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Marxism (1818-1883): Concept, Aims of Education and

Curriculum
Concept of Marxism:
Marxist ideas about man and matter are generally known as Marxism.
Marxism constitutes a general view about the world and the human society.

Marxism developed as a protest against the idealist conception of man and

the world as represented by Hegel (1770-1831).

Hegel represented Dialectical Idealism. Marx was influenced by Hegelian

dialectics, French socialism and English economics. But Marxism is a
fundamental and total philosophy of life. Marxism is, on the one hand, a social
and political theory and, on the other, it is a scientific plan for complete social
change and revolution.

From Russian Revolution (1918) to Chinese (1949) and, subsequently, in East

Europe and Cuba, Marxism has brought tremendous changes in human
thought and action throughout the globe. However, since the fall of U.S.S.R.
(1989), and waning of communism in China (since the 1980s) Marxism has
lost much of its vitality.

Hegel is an idealist philosopher. According to Hegelian concept all realities are

nothing but manifestations of one single, unchangeable and absolute reality. It
is a spiritual concept of reality. To Hegel, human history of civilization is
nothing but the unfoldment of the Will of the Absolute.

But Marxian idea of history is altogether different. Marx attaches importance to

Matter and not Idea or Spirit. Marx aimed to end spirituality. Hegel started
from spirituality and ended in matter; Marx interpreted human history from
reality (matter) to spirituality. Hegel started quite opposite to that idea. Hegel
interpreted history from spirituality to reality.

According to Marx:
History is the product of material existence whereas, according to Hegel,
History is the product of spiritual existence. The Marxian conception of
history is called Historical Materialism. Both Hegel and Marx have applied
dialectical concept of development.
But in their interpretations of history they stand in two opposite poles. Where
Marx ended, Hegel started. Both of them recognize the existence of
contradictions (thesis and antithesis) in the fields of matter and spirit.

These thesis and anti-thesis are nothing but positive and negative aspects of
the same matter or idea. There is constant struggle between these two
opposites. As a result, a new matter or idea comes into existence (synthesis)
unity of opposites and, again, the struggle starts. The history or the
civilization changes or evolves due to this continuous struggle.

According to Hegel, this concrete world is the product of Abstract Idea

through the Dialectic Method. According to Marx this concrete (real) world is
the product of Matter through the Dialectic Method. Marxian interpretation is
commonly known as Dialectic Materialism. That is why it is said Marxism is
Hegelianism turned upside down. Hegelian interpretation is known as
Dialectic Spiritualism.

Dialectic Materialism simply means that this real world is the only true reality.
Beyond this there is no existence of spirit or idea. Idea comes from matter.
There can be no existence of mind without body. Physical existence is the
only true existence.

All elements of this material world are intimately related or connected. Man
establishes connection among these elements with the help of idea or
imagination. Marx said, To Hegel the real world is the external phenomenal
form of the Idea.

With me the Idea is nothing else than the material reflected by the human
mind and translated into forms of thought. Material world and ideal world are
intimately connected and the latter is the product of the former. It is
impossible to separate matter that thinks. Mind is the specific quality of the
specifically organized matter, i.e., brain, said Engels.

Marx and Modern Socialism:

Marx was the founder of modern Scientific Socialism as against Utopian
Socialism. Marx for the first time analyzed correctly the forces and impulses
which govern human nature and mold its environment. It was Karl Marx who
gave socialism a philosophy and a new direction and a dynamic force. His
Communist Manifesto, which appeared in 1848, has been aptly described as
the birth-cry of modern socialism.
In it he traces the evolution of history as the inevitable result of the economic
changes brought about by the changed method of the material production of
wealth, and prophesies a social revolution leading to the dictatorship of the
proletariat.

The first volume of his monumental work Das Capital (The Capital) appeared
in 1867. After his death in 1883 two other volumes, based upon manuscripts
left by him, were published by his friend and collaborator, Friedrich Engels
(1820-1895). The Das Capital became, and has since remained, the Bible of
the socialists all the world over. It heralded a revolution in the realm of ideas
and became the gospel of a new faith.

Marx brushed aside all the earlier socialistic theories as vague and
unscientific, because they ignored the operation of certain immutable laws
which determine the course of history. The future state, he declares, cannot
be the product of intellectual ingenuity, however great, or the device of a
reformer, however gifted.

The future is determined by the past; it is the inevitable product of certain

forces and tendencies which are irresistible in their operation. The business of
social philosophy is to discover these forces and not to prescribe panaceas.

Economic Interpretation of History and Class Struggle:

Marx gave an economic interpretation of history, and from it he draws the
conclusions that all history is but a record of class struggles. In his view the
fundamental impulse of human life is economic and he holds that the course
of history has always been determined by economic factors.

Those who control the means of production dominate the society, and it is in
their interest to fashion the laws and institutions as to perpetuate their social
and political prominence. Thus arises the division of the society into those
who control and those who are controlled, the haves and the have-nots. It is
from this division of society into two antagonistic sections that class struggle
arises.

Marx points out that the present society has been evolved gradually out of
many class struggles in the past. History is a record of class struggles. There
had been struggles between freeman and slave, between lord and serf,
between the landed aristocracy and the bourgeoisie. History is simply the
record of how one class has gained wealth and political power only to be
overthrown and succeeded by another class.
The Industrial Revolution has destroyed the power and political influence of
the old aristocracy and magnified those of the bourgeoisie, the middle-class
capitalists. But it has also created a class of wretched wage-earners, the
proletarians, who are being mercilessly exploited by the capitalists. Hence
these two classes are set in mutual hostility with the result that a severe
conflict between the two is inevitable.

This would be the last and final struggle leading to a terrible revolution which
would establish the dictatorship of the proletariat in a classless society. In his
Communist Manifesto, Marx makes a strong appeal to the people in these
ringing words: Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution. The
proletariat have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.
Working men of all countries unite.

Attack upon Capitalism and the theory of Surplus Value:

Economic interpretation of history and class struggle are the two main
principles of Marxism. Marx next directed his attack upon capital through the
economic theory of surplus value. According to it, all wealth is the product of
labor, and labor is the only measure of value.

Hence workmen have the right to the whole produce of labor. The workman
has to work longer and harder than the wages he receives warrants, and the
surplus above what he actually receives is the source of the capitalists
income.

Lastly, Marx is of opinion that capitalism is digging its own grave. Its inevitable
tendency is the progressive concentration of wealth in the hands of
increasingly fewer men, the big capitalists swallowing up the little ones. The
result of this tendency would be to expand the number of the proletariat, so
that society would come to be composed of only two classes sharply
differentiated by increasing wealth and increasing misery.

The only logical outcome of this state of things is revolution in which the many
will dispossess the few, and inaugurate the communist state. The social
revolution which will bring about the fall of capitalism is, thus, inevitable.

International Character of Marxism:

Another feature of Marxism is its international character. Marx appeals to
workers of all countries. He holds that laborers of one country have far more
in common with the laborers of other countries than they have with the
capitalists of their own. To promote this united interest of the laborers Marx
took a leading part in organizing The International Working Mens
Association.

Values in Marxism:
A Marxist is dedicated to the welfare of the state and the people.

He is guided by certain values which may be briefly stated:

(a) To develop a respect for public property;

(b) To develop a respect for authority;

(c) Patriotism is not an important Marxist value;

(d) To develop respect for parents, elderly people and all classes of laborers;

(e) Common good occupies an important position in Marxism;

(f) In Marxist state there is no existence of private property;

(g) Discipline in public life is another important value in Marxist philosophy;

(h) Marxism attaches highest importance to the value of labor.

Aims of Education in Marxism:

Marxist education will lay stress on indoctrination of ideas and practices. In
Marxist state, education aims at creating Marxist attitude and values. The
state is to be strengthened through the creation of a classless society. The
proletariat will, no doubt, dominate in the Marxist state. But education will not
be limited to a handful of people. Marxism lays stress on providing education
to all sections of the society, i.e., universal education.

Equalization of educational opportunity is the Marxist educational goal.

Marxist education aims at maximum good to the maximum number. Social
advancement is to be ensured through education. Education is considered as
the greatest instrument of social change. Only intellectual education cannot
achieve this goal.

Hence, in Marxism, emphasis is laid on vocational and technological

education. All educands must know clearly the true character of social
development. History and economics should be taught in proper perspective.
The students must learn the fundamental principles of science.
In Marxist education labor and work are considered as integral parts. A
workman cannot work properly unless he possesses a sound health. Hence
physical education is considered as an important aim in Marxist education. It
also aims at cultural and aesthetic development, and further aims at
indoctrination in communist and socialist values. Marxist education aims at
creating creative, productive and faithful citizenship.

According to Lenin, education is an integral part of culture and culture and

education both are shaped by socioeconomic conditions. But labor is the
basis and source of all cultural advancement. That is why, in Marxist
education, labor occupies an important place.

In Marxist education the philosophic child is given the central position.

Development of the child mind is the ultimate aim. Education of the child
depends to a great extent on the education of the mother. So Marxist
education aims at womens education too. Communist Manifesto declares
free, universal, elementary education for all.

Marx says: Education means to us three things:

(a) Intellectual Development,

(b) Physical Development,

(c) Polytechnised Education which will give knowledge relative to the General
Sciences and principles of all productive processes.

Educational Objectives in Marxism:

1. No discrimination will be made in respect of educational opportunities.
Education is to be given to all sections of the society irrespective of caste,
creed, sex social and economic status.

2. Common education is to be provided to both men and women. Coeducation

is an accepted principle in Marxism.

3. Education will be universal and compulsory.

4. No discrimination is to be made among schools. Establishment of common

school system is the cherished goal of Marxism.

5. Marxism advocates secular education in schools.

6. In Marxist system of education there will be only one agency the state.
Private agency is banned in Marxist educational administration.

Curriculum in Marxism:
Marxist curriculum is based on Marxist educational aims, objectives and
values set forth earlier.

The following are the special features of Marxist Curriculum:

1. Marxist philosophy and doctrines will be taught at all levels of education on
compulsory basis. The students should be made conscious about class
division, unequal distribution of wealth, exploitation of the working class by the
capitalist class, etc.

2. Those subjects are included in the curriculums which tend to develop skill
instead of abstract knowledge.

3. Marxism lays stress on respect for labor and, as such, work-experience is

regarded as an integral part of education.

4. The curriculum includes the socially useful subjects such as science,

mathematics, geography, life science, geology, astronomy etc. The history of
communist movement and political economy should also be included in the
curriculum.

5. At the primary level, only the mother-tongue should be taught. But at the
secondary level the curriculum should include foreign language.

6. Creative work and co-curricular activities have been given an important

place in Marxist curriculum. These include physical exercise, music, painting,
games and sports etc.

Methodology of Teaching in Marxism:

1. Emphasis is laid on practical aspect of education instead of theoretical
aspect.

2. Marxist education is based on the principle of learning by doing. Students

should work both in the agricultural farms and factories.

3. Education should not be confined within the four walls of the school. The
natural environment and the community at large will also serve as great books
and teachers.
4. Marxist education emphasizes learning through personal experience of the
child.

5. It emphasizes group activity instead of individual activity. Marxist education

intends to promote cooperative spirit instead of competitive spirit among
students.

Role of Teacher in Marxist Education:

The role of the teacher is significant and crucial in Marxist education. He must
be fully equipped not only with the content of education but also the Marxist
methodology of teaching as well as Marxist aims of education.

A Marxist teacher must entirely be different in attitude and temperament from

a bourgeois teacher. His philosophy of teaching will be the Marxist philosophy.
He must be an active member of the Marxist social order.

According to Lenin, a best Marxist worker can only be a best Marxist teacher.
Both in thought and action he must be a true Marxist. He should not have only
mastery on the content of education but also have consciousness about life,
social environment and communist ideology. He should possess sound health,
respect for cultural heritage, deep practical sense, socialistic bent of mind and
true patriotism.