Karl Marx And The Struggle Between Social Classes
Karl Marx played a substantial role in defining society based on what he saw as a tussle between the
well-off who he described as the bourgeoisie and those who toiled for them recognizing them as the
proletariats. With this ongoing struggle between the bourgeoisie capitalists and their workers, Marx saw
only one end to it, the upheaval by the workers in order to stop what he considered to be injustices
carried on by the capitalists on the proletariats. Marx’s contribution to sociology which he referred to as
historical materialism was focused on the use of systematic or logical analysis to change society as
opposed to simply analyzing or impartially depicting it (Little et al., 2014). In his book the “Communist
Manifesto” written together with Friedrich Engels, he gives his theory of society which is an analysis
albeit a critical one of capitalism as the contributing factor to some of the ills of society including
volatility and disputes.
In my society, I have witnessed labor unions that have stood up to what they believe to be appalling
conditions for workers or their poor treatment by companies and their employers. There are individuals
or groups of people in my society that feel capitalism is an ill that seeks to exploit the workers regardless
of the human casualties. This is just but one perception of Marxism because there is the aspect that
capitalism leads to loss of human labor causing unemployment. This is especially in the cases where
robotic systems are employed in roles that were formerly filled by people (Marx, 2008). These
perceptions don’t get to have a lot of influence on my views because I understand that there are
different ways of looking at the issue.
Although Marx criticizes capitalism, there are lots of benefits that spring from it and that might be easily
overlooked. For one, capitalism is to a certain extent responsible for the creation of wealth and
betterment of society. It requires constant innovation on the sides of capitalists in order to keep making
products that consumers / society’s need. On the other hand, this should not happen at the expense of
or by mistreatment of other human beings specifically the workers. There should be as is in most
countries, a minimum wage as well as certain agreed upon standards and conditions that ensure
worker’s safety and well-being.
References
Little, W., Vyain, S., Scaramuzzo, G., Rydzewski, S. C., Griffiths, H., Strayer, E., Keirns, N., & McGivern, R.
(2014). Introduction to Sociology – 1st Canadian Edition (1st ed.). BCcampus.
Marx, K. (2008). Wage-Labour and Capital. Amsterdam University Press.
Karl Marx played a substantial role in defining society based on what he saw as a tussle between the
well-off who he described as the bourgeoisie and those who toiled for them recognizing them as the
proletariats. With this ongoing struggle between the bourgeoisie capitalists and their workers, Marx saw
only one end to it, the upheaval by the workers in order to stop what he considered to be injustices
carried on by the capitalists on the proletariats. Marx’s contribution to sociology which he referred to as
historical materialism was focused on the use of systematic or logical analysis to change society as
opposed to simply analyzing or impartially depicting it (Little et al., 2014). In his book the “Communist
Manifesto” written together with Friedrich Engels, he gives his theory of society which is an analysis
albeit a critical one of capitalism as the contributing factor to some of the ills of society including
volatility and disputes.
In my society, I have witnessed labor unions that have stood up to what they believe to be appalling
conditions for workers or their poor treatment by companies and their employers. There are individuals
or groups of people in my society that feel capitalism is an ill that seeks to exploit the workers regardless
of the human casualties. This is just but one perception of Marxism because there is the aspect that
capitalism leads to loss of human labor causing unemployment. This is especially in the cases where
robotic systems are employed in roles that were formerly filled by people (Marx, 2008). These
perceptions don’t get to have a lot of influence on my views because I understand that there are
different ways of looking at the issue.
Although Marx criticizes capitalism, there are lots of benefits that spring from it and that might be easily
overlooked. For one, capitalism is to a certain extent responsible for the creation of wealth and
betterment of society. It requires constant innovation on the sides of capitalists in order to keep making
products that consumers / society’s need. On the other hand, this should not happen at the expense of
or by mistreatment of other human beings specifically the workers. There should be as is in most
countries, a minimum wage as well as certain agreed upon standards and conditions that ensure
worker’s safety and well-being.
References
Little, W., Vyain, S., Scaramuzzo, G., Rydzewski, S. C., Griffiths, H., Strayer, E., Keirns, N., & McGivern, R.
(2014). Introduction to Sociology – 1st Canadian Edition (1st ed.). BCcampus.
Marx, K. (2008). Wage-Labour and Capital. Amsterdam University Press.
