The Communist Manifesto to a great extent aims to explain the goals of Communism and the theory that underpins the movement. The work argues that class struggles, or the exploitation of one class by another, are the motivating force behind all historical developments. The work concludes with the assumption the freedom of the proletariats will only be achieved when property and other goods cease to be privately owned.
The Communist Manifesto opens with a statement of its purpose, to publicise the views, aims and tendencies of the Communists. It is meant to be a broad description of what Communism is, both as a theory and as a political movement. The Manifesto has four sections. In the first section, it discusses the Communists’ theory of history and the relationship between proletarians and bourgeoisie. The second section explains the relationship between the Communists and the proletarians. The third section addresses the flaws in other, previous socialist literature. The final section discusses the relationship between the Communists and other parties.
In section One, “Bourgeois and Proletarians,” Marx highlights his vision of history, focusing on the development and eventual destruction of the bourgeoisie, the dominant class of his day. Modern industrial society is characterised by the class conflict between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Marx writes, “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” Throughout history we see the oppressor and oppressed in constant opposition to each other. This fight is sometimes hidden and sometimes open. However, each time the fight ends in either a revolutionary reconstruction of society or in the classes’ common ruin.
The Essay on Classes Class History Society
Chapter 1 Summary: Bourgeois and Proletarians The Communist Manifesto begins with Marx's famous generalization that "the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles" (79). Marx describes these classes in terms of binary oppositions, with one party as oppressor, the other as oppressed. While human societies have traditionally been organized according to complex, multi ...
In this instance he highlights that the nature of the productive forces of capitalism are not compatible and therefore as exploitation occurs a proletariat revolution will result which will aim to eradicate the social classes. He emphasises that this revolution is inevitable as capitalism is inherently unstable.
The most important concept being discussed is the concept that each society has a characteristic economic structure. This structure breeds different classes, which are in conflict as they oppress or are oppressed by each other. However, this situation is not permanent. As history continues, eventually the means of production cease to be compatible with the class structure. Instead, the structure begins to impede the development of productive forces. At this point, the existing structure must be destroyed. This explains the emergence of the bourgeoisie out of feudalism. Marx also argues that it will explain the eventual destruction of the bourgeoisie. Marx believes that all of history should be understood in this way-as the process in which classes realign themselves in compliance with changing means of production.
Marx argued that this revolution would differ from others in history, as when control is gained, it will be necessary to destroy all ownership of private property in order to eliminate classes. While the approach is radical, the doctrine emphasised that history had illustrated that this was not attainable through peaceful mechanisms or governmental reformation.
In Chapter two, “Proletariats and Communists,” Marx elaborates the social changes communists hope to effect on behalf of the proletariat. The primary objective of communists and the revolutionary proletariat is the abolition of private property, for it is this that keeps them enslaved. In other words, the existence of bourgeois property, or capital as Marx calls it, relies on its radically unequal distribution. The only way the proletariat can free itself from bourgeois exploitation is to abolish capitalism.
The Essay on Working Class Bourgeoisie Society Proletariat
Manifesto of the Communist Party Political Ideologies The basic thought running through the manifesto is that all history has been a history of class struggles between the exploited and exploiting, between dominated and dominating classes at different stages of social evolution. (Slavery, Feudalism, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism). This struggle, however, is believed to have reached a stage ...
Chapter three “Socialist and Communist Literature,” encompasses Marx’s discussion of the relationship between his movement and previous or contemporaneous socialist movements. In this chapter he repudiates these other movements for not fully understanding the significance of the proletarian struggle.
The final chapter, “Position of the Communists in Relation to the Various Opposition Parties,” announces the communist intention to “everywhere support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political order of things”. This focuses on the fact that any effective revolutionary movement has to address the issue of property ownership and that the retention of a situation in which private property is retained, people will continue to be repressed.
The work is extremely focused in approach and the viewpoints are radical. It serves to instil a sense of comradeship amongst workers and aims to propel workers towards a communist revolt in which class division will cease to exist and in which equal opportunities will dominate. As Marx thunders in conclusion, “Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution. The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win. Working men of all countries, unite!”.
