...Writing Assignment #1 “Our epoch, the epoch of the bourgeoisie, possesses, however, this distinctive feature: It has simplified the class antagonisms. Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other—bourgeoisie and proletariat.” (Marx 204) If there is a movie that represents exactly what Karl Marx said about society being split into two very drastic classes, it is The Hunger Games. Besides being one of the most popular trilogies of our time right now, The Hunger Games, represents a strict division of social classes and how after years of repression, the working class finally decides to come together and unite against the owners of the means of production. Karl Marx explains the clear difference between the bourgeoisie and the proletariats. The bourgeoisie are the ones who own the means of production and the proletariats are the ones who worked and did all the manual labor and whose hard work would only end up benefitting the bourgeoisie. In The Hunger Games, we see Marx’s representation of the bourgeoisie being the rulers of the two social classes, just like the people of the Capitol were, and the people in the districts were the proletariats. In The Hunger Games, the concept of family and unity is present to us because we see it through Katniss, Primrose, and her mother and as well as other families in the districts. There seems to be, however, no unity between all the districts...
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... Karl Marx, author of The Communist Manifesto, explains the power conflict between the Bourgeois and the Proletariat. This piece of literature portrays the way that social classes and a division of labor truly categorized an era. Karl Marx integrates the struggle of equality of the Proletariat and categorizes them as being similar to Communists, both groups aiming to fight off the control of the Bourgeoisie. As industrialization takes a major turn, Karl Marx helps explain why certain social classes were being taken advantage of. From the beginning of his piece Marx explains the role of the Bourgeoisie. This group dominated most of the society, and created a tougher life for those below it. Marx’s states, “We see, therefore, how the modern bourgeoisie is itself the product of a long course of development, of a series of revolutions in the modes of production and of exchange”. Here we see a prime example of Marx defining how the Bourgeoisie was able to run and operate this society. Marx explains that whether the field was industry, exchange or trade, the Bourgeoisie still has an upper hand. It is interesting to notice how Marx’s clearly states how the Bourgeoisie has a distinct advantage on Proletariats but yet Marx looks down upon this same group simultaneously. It is evident that society is created in this manner to benefit those with more money and power but communism is still prevalent and should over power the class struggle. The Bourgeoisie and Proletariats go back...
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...A Bug’s Life through the lens of Karl Marx Disney’s Pixar film, A Bug’s Life, is much more than meets the eye. The film is not only an animated comedy; it holds deep sociological theory within its plot. Many of the major themes and concepts of the movie can be viewed through the lens of the famous theorist Karl Marx. Marx’s theory is famous for focusing on how society functions. In particular he concerns himself with how capitalism, the working class, and the revolutions create problems in our society. My paper will analyze how Marxian theory and concepts fit into major climactic scenes of the film. The film revolves around the protagonist Filk, a worker ant. The colony is being oppressed by a group of grasshoppers and their leader Hopper. The grasshoppers claim they will provide protection as long as the ants provide the food supply. When the ants cannot supply the food for the grasshoppers, Hopper demands the ants to produce twice as much food as they did before. As a result, the ants will not have enough food to store up for themselves. Filk then travels to recruit warrior bugs to help the ants fight off the grasshoppers. According to Marx, this would free the colony from the constant oppression of the grasshoppers. The major themes of the movie follow Marxian theory. The first relates to Hopper and how the grasshoppers abuse their power and exploit the ant colony. The grasshoppers expect food knowing that the ants cannot produce enough food for themselves and the grasshoppers...
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...LECTURER : DR E.S MAKURA ASSIGNMENT: Karl Marx theory shed light on the understanding of relations of people in the society. Discuss. DUE DATE : 06 APRIL 2013. Karl Max’s theory shed light on the understanding of relations of people in the society. Discuss The epistemology of the Karl Marx theory is of the premise that the history of all existing societies is the history of class struggles. Scholars have had a long standing debate on the significance of Karl Marx’s theory of class conflict. The other party argues that the theory of class conflict helps in the understanding of relations of people in society. In contradiction, there are scholars who believe the theory does not help much in understanding societal relations. This essay seeks to establish how the Karl Marx Theory shed light on the understanding of relations of people in the society. In this context society is defined as a group of people in general living together in organized communities with laws and traditions controlling the way that they behave towards one another. Society is divided into three classes namely aristocrats in the upper class, bourgeoisie in the middle and the down liners being the proletariat. These classes have different interests and normally clash as they pursue these various interests. The aristocrats are the intellectual bourgeoisie who are the land owners and rent it out for income generation. The bourgeoisie on the other hand focus mainly on the commercial...
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...have been numerous socialist movements, but perhaps the most famous of these movements is communism. The figurehead of the communist movement is a man named Karl Marx, an outspoken leader in communist philosophy during the 1800’s. In 1848, he teamed up with his good friend Friedrich Engels to write what has become a classic example of political philosophy. In their book, the Communist Manifesto, Marx and Engels describe the proletariat as the revolutionary class because they believed that the proletariat’s terrible conditions would inspire them to revolt, rather than beat them down into submission; Marx was misguided in this philosophy because proletariat revolutions never accomplish true, lasting change, instead it is when the bourgeoisie revolts that revolutions have positive and lasting results....
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...Manifesto Karl Marx was a philosopher that lived in the early nineteenth century, a time of great change and advancement of industry. During this timeframe, he wrote the Communist Manifesto as a way to explain the Communist's agenda as well as to address the hostility between the classes of the time; the Bourgeoisie and Proletariat. Within the Communist Manifesto, he claims that the history of most past civilizations as the history of ongoing conflicts between classes and uses examples and rhetorical techniques as a way to gather support for his statement. These techniques are the use of allusion, cause/effect, and his choice of words and manner of speaking. Marx uses allusion as a way to inform others of how class struggles and antagonisms has always been present throughout history. While the names of such societal classes have changed over time, they have effectively remained very similar, if not the same. Rome's social classes consisted in order of power as, "patricians, Knights, Plebeians, slaves", while later in the Middle Ages, these classes were replaced by, "feudal lords, vassals, guild-masters, journeymen, apprentices, serfs" (paragraph 2). These...
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...DESCRIPTION SOC 101 WEEK 2 ASSIGNMENT THEORIST OF CHOICE, Karl Marx: Conflict Theory The most influential socialist thinker from the 19th century is Karl Marx. Karl Marx can be considered a great philosopher, social scientist, historian or revolutionary. Marx proposed what is known as the conflict theory. The conflict theory looks at how certain social interactions occur through conflict. People engage in conflict everyday to gain more power then others in society. Karl Marx is known for studying the conflicts that occur between different classes. Karl Marx has introduced some radical ideas and theories to society through his writings. As the industrial revolution moved forward in society, so did the widening gap between class structures. Karl Marx studied the differences arising between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat people. The bourgeoisie are interested mainly in developing a capitalist society, using advanced Karl Marx: Conflict Theory The most influential socialist thinker from the 19th century is Karl Marx. Karl Marx can be considered a great philosopher, social scientist, historian or revolutionary. Marx proposed what is known as the conflict theory. The conflict theory looks at how certain social interactions occur through conflict. People engage in conflict everyday to gain more power then others in society. Karl Marx is known for studying the conflicts that occur between different classes. Karl Marx has introduced some radical ideas and theories to society through...
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...utilization of another person for selfish purposes (William Morris, 2000). Since the rise of the social structure Capitalism, there has been a distinctive split between two classes of people – the bourgeoisie and proletarian (Karl Marx, 1848). To some, capitalism is the ‘end-all be-all ‘ social system, but these people are more than likely one of the fortunate few who have benefitted from it. By the fortunate few I mean the bourgeoisie class - the owners of the means of production. They own the capital and the resources (factories, farms, stores) to grow their wealth further, but they need labor to do so. Then there is the proletariat class - the labor. I reference them as the labor because in order to feed their families, they need money, and they have no means to make money other then to sell their labor. It is between these two classes that exploitation occurs. The bourgeoisies offer the lowest wages that the proletariats are willing accept, that way the bourgeoisie consume all the available profit for themselves. This exploitation is prevalent in the Canadian workplace. In this essay, I will investigate how the Canadian capitalistic structure exploits its workers today. The reality of this structure capitalism is there will always be this exploitation from the ruling class (the bourgeoisie), but this will change as the process of proletarianization (more and more member of society become...
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...A comparison between Adam Smith and Karl Marx The purpose of this essay is to evaluate and discuss how economists Adam Smith and Karl Marx contributed to current management practices and, more specifically, how they influenced the field of economics. Through critical analysis, we will explore the theories of Adam Smith and Karl Marx. Adam Smith’s contributions, from division of labor and the shift from a mercantile society to a capitalistic one as proposed in his “Wealth of nations report,” will be critically evaluated as to determine both their relevance today and the influence that they have had. Similarly, Karl Marx’s theories that helped to develop the economy in its most prosperous time will be critically evaluated to determine their influence and relevancy today. Although very distant in their theories and time, both men have played key roles in the development of economics, while in turn influencing current management practices. Both men were able to change and introduce new philosophies while reacting to the circumstances of their times, while creating legacies through their works that are still relevant in today’s vastly different circumstances and society. Adam Smith Scottish economist Adam Smith, born in 1723, is responsible for the initial development of economics in the eighteenth century and provided the framework for how we approach economic issues today. Smith was an “advocate for a free market society where international trade through both imports...
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...This paper will be about the main elements of Karl Marx’s work, which includes the Paris Manuscripts, which will focus on alienation. The Communist Manifesto, which will focus on Marx’s political and economic theories and Capital Vol. 1., Marx’s final work about how profits are made by the capitalist. Karl Marx was a liberal reformist who believed that capitalism could be reformed and inequality and exploitation of the working classes could be addressed and abolished. (Stones, p.22) . In 1844 Karl Marx wrote and published “The economic and philosophic manuscripts of 1844”, better known as “The Paris Manuscripts.” This was Karl Marx’s first work, where he writes a study about alienation of workers. (Hughes p.27) What does one mean by alienation? Karl Marx states that the alienated person feels a lack of meaning in his life, or a lack of self-realization. (Hughes p.27) “One must understand, he argues, that there are three types of alienation. The first type of alienation is alienation from oneself. The second type of alienation is alienation from his fellow human beings. The third type of alienation is alienation from the world as a whole. These three forms of alienation are interconnected, and Karl Marx describes the connections between them. This is the core of his approach to the problem of alienation (Monthly Review, 2000, p.36-53). An example of alienation does not have to stem from the workplace, however. For example, I know many persons who attend the same church as I...
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...KARL MARX AND THE CONCEPTS OF SOCIETY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE BEING AN ASSIGNMENT SUBMITTED BY EKOTT, IMOH BERNARD 1.0 INTRODUCTION The philosopher, social scientist, historian and revolutionary, Karl Heinrich Marx, is without a doubt the most influential socialist thinker to emerge in the 19th century. Although he was largely ignored by scholars in his own lifetime, his social, economic and political ideas gained rapid acceptance in the socialist movement after his death in 1883. Until quite recently almost half the population of the world lived under regimes that claim to be Marxist. This very success, however, has meant that the original ideas of Marx have often been modified and his meanings adapted to a great variety of political circumstances. In addition, the fact that Marx delayed publication of many of his writings meant that is been only recently that scholars had the opportunity to appreciate Marx's intellectual stature. Karl Heinrich Marx was born into a comfortable middle-class home in Trier on the river Moselle in Germany on May 5, 1818. He came from a long line of rabbis on both sides of his family and his father, a man who knew Voltaire and Lessing by heart, had agreed to baptism as a Protestant so that he would not lose his job as one of the most respected lawyers in Trier. At the age of seventeen, Marx enrolled in the Faculty of Law at the University of Bonn. At Bonn he became engaged to Jenny von Westphalen, the daughter of Baron von Westphalen , a prominent...
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...Capital Gains A majority of people in America can hardly imagine an existence without capitalism; individuals consume without a thought when we buy the latest cell phone or a new pair of hundred dollar designer jeans. It is clear that most of the world supports some form of capitalism and therefore, at least for now, capitalism has won the struggle between economic systems. Capitalism began in 1200 CE with rug merchants. Just like many traders, today, the rug merchants had to borrow money to buy their wares in order to then resell them for profit, but they had to pay back the money borrowed—usually with interest. This was called mercantile capitalism and it was a global phenomenon, from the Indian and Chinese Ocean trade to Muslim merchants who funded trade caravanserai across the Sahara. Later, merchants in Britain had expanded capitalism by developing stock companies which financed even bigger trade missions. Increased wealth of course resulted by the increased investment, but it only affected as small percentage of the population and did not create cultural influence from capitalism. Mercantile capitalism only affected a small percentage of the population, whereas industrial capitalism impacted majority of the population. Industrial capitalism was something altogether different, both in practice and scale. According to Joyce Appleby’s definition of industrial capitalism: “An economic system that relies on investment of capital in machines and technology that are used...
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...“Explore the ideas of Karl Marx, discussing his theories and views toward capitalism. Discuss how these matters compare to modern day economic conditions, and consider the ethical and sustainability matters that are raised for today's managers.” Karl Marx; an economist, sociologist, revolutionary and historian, whose theories continue to influence economic thought for managers today. Karl Heinrich Marx (May 5,1818 – March 14, 1883) put forth many theories with regards to economics, politics and society that established the base on which Marxism was formed. His critique of the philosophies of other theorists and critical analysis of capitalism has influenced economic perception, and contributed largely toward the current understanding of capital and labour and the relationship that exists. In Karl Marx’s criticism of capitalism, he discussed many social matters such as ‘alienation’, the dominance by the ‘bourgeoisie’ over the ‘proletariat’; issues with regard to labour, such as the de-skilling and dehumanisation of workers as technological advances came about and capitalists strived to maximise ‘surplus value’ through the ‘exploitation’ of human labour. Although times have changed and this type of work environment is not as common, it is still an ever present situation in places such as China and India where cheap labour is employed to maximise the return for those in ‘control’. Advancements in technology continue, to the extent where the duties of workers can be performed...
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...Karl Marx, philosopher, economist, historian and German sociologist was born to a Jewish family in Trier Germany on May 5th 1818. He devoted his life and his work in the practice of his theoretical analysis and grew to become the most influential socialist thinker of the 19th century. He founded with Friedrich Engels the scientific socialism and he is the initiator of the international labour movement. During his life, he wrote several manuscripts in which he predicted the collapse of industrial capitalism and its replacement by communism and his theory has resulted in the establishment of communist political systems in many countries. He also became a member of the Communist League. After that, he published the Communist Manifesto just before a wave of revolutions struck Europe. The Communist Manifesto opens with the famous sentence "The history of all hitherto societies has been the history of class struggles" This expression is the basis of the Manifesto and reveals two key points. First, different social classes emerge and oppose themselves throughout history: free man/slave, baron/serf, or more generally oppressor/oppressed. It therefore defines the existing classes, contemporary to the manifest, explaining (in order to demonstrate) their emergence and reality. The second point is considering the theme of the "struggle". When two classes are opposing, a continuous struggle is taking place in various forms. Its outcome is the revolutionary transformation or the disappearance...
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...Karl Marx’s ideas and later his books had great influence on Russia and eventually Soviet Union. There is no perfect political party or system, but Marxism appealed to Russian people more than any other system and eventually became a “guide” for the life after Tsars. To understand why Marxism played such a major role in Russian history, we will discuss historic events that led to the end of Tsarist Russia and discuss both sides of the argument – for and against Marxism. By the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, Russia was not a great Empire it used to be. Country was falling behind Europe in every aspect – economy, military and industrialization were not on par with the western world. Poverty and no glimpse of “brighter future” for lower class, or should we just say poor people, was working against Nicholas II and his reign. Throughout its history Russia was mostly an agricultural country, but with the need of industrialization and further development at the turn of the 20th century, the necessary for Marx’s ideas class was rising – proletariat, or working class. Working hours and conditions were unbearable across all industries and with work demand being way higher than available positions – pay was minimal, since there was the next guy who was willing to work for anything at all. Population was growing with anger and desire for change, but not necessarily overthrowing the Tsar. But since nothing was being done, and bourgeoisie was getting richer – landowners...
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