'Marxism' and the ideas of Karl Marx

You must have heard the name Karl Marx, a German philosopher who gave the famous theory of communism. He made quite a few enemies due to his writings and ideology.

He lived during the age of 1818 to 1883 and gave a very profound and popular theory of 'Communism' which took different forms slowly as time passed by.

In India, M.N Roy is said to have brought this ideology who was strong advocate of communism, he happen to established the CPI(Communist Party) in Russia in 1921 and now we have different sections among those whom we popularly call CPI, CPI(M) etc.

But what were the thoughts of Karl Marx that made him such a popular figure?

For Marx foremost idea is that materialism is the 'False consciousness'. He is very strong critic of religion and say that 'Religion is the Opium of the masses' and 'God has not made man but man has made god'. He is a socialist, and for him equality is important and he believes in the equality of outcomes that is the substantive equality.

He very strongly oppose of capitalism and blames the west and the Europe for the capitalist society and the the reason of the creating a class of people who are proletariat (that is the poor and laborers). He considers the Industrial revolution as the worst thing happened to the human kind as it has created a class of people who own everything and exploit the poor. He say that instead of competition we shall go for cooperation and built a modern industrial society on basis of that.

The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them - Karl Marx

Karl Marx calls himself scientific socialist and everyone else is the Utopian (third world & imaginative), he explains it by saying that, Socialism emerged from the French Revolution under 'Louis Blanc' and it lacked the scientific understanding of capitalism which lead to increasing the proletariats hence it is Utopian. But at the same time he says that, there shall be power snatching not by peaceful means but by the violent means,

He quotes "Violence is the Midwife of change, there has been no birth without Blood".

Marxism is believed to be popularly an anti religion and anti national political program, he says that,

"Workers of the world unite, You have nothing to lose except your chains. You have world to win".

Basic ideals of Marxism are:

• Proletariat Internationalism

• Classless

• Anarchism

• Freedom from necessity

• Need based society

• Stateless

• Work according to capacity and get according to need.

Marx theory says that "In order to think. one must has to live. In order to live, one has to eat. In order to eat one must has to produce. Hence it is for this purpose of production that man created society"

The most important function is production and production is a social act. Man cannot produce to satisfy his needs only so he created a society. But man cannot survive without society. The technology is the force of production and it is against the interest of human kind as it has created classes and section with in the society. Rest all are creating False Consciousness and he is right in saying that.

We will try to explain the other counter ideologies like capitalism, socialism etc.

Know about democracy and the thought behind it. Is it the only best solution available to rule?

Read about the Arthshastra - The thoughts of Kautilya. Understand the state craft and ways told by the Chanakya.

stay tuned for more.