Marxist philosophy
Marxist philosophy or Marxist theory are works in philosophy that are strongly influenced by Karl Marx’s materialist approach to theory, or works written by Marxists. Marxist philosophy may be broadly divided into Western Marxism, which drew from various sources, and the official philosophy in the Soviet Union, which enforced a rigid reading of what Marx called dialectical materialism, in particular during the 1930s. Marxist philosophy is not a strictly defined sub-field of philosophy, because the diverse influence of Marxist theory has extended into fields as varied as aesthetics, ethics, ontology, epistemology, social philosophy, political philosophy, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of history. The key characteristics of Marxism in philosophy are its materialism and its commitment to political practice as the end goal of all thought.
The theory is also about the struggles of the proletariat and their reprimand of the bourgeoisie.
Marxist theorist Louis Althusser, for example, defined the philosophy as “class struggle in theory”, thus radically separating himself from those who claimed philosophers could adopt a “God’s eye view” as a purely neutral judge.
“Marxism” is the overarching ideology and political movement based on the writings of Karl Marx, while “Marxist theory” is the specific theoretical framework within it. In essence, Marxism is the whole philosophy, including its theory, and Marxist theory is the analytical toolset used to understand and critique capitalism, history, and society, particularly through concepts like historical materialism and the critique of class struggle. Therefore, one cannot exist without the other; Marxist theory is a core component of the broader system of Marxism.
Marxism
- Broad ideology: A social, political, and economic philosophy that critiques capitalism and aims for a classless society.
- Includes theory and practice: It encompasses the theoretical ideas of Marx, the political and economic movements it inspired, and the goal of achieving communism.
- Examples: Marxism includes the practical application of its principles in historical events and the actions of Marxist parties.
Marxist theory
- The analytical framework: The system of ideas that forms the basis of Marxism.
- Key components: It is the application of concepts like:
- Historical Materialism: The idea that economic factors (the “base”) are the primary driver of social and historical change, shaping the “superstructure” of politics, culture, and law.
- Class Struggle: The conflict between the bourgeoisie (owners of production) and the proletariat (workers) as the driving force of history.
- Critique of Capitalism: The analysis of how capitalism creates exploitation, alienation, and inequality through mechanisms like surplus value.
- Examples: An analysis of a modern company’s labor practices through the lens of the bourgeoisie and proletariat would be an application of Marxist theory.
AI responses may include mistakes.
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[2] wikipedia/en/Marxist_philosophy
[3] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Marxism
[5] https://isreview.org/issue/92/marx-lenin-and-luxemburg/index.html
[6] https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-16-1622-8_1
[8] https://www.britannica.com/topic/communism/Marxian-communism
Marxist theory is a socioeconomic and political ideology analyzing how capitalism leads to class struggle between the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (working class). It posits that the bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat for profit, and that this conflict will inevitably lead to a proletarian revolution to establish a communist or socialist society where the means of production are collectively owned. Key concepts include the base and superstructure model and the idea of surplus value, which is the profit a factory owner makes by paying workers less than the value their labor creates.
Core tenets of Marxist theory
- Class struggle: Society is fundamentally divided into two antagonistic classes: the bourgeoisie, who own factories, machines, and capital, and the proletariat, who must sell their labor for wages.
- Exploitation and surplus value: The bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat by paying them a wage that is less than the value they produce. The difference, or surplus value, is the source of capitalist profit.
- Base and superstructure: The economic “base” of a society (its mode of production) determines the “superstructure” of its political institutions, culture, and religion.
- Alienation: Under capitalism, workers become alienated from the products of their labor, from the process of labor itself, and from each other.
- Historical materialism: The theory views history as a progression of economic systems that are defined by their class relations.
- Revolution: Marx predicted that the inherent contradictions of capitalism would lead to the proletariat becoming conscious of their exploitation and eventually overthrowing the system to create a classless society.
Founding theorists
- Karl Marx: Developed the core theories of Marxism, analyzing capitalism, social classes, and historical materialism.
- Friedrich Engels: Collaborated with Marx, contributing to key works and editing Marx’s later writings for publication.
Key later theorists
- Vladimir Lenin: A Russian Marxist who developed the theory of Leninism, which included ideas like the vanguard party, to lead a socialist revolution.
- Leon Trotsky: A Russian revolutionary who advocated for his own interpretation of Marxism, known as Trotskyism.
- Antonio Gramsci: An Italian Marxist known for his analysis of cultural and political dominance, focusing on concepts like cultural hegemony.
- Herbert Marcuse: A German-American philosopher associated with the Frankfurt School, who explored the relationship between Marxism and other fields like psychology and sociology.
- Louis Althusser: A French philosopher who integrated structuralism into Marxism, focusing on the role of ideology in maintaining state power.
Other notable theorists
- Georg Lukács: A Hungarian Marxist philosopher and critic.
- Frantz Fanon: A psychiatrist and philosopher from Martinique who wrote extensively on colonialism and decolonization from a Marxist perspective.
- Rosa Luxemburg: A Polish Marxist theorist and activist who advocated for revolutionary socialism and democratic control of the economy.
- Terry Eagleton: A contemporary English literary critic and cultural theorist who has written extensively on Marxism.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://libcom.org/article/top-10-marxists-non-leninist
[2] wikipedia/en/List_of_contributors_to_Marxist_theory
[3] wikipedia/en/Marxist_schools_of_thought
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[8] https://marxology.org/key-thinkers/
[9] wikipedia/en/Marxist_feminism
[10] https://www.ego-3d.de/Friedrich-Engels-bust
[11] wikipedia/en/Marxist_schools_of_thought
[12] wikipedia/en/21st-century_communist_theorists
[13] https://www.historicalmaterialism.org/marxist-literary-criticism-an-introductory-reading-guide/
[14] https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00131857.2021.1876669