1. Poli 64 Modern Political Thought TURN YOUR PHONE OFF! IRISH FREE STATE DECLARED: December 6, 1921 The Irish Free State, comprising four-fifths of Ireland, is declared, ending a five-year Irish struggle for independence from Britain. Like other autonomous nations of the former British Empire, Ireland was to remain part of the British Commonwealth, symbolically subject to the king. The Irish Free State later severed ties with Britain and was renamed ýire, and is now called the Republic of Ireland. Interested in this historical moment? See: “Michael Collins”

2. Historical cinema has a shameful history of being more cinematic than historical, but Michael Collins, Neil Jordan's extraordinary epic about the founder of the Irish Republican Army, is an exception. Liam Neeson's performance as Collins is at once stirring and blood-curdling, as befits the role of a man who murdered for a cause he believed was just, but was willing to stop when he believed his objective was reached. Aidan Quinn is torn and tormented as revolutionary co-conspirator Harry Boland, and Alan Rickman seamlessly cold-blooded and scheming as then-president Eamon De Valera. Perhaps the only jarring note in Michael Collins' storyline is the inflated importance of Kitty Kiernan, Collins' fiancée, with whom Boland was also infatuated. By playing up this love triangle, Jordan emphasizes the growing friction between Neeson and Quinn, but also brings in a somewhat disoriented Julia Roberts. But that's a minor quibble. The story of Michael Collins is inspirational enough, and its quintessentially Irish undercurrent of tragedy is strong enough, to make a great film possible through sheer passion alone. Reviewed by John Krewson Michael Collins

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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.

7. 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

8. 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):

9. 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

10. 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?