3/28/2017 WhatisMarxism

Marxism
QUESTION:WhatisMarxism?

ANSWER:

Marxismisaneconomicandsocial
systembaseduponthepoliticaland
economictheoriesofKarlMarxand
FriedrichEngels.Whileitwouldtake
veritablyvolumestoexplainthefull
implicationsandramificationsofthe
Marxistsocialandeconomicideology,
MarxismissummedupintheEncarta
ReferenceLibraryasatheoryin
whichclassstruggleisacentral
elementintheanalysisofsocial
changeinWesternsocieties.Marxism
istheantithesisofcapitalismwhichis
definedbyEncartaasaneconomic
systembasedontheprivateownership
ofthemeansofproductionand
distributionofgoods,characterizedby
afreecompetitivemarketand
motivationbyprofit.Marxismisthe
systemofsocialismofwhichthe
http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/whatismarxismfaq.htm 1/4
3/28/2017 WhatisMarxism

dominantfeatureispublicownershipof
themeansofproduction,distribution,
andexchange.

Undercapitalism,theproletariat,the
workingclassorthepeople,ownonly
theircapacitytoworktheyhavethe
abilityonlytoselltheirownlabor.
AccordingtoMarxaclassisdefinedby
therelationsofitsmemberstothe
meansofproduction.Heproclaimed
thathistoryisthechronologyofclass
struggles,wars,anduprisings.Under
capitalism,Marxcontinues,the
workers,inordertosupporttheir
familiesarepaidabareminimum
wageorsalary.Theworkerisalienated
becausehehasnocontroloverthe
labororproductwhichheproduces.
Thecapitalistsselltheproducts
producedbytheworkersata
proportionalvalueasrelatedtothe
laborinvolved.Surplusvalueisthe
differencebetweenwhattheworkeris
paidandthepriceforwhichthe
productissold.
http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/whatismarxismfaq.htm 2/4
3/28/2017 WhatisMarxism

Anincreasingimmiserationofthe
proletariatoccursastheresultof
economicrecessionsthese
recessionsresultbecausetheworking
classisunabletobuythefullproduct
oftheirlaborsandtherulingcapitalists
donotconsumeallofthesurplus
value.Aproletariatorsocialist
revolutionmustoccur,accordingto
Marx,wherethestate(themeansby
whichtherulingclassforcibly
maintainsruleovertheotherclasses)
isadictatorshipoftheproletariat.
Communismevolvesfromsocialism
outofthisprogression:
thesocialistsloganisFromeach
accordingtohisability,toeach
accordingtohiswork.
Thecommunistsloganvariesthusly:
Fromeachaccordingtohisability,to
eachaccordingtohisneeds.

WhatweretheMarxistviewsof
religion?Becausetheworkerunder
thecapitalistregimeswasmiserable
http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/whatismarxismfaq.htm 3/4
3/28/2017 WhatisMarxism

andalienated,religiousbeliefswere
sustained.Religion,accordingtoMarx
wastheresponsetothepainofbeing
alive,theresponsetoearthlysuffering.
InTowardsaCritiqueofHegels
PhilosophyofRight(1844),Marx
wrote,Religionisthesighofthe
oppressedcreature,thefeelingofa
heartlessworld,andthesoulof
soullesscircumstances.Marx
indicatedinthiswritingthatthe
workingclass,theproletariatwasa
truerevolutionaryclass,universalin
characterandacquaintedwith
universalsuffering.Thisprovidedthe
needforreligion.

http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/whatismarxismfaq.htm 4/4