Socialism and Communism Utopian and scientific socialism Marx’s “materialist conception of history” Critique of capitalism Revolutionary sequence Democracy and freedom Marxism as ideology

Socialism and Communism Key figure for both, Marx; predates Marx Plato’s ideal republic -- guardian class owns all things (including spouses and children) in common Early Christians, later monastic orders, pooled worldly possessions Sir Thomas More (early 16th c.) ideal communist commonwealth, Utopia, private property, profit, and greed banished English Civil War (1640s), radical sects (Diggers, “True Levellers”) put communal/communist ideas into practice

Urban-Industrial forms Industrial Revolution (late 18th – 19th c.) replaced agrarian visions of socialism and communism Modern vision reaction against social upheavals brought about by industrial capitalism Uprooted from farms, families moved into cities looking for work in factories Working conditions unsafe; living quarters cramped, dirty, squalid Sharp contrast with emerging class of capitalists

Moralistic/Scientific Socialism “Socialists” thought system required fundamental change Moralistic/ethical socialists people will realize capitalism evil socialist society comes when people change minds about system of profit and exploitation Scientific socialists Saint-Simon – hidden historical processes will bring socialist society into being; industrial capitalism’s need for technical expertise lays groundwork for expertly planned socialist economy Charles Fourier and Robert Owen – planned perfect socialist societies, model communities

Marx’s Critique Early socialists utopian Impractical socialist society will come about as people have change of heart or necessary consequence of capitalism Capitalism makes socialism possible, not inevitable Socialism possible only if old society first destroyed; destruction will happen only under right conditions Working class (proletariat) must realize class interests are incompatible with and opposed to interests of dominant class of capitalists (bourgeoisie) Workers must be enlightened about “real condition” and how it might be changed

Marx’s theory Aid to enlightenment of working class Hegel’s philosophy of history, economic theories of Adam Smith How capitalism came into being, was changing, and might be overthrown Cornerstone of  Marx’s theory of social change -- “Materialist Conception of History” Fundamental social change involves more than changing one’s ideas or ideals Requires changing material conditions -- social, economic, and institutional structures and processes -- that underlie dominant ideas

Marx’s theory of history Human history is twofold struggle: Master nature for human aims and ends Struggle between different social classes To master nature, human beings must labor; for labor to be effective, people must relate to and work with one another in ways that increase capacity to put nature to human use “Material forces of production” -- raw materials and tools for extracting, processing, transforming, and transporting raw materials into useful objects To create, make use of material forces, people must enter into “social relations of production” -- social division of labor that characterizes their particular society or “social formation”

Ideological superstructure Material production precondition of life itself and all other human actions, activities, institutions, and practices Humans must first produce means of subsistence and reproduce species Humans are rational, thinking beings We ask questions about life; whys and wherefores of existence; why things are the way they are; why some people work hard and die early while others live lives of leisure and ease Every social formation capped by an “ideological superstructure” -- system of ideas and ideals by which social relations are justified and legitimized

Ideological superstructures Slave societies -- people learn some human beings are “slaves by nature” or it is “God’s will” that they be slaves, while others are masters Capitalist society -- with class division of labor between ruling bourgeoisie and subservient proletariat, people learn that “laws of economics” dictate this as the only rational and workable arrangement For those who remain unconvinced, there is always religion -- the “opiate of the people,” which dulls their minds to possibility that such a system is made by human beings and can be changed by human beings

False consciousness “Ideas of ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas” In capitalist society, dominant, ruling ideas of bourgeoisie are viewed as only ideas worth taking seriously Alternative ideas (especially socialist ones) ignored or portrayed in classrooms, curriculum, and mass media as self-evidently silly, unworkable, absurd “Informed” by educators, economists, and journalists, members of working class are kept from forming true picture of situation and system under which they live and by which they are exploited “False consciousness”

Purposes of theory Help workers overcome false consciousness Supply them with means to cut through propaganda and misinformation to which they are exposed in capitalist society Marx’s theory a “critique” not only of capitalism but also “political economy” -- economic theory that justifies and legitimizes capitalist system of production, exchange, and distribution Point to possibility of another, more just and equitable society -- a classless communist society

Marx’s critique of capitalism Helped break down feudal society and punctured “illusions” that governed medieval mind-set Increased humanity’s powers over nature Greatly expanded productive capacity of human beings Created enormous wealth Outlived its usefulness, caused more problems than it solved Capitalist system of production “alienating” in four respects Separates or “alienates” workers from product of labor Kills spirit of creativity by making worker serve machine Destroys workers’ capacity to create and enjoy beauty Alienates workers from each other, making them competitors rather than comrades

Capitalists Although affluent and comfortable, also alienated Capitalism makes capitalists an “appendage of capital” -- capitalist must do what “the market” tells him or her to do, even if it means ignoring his or her conscience or casting morality aside In capitalist society, Marx says, the only thing that is “free” is the market; all others -- including the capitalists -- are its servants or slaves Perverted or topsy-turvy kind of society unfit for human beings to inhabit

A “fit” society Only society fit for human habitation is one in which human beings are free and in full control of their fate To be truly free, proletariat (and ultimately everyone) must be free of constraints and restrictions imposed by class divisions, economic inequalities and unequal life-chances Must be free to recognize these inequalities -- free of “false consciousness” that makes them mistake their own real interests Only then can workers fulfill basic human need to have rewarding work and respect of their fellows

Capitalist society Market is free and in control Human beings are its appendages and servants Capitalist society unfit for human habitation Capitalist system self-subverting and, in long run, self-destructive Created its own “grave diggers” (the proletariat) By bringing them together, teaching them to work cooperatively to produce complex and costly commodities, bourgeoisie, or capitalist class, has given proletariat sense of its own enormous collective power Bourgeoisie has also given them a common enemy (the bourgeoisie), a common interest (the overthrow of the bourgeoisie), and a common aim (the replacement of capitalism with a just and equitable system of production and distribution)

Revolutionary sequence Capitalism leads, in final analysis, to proletarian revolution Steps in revolutionary sequence: Periodic, ever-worsening economic crises Immiseration of proletariat Develop revolutionary class consciousness (will and motivation) Overthrow bourgeoisie and seize state power for themselves in form of Dictatorship of proletariat (when no longer needed) Dictatorship or transitional state will wither away (making possible creation of) Classless communist society

Communist society Marx had little to say about it Resisted temptation to “write recipes for kitchens of the future” Shape of any future society should be decided by future people, not by Marx or anyone else Democratic Major means of production publicly-owned and democratically controlled Free public education for all All able-bodied people will work Rule regarding production and distribution: “From each according to his ability; to each according to his need” 

Key terms Master-slave dialectic Hegel’s philosophy of history (evolution of spirit, ideas) Utopian socialism vs. scientific socialism Materialist conception of history (evolution of material production) Alienation Class/class struggle False consciousness Capitalism; surplus value; problems with capitalism Revolutionary class consciousness Revolutionary sequence “From each according to his ability; to each according to his need” Material productive base Ideological superstructure -- ideology Social relations of production Modes of production Forces of production Revolutionary dictatorship of the proletariat Withering away of the state Proletariat Bourgeoisie Public vs. Private ownership of property Socialism State Socialism Communism Marx’s notion of freedom, democracy Marxism (explanation, evaluation, orientation, program)

Discussion questions What is the materialist conception of history and how does it relate to socialism? By what sequence of events did Marx believe communism would come about? What did Marx and Engel mean by alienation and consciousness?  Why are these concepts important to Marx’s theory? How does Marx characterize democracy and freedom? How does Marx’s theory fulfill the four functions of an ideology (explanation, evaluation, orientation, program)?