1. Poli 64 Modern Political Thought TURN YOUR PHONE OFF! November 29 1950 Chinese overwhelm Allies in North Korea Three weeks after U.S. General Douglas MacArthur first reported Chinese communist troops in action in North Korea, U.S.-led U.N. troops begin a desperate retreat out of North Korea under heavy fire from the Chinese. Near the end of World War II, the "Big Three" Allied powers--the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain--agreed to divide Korea into two separate occupation zones and temporarily govern the nation. The country was split along the 38th parallel, with Soviet forces occupying the northern zone and Americans stationed in the south. By 1949, separate Korean governments had been established, and both the United States and the USSR withdrew the majority of their troops from the Korean Peninsula. The 38th parallel was heavily fortified on both sides, but the South Koreans were unprepared for the hordes of North Korean troops and Soviet-made tanks that suddenly rolled across the border on June 25, 1950.

3. Central themes in the socialist tradition “Communism” is an ideal with a long history, stretching back (at least) to Plato and early Christianity. “Communism” implies common holding and equal sharing of material goods and social authority “Socialism” is a particularly modern tradition of the communist ideal. “Socialism” is a communal ideology for modern, mass, industrial societies. Philosophical foundations: 1. Critique of existing society Moral critique: present as “unjust” Material critique: present as “inefficient” 2. Belief in human perfectibility Moral critique: change “hearts and minds” Material critique: change institutions and practices 3. Belief in virtues of communal life Pastoral vision: small, face to face, self-sufficient communities Technocratic vision: large, technologically advanced communities 4. Belief in revolutionary change Non-violent ideal: change by protest and education Violent ideal: change by open violent conflict 5. Internationalism National differences/identities replaced by class differences/identities

4. The presuppositions of Marx’s Materialist Conception of History 1. A dialectical philosophy of history (Hegel’s legacy) o History as progressive realization of reason o Realization of reason through dissolution of alienation o Historical change as overcoming of contradictions Historical change Universal Freedom Alienated existence REASON Stage of development Intellectual/ Moral Conditions Intellectual/ Moral Conditions Material conditions/ Practices Material conditions/ Practices PROGRESS “contradictions” PROCESS REPEATS until “emancipation” is realized OLD NEW

5. The presuppositions of Marx’s Materialist Conception of History 1. A dialectical philosophy of history (Hegel’s legacy) 2. A historical materialist theory o Against idealism (against Hegel) o Against “essentialist” materialism (against Feuerbach) o Human nature is historical  What makes humans capable of “history” is the human capacity for labor  (NB: contrast “human” and “natural” history)  Realization of reason is the dissolution of conditions of alienated labor  Historical progress is driven by overcoming of material contradictions between realities and possibilities of productive activity

6. The presuppositions of Marx’s Materialist Conception of History 1. A dialectical philosophy of history 2. A historical materialist theory 3. A critical theory or form of critique (Ideologiekritik) o A “scientific” theory with practical, political intent. Dimensions: Descriptive: Analysis of social formations Explanatory: Analysis of social change Practical: Analysis of capitalist society

7. Marx’s Materialist Conception of History Descriptive: What is society, how is it structured? Society = “Mode of Production” Ideology Relations of production Forces (means) of production Superstructure Base Analytical points: Base “conditions” superstructure “Ruling ideas” reflect interests of “ruling class” Revolutionary change: resolving the “primacy puzzle” Causal effects? OR

8. Explanatory: How do societies change? Logic of change: Stability Forces changeCrisis Revolutionary consciousness Revolution Contradictions materialclassideological Conditions of change objective subjective Analytical points: Ruling classes try to “fetter” development of productive forces Revolutionary classes try to advance development of productive forces Revolutions can only succeed when all necessary conditions are present Marx’s Materialist Conception of History

9. Practical: How can we emancipate ourselves? Prerequisite of action: knowledge of historical possibilities The development of human societies Social structureMaterial conditions “Mode of production” Pre-class/classlessExtreme scarcity“primitive” communism Class based Unequal scarcityAncient Feudal Capitalist Artificial scarcity Early capitalism Late capitalism Post-class/classless Abundance Communism

10. Marx’s Materialist Conception of History Practical: How can we emancipate ourselves? Prerequisite of action: knowledge of historical possibilities Analytical points: Historical change “simplifies” class structures Historical progress advances development of productive forces Capitalism enables – and is – the realization of the possibility of abundance In capitalism, classes are “reduced” to 2: those who own, and those who work the means of production. Relations are “reduced” to economic exploitation Capitalism must be overthrown for progress – and freedom – to be realized. Capitalism is the first mode of production predicated on the development of productive forces. Capitalism cannot continue by developing productive forces.

11. Marx’s critique of capitalism Capitalism is self-subverting: The premise of capitalist production is continuous development of productive forces, BUT The social relations of capitalism cannot sustain continued development of productive forces The logic of capitalist production “Capital” (productive capacity) has two components: “Constant” capital (resources, tools, machinery); “Variable” capital (human labor) Process of competition: 1. Goal of capitalist: maximization of profit. Means: raise prices and/or cut costs 2. Competition makes price raising untenable; costs must be cut 3. Cost cutting achieved by reducing “variable” expenses, increasing ratio of “constant” expenses to “variable” expenses 4. Successful firms are “efficient” – producing more for less

12. 5. Effects on social relations: for capitalists, “proletarianization”; for workers, “emiseration” 6. Effects on productive activity: Concentration of capital: growth of monopolies Contraction of markets: less wealth available for consumption of products Decline of profits, further sharpening of competition CRISIS OF “OVERPRODUCTION” Repeated cycling of process 7. Solution to crises of overproduction: Suppress demand (“dictatorship of bourgeoisie”) and/or suppress production Capitalism cannot enable the continued development of productive forces, or the realization of freedom for all. Capitalism is “self- subverting.” Marx’s critique of capitalism Process of competition (continued):

13. The effects of “alienated labor” (or, the moral dimension of the material critique) 1.Alienation from the product of labor (products become commodities, and objects “control” people) 2. Alienation from the process of labor (labor becomes “work,” controlled by others) 3. Alienation from one’s “species being” (labor is stripped of individual meaning;relations between individuals are stunted, mediated by objects) 4. Alienation from other laborers (labor becomes basis of competition) The point of Marx’s account of alienation: In conditions of scarcity, alienation is inevitable. In conditions of abundance, alienation is inefficient – and morally reprehensible

14. Marx on Communism Transitional stage: “Socialism” – the “dictatorship of the proletariat” -- Working class uses state power to suppress the interests of the bourgeoisie, and eliminate the vestiges of capitalist social relations -- “The only way for individuals to control modern universal interaction is to make it subject to the control of all” -- The proletariat is the “universal class”; its interest is the interest of freedom for all -- As the need for class competition decreases, the state “withers away” Communism: The end of “prehistory” and the beginning of human freedom -- “The administration of things replaces the administration of men” -- “The free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” -- A “Society of free social individuals” -- In a condition of abundance and freedom, the principle of production and distribution should be “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” The failure of Marxism in practice: Bad theory or inappropriate application?