Karl Marx and His Main Ideas

ALIENTATEDLABOUR

As the production of a company increases, the workers sense of worth decreases. A political economy is supported by laws, land, wages and profits of labour without demonstrating their existence or connections. A laborer works for a wage that allows companies to produce a product that is then sold for a profit. Hence the laborer is a part of the process and becomes a commodity himself. The labour is objectified, and the worker is a slave to his labour. This brings about alienation for the laborer and his inner growth isn't realized. He becomes separated from himself and exists only as a worker who is lacking in personal worth. This also related inversely to an increase in a products worth. As the product becomes more important, the worker does not .A laborer supplies the work required, but isn't attached to it. His success depends on continuing to work and to provide a means to an end- his livelihood. His labour belongs to the company he works for, and it produces commodities for consumption. A laborer is alienated by being a slave to his productivity. The labour doesn't make him happy, and the work has power over him, not the other way around. His work activity is something he supplies; it is not part of him. He has no power. Thus he is part of the life force of nature. A man is a conscious being created from nature, but this consciousness is not realized if he is unable to make free choices. He isn't making a free choice if he ties himself to the product of his labour more than he needs to which is the requirements of a company's profit margin. When a laborer is a slave to production and doesn't maintain conscious free will, he is separated even from his fellow man, and is further alienated in the process. By being alienated from his labour, a man becomes alienated from his fellow men. A mans relationship to his work is also reflected in his relationship with other men and their labour. This concept is still relevant today. The middle classes have improved their monetary gain by using technology and taking advantage of education that affords those better jobs and more freedom to choose. However, the lower classes are still disadvantaged by the class structure. They continue to be involved in relationships with other workers that hold similar jobs. This relationship is one of alienated worker to alienated worker.

THESES ON FEUERBACK

Feuerbach believed that human nature could not be changed. He thought that human activity was not an "objective activity" (ie. Free of bias or prejudice- just as truth is the way things are perceived). It isn't subjective- individual perception. Men are able to change circumstances and ultimately become integrated into society. Feuerbach believes that religious sentiment and human nature are not social products. He sees society as only a collection of individuals. He doesn't recognize the close connections that exist between human beings. Religion is possible by humans having social interactions. He fails to see that people belong to "societies" and that religion is a product of that society.

MANIFESTO OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY

A class struggle in society pits the haves against the have nots. The manifesto embraces class conflict and seeks to write the workers against the capitalists. Society has always been arranged into a class order by which every man defines his rank or standing in society. As new lands were discovered, and colonization took place, commerce was established. Trading in commodities fueled industry. The demands for goods increased and the industrial revolution allowed men to redefine his relationship with society. With demand for goods comes more demand for production and the trade