Realism, Positivism, & Marxism The “New” Isms Auguste Comte Karl Marx Friedrich Engels

The drive for constitutional governments?? The cry for national sovereignty?? Male suffrage and Democracy?? Revolutions of 1848 – failure or success??

Materialism - Realism Everything mental, spiritual, or ideal was an outgrowth of physical of physiological forces. Break away from Romanticism – attempted to describe and reproduce life as they found it – in the world of art and literature the movement was called Realism People trusted science for insights into the true meaning of life Religion moved back towards skepticism – religion was unscientific and therefore not to be taken seriously – religion was a bourgeois invention to delude the people

Realism in Art

Realism in Literature

Realpolitik – Politics of ______ German philosophy: Otto von Bismarck:

Positivism – Auguste Comte Human History is a series of three stages TheologicalMetaphysicalScientific Those who work for the good of society must adopt a strictly scientific outlook – the science of society (sociology)” Build upon “positive” facts to develop scientific laws of social progress..Positivism came to be a demand for facts and an avoidance of wishful thinking

Marxism Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels Communist League Demands of the Communist Party in Germany German Republic with universal suffrage Universal free education Arming of the people Progressive income tax and limitations on inheritance State ownership of banks, railroads, canals, mines Collectivized agriculture Communist Manifesto – a summons to revolution “Let the ruling classes tremble at a communist revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Workingmen of all countries, unite!” Marxism: German Philosophy, French revolution British Industrialization

Marxism was a call for revolution and it showed how revolution would come by operation of vast historical forces Doctrine of Surplus Value : Workers only received a small portion of the value of the product they produced. The vast difference went to Bourgeois capitalists Dialectical Materialism: all things are in movement and change comes when antagonistic elements collide. Historical development is based on economic and social conditions. Material conditions give rise to the social classes Prevailing religions, governments, laws, and morals reflect the outlook of these classes Revolution is a result of the class power struggles: Bourgeois rise up against the aristocracy Proletariats rise up against the bourgeois

Marxism – Readers Digest Version In three easy steps Haves vs. Have nots Inevitable RevolutionTemporary Dictatorship of the ProletariatClassless Society

Falsehoods of Marxism