Marxism 101

What Marx Wanted to Do and Why It’s Important

What Marx set out to do is create a philosophical system that would restore a sense of brotherhood to people who thought the possibility of it was slipping away forever because of the acquisitive impulses of a greedy capitalist class.

Another aim was to restore the dignity of the worker.  For in the era of capitalist production, Marx argued, the worker’s life meaning is disturbed by a perennial sense of subordination.

Workers, for instance, have a disturbing lack of control over the fruits of their labor.  This is true just by the very nature of what a laborer does -- they make or do things that bring someone else, i.e. their boss, greater value than themselves.  Accordingly, by definition the worker does things only to selfishly empower someone else while degrading themselves in the process.

These, of course, are just two problems of the many problems Marx identified at the onset of capitalism that he thought could be addressed by communism.

But the importance of Marx’s work then doesn’t lie in the obviously failed solution, i.e. communism, but in the correct identification of the problems -- loss of brotherhood, community, and camaraderie, and subordination to people.

And these problems still, even today, have rarely or only insignificantly been addressed by other competing philosophies, making Marx’s failed solution seem doubly impressive in comparison.

Until other philosophers realize this and take Marx seriously then communism will continue to prevail.

Zigmund Reichenbach holds a M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University.  You can find him stirring up conversation in his Talk Politics Facebook group or you can follow him on Twitter @zreichenbach1.  If you too want to talk politics subscribe to our Talk Politics YouTube to be notified when our discussion goes live every Tuesday at 8:30PM.

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