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Mark Louie G. Gorantes
Prof. J.A. Paquia
The Contemporary World
30 April 2023
Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels' 1848 political and economic work The
Communist Manifesto lays out the fundamental ideas of communism. In-depth examination
of the first three chapters of the manifesto will be provided in this paper, along with an
analysis of the authors' perspectives on history, the class struggle, and the rise of capitalism.
The Communist Manifesto's first chapter, "Bourgeois and Proletarians,"
opens with the claim that class conflict has been a central theme throughout all of human
history. Marx and Engels contend that the ownership of the means of production is the basis
of this conflict and that the dominant class has always utilized its dominance to repress the
underclasses. They contend that the contemporary era, which is highlighted by the emergence
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of capitalist economies and the development of the bourgeoisie, is comparable to earlier
periods. Marx and Engels claim that the capitalists have established a system in which they
exploit the proletariat, the working class, and control the means of production.
The proletariat must unite and overcome the bourgeoisie in order to
establish a communist society, the proletariat is argued in Chapter 2 titled as "Proletarians and
Communists," which develops further and explains this issue. Due to its foundation in shared
ownership of the means of production, communism, according to Marx and Engels, is the
only system that can end the class struggle and bring about true equality. They contend that in
order for the proletariat to effectively challenge the bourgeoisie's dominance, it is imperative
that the proletariat become educated on communist ideals and unite as a political force.
In Chapter 3 titled "Socialist and Communist Literature," Marx and
Engels' theories are compared to other socialist and communist groups that came before
them. The authors contend that these groups' critiques of capitalism fell short of being
comprehensive, and they failed to present a convincing picture of a communist society in the
future. Marx and Engels contend that their own interpretation of communism is founded on a
scientific examination of history and the evolution of the means of production. They contend
that the actual realities of class conflict and economic progress, rather than moral or ethical
justifications, will enable communism to be realized.
The historical evolution of the proletariat, or working class, and its
interactions with the bourgeoisie, or capitalist class, are examined by Marx and Engels. They
contend that there has always been conflict between the governing class and the oppressed
class throughout history, and that in the contemporary era, this conflict has been particularly
focused on the battle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat.
Marx and Engels contend that the bourgeoisie takes advantage of the
proletariat by squeezing extra money out of their labor. They clarify that the time it takes to
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produce the items or services a person is working on determines the worth of their labor. The
capitalist, however, only pays the worker a portion of the worth of their labor and keeps the
remainder as profit. They contend that this exploitation is the foundation of the capitalist
system and causes the working class to become impoverished.
Both believe that capitalism as a whole will eventually collapse on itself
because it is intrinsically unstable. According to their explanation, as capitalism grows, the
capitalist class gets more consolidated and powerful, while the working class expands and
becomes better organized. The working class will eventually realize how disadvantaged it is
and rise up to overthrow the governing class.
The political and economic ideology of communism advocates the goal of
establishing a society without classes in which everyone is equal and shares everything. But
as history has demonstrated, attempts to enact communism have led to authoritarian
governments, unstable economies, and social inequality.
The fact that communism makes the assumption that everyone has the
same interests and desires is one reason it might not function in the modern world. People
actually have a variety of needs and goals, which are influenced by things like culture,
education, and personal experiences. These many wants and preferences may not be met by
the inflexible communist economic and social systems, which could cause unhappiness and
disengagement among the public.
In addition, strategic planning is a common component of communism,
meaning that the government has control over the production and distribution of goods and
services. As there is no competition or market forces to stimulate innovation and optimize
resource allocation, this can result in inefficiencies and poor management. A lack of
productivity and economic growth may also result from a lack of incentives for effort and
innovation.
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Communism demands a high level of social control, which can lead to
authoritarian regimes that limit personal freedom and human rights. Political instability and
societal unrest can result from the repression of dissent and opposition.
As a result of its failure to satisfy the various wants and preferences of
different people, its lack of incentives for productivity and creativity, and its potential for
authoritarianism and social control, communism may not function in the modern world.
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Work Cited/References:
Marx, K., & Engels, F. (2008). The Communist Manifesto. In Oxford University Press
eBooks. Oxford University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1093/owc/9780199535712.001.0001
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (1998, July 20). The Communist Manifesto |
Summary, Quotations, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Communist-Manifesto
Engels, K. M. a. F. (n.d.). Manifesto of the Communist Party.
https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/
