation that has caused the humanity existence throughout a class society. The people should live and stay as one community and not to engage themselves into the ruthless activities that could cause enmity amongst themselves (Burchill, 411). Thus, alienation and communism serves as an important tool for reference. Theoretically, adequate and enough description of the communism would include the extended and broad account of the alienation. The communist society is the ultimate achievement of a wide development that begins with the socialist appropriation of the capitalist mode of production. Communism is the political movement, a condition of the society and a form of government. Therefore, the communist countries were found where the dominant political parties were. These communist parties were generally political parties who were working toward the achieving of the communism. The Soviet Union claimed to achieve the communism, but it was an effort to do the work that was required to build a communist society. None of the countries has ever achieved a Marxist structure of government. The position of Communism is explained by Marx as a state which is non-existence since it is a state where people live in concord. In such a society, all resources are shared with equality among the members of the society with no any discrimination. Most of the communist therefore recognized the Soviet Union as more corrupt and thus did not represent the ideal of Marxism or communism (Linklater, 203). Contrary to the misconception of the many, the goal of the communist was to abolish the state altogether. The many ideas of communists hold that the purpose of the state is to enforce economics and social disparity. Conclusion According to Marxist the state developed as the tool for a minority or a small group for the people who are rich to oppress the weak and the poor in the society. Marx then commented that we are all naturally equal, and thus significant inequalities among the people should not be encouraged. Therefore, this argument from Marxist has been of a great help even in the post cold war international politics since most of the countries do not give in to oppressing the poor and the weak in the society. Communist view the enforcement of the property rights of the state as the source of the disparity, inequality, and exploitation of the poor as also seen in the post cold war and international politics. The rationale for having the communist was that the state to be ignored and eliminated. Communism is absolutely for abolishing the state in order to create a unified global community where all the people in the world were equal with equal rights and an end to exploitation and political powers would come to an end. Nevertheless capitalism and communist have played a very big role in the useful understanding of the post cold war international politics, since they play a big role in the enhancement and mutual coalition in developing the human society. Therefore, without the capitalism, the communism can never be achieved. These tools contribute a lot in the understanding of the post cold war international politics. Therefore, those nations that understand the capitalism and communism as it was explained by the Marxism have had a good chance of developing their countries political, economic, and social resources. The leaders have also known and understood what they should embrace and develop as it pertains to their leadership. Many countries have also learned good ideas on how to form a good structural plan of how they are supposed to organize their politics. Capitalism and communism also have set a great foundation for all countries in the world to develop their countries through using the sensitive tools that was put forward by the Marx. Capitalism and communism have widely helped those countries with small groups of people who are rich and have a lot of wealth not to be lured because of their social class in the society. Many people have been enlightened by the Marxist through getting an adequate concept of the communism and capitalist. This has greatly helped in the understanding of the post cold war international politics. References Booth K. (1991) Security and Emancipation, Review of International Studies 17(4) pp.313-327. Burchill and Linklater, et al., Theories of International Relations, 5th edition, chapters 5 and 7 Linklater, Critical Theory and World Politics: Citizenship, Sovereignty and Humanity, chapter 3 Mingst and Snyder (eds.) Essential Readings in World Politics, 4th edition, chapter 1 (Kant), chapter 3 (Doyle) and chapter 5 (Huntington) R.W. Cox, Robert W., Social Forces, States and World Orders: Beyond International Relations Ross, I. A. Marxism, Communism and Capitalists. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press.1999 Taylor, N., & Thaman, R. Economy and Marxism. Auckland: Longman. 2011 Theory, Millennium: Journal of International Studies, vol. 10, no. 2 (1981), 126-155 Read More