Blog posting: Due by 6 p.m. Sunday. Two-three sentences.
Take your assigned quote. What did Marx mean by this statement?
A-G: "A specter is haunting Europe: the specter of Communism"
H-M: "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles"
N-P: "Society as a whole is more and more splitting into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat"
Q-Scott: "The executive of the modern state is but a committee for the managing of the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie"
Shirley-Stewart: "What the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, is its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable"
Stvartak-Z: "Communism deprives no man of the power to appropriate the products of society; all that is does is to deprive him of the power to subjugate the labor of others by means of such appropriation"
"A specter is haunting Europe: the specter of Communism"
ReplyDeleteThere were many countries that feared communism without knowing what it was really about. Marx believed that if those individuals who accepted communism would stand up and tell others that the idea would spread rapidly.
Marx says that the bourgeoisie by nature of capitalism is always going to innovate. This innovation and a lessened need for human labor will lead to less isolation among the proletariat, which will be a catalyst for revolution. Thus it is innovation which will lead to capitalism's downfall
ReplyDelete"The executive of the modern state is but a committee for the managing of the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie." With this statement Marx is referring to the fact that modern government is only concerned with keeping the bourgeoisie happy and in power. As a result, this is an act of oppression towards the proletariat, and a means of keeping power away from the masses. Marx calls for a shift in the capability and concern of the modern state.
ReplyDelete"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles"
ReplyDeleteWhat Marx meant by this is that in history the ruling class is repeatedly overthrown by another class who then become the rulers themselves. An example he gave of this was how the bourgeois “the industrial class” overthrew the feudal system, such as in the French revolution. It was Marx’s belief that the proletariat “working classes” would be the next class to rise up and seize power from their bourgeois overlords.
"A specter is haunting Europe: The specter of Communism."-By this statement, Karl Marx has the idea that Communism is inevitable. He believes that whether or not the population of Europe knows it, the movement of communism is growing, possibly subconsciously. I think that Marx was being a little optimistic is this observation. By saying that Communism was lurking in the shadows, he could more easily convince the masses of its presence.
ReplyDelete"The executive of the modern state is but a committee for the managing of the common affairs of the whole bourgeoisie"
ReplyDeleteIn context, Marx was referring to his belief that government was only in place so that life could be made easier for the bourgeoisie. He believed that government was created by the bourgeoisie to protect the bourgeoisie, and was therefore unconcerned with the affairs of the common proletariat. He also thought that the government could keep the proletariat in their place, and prevent an uprising and upheaval of the power of the bourgeoisie.
"A specter is haunting Europe: the specter of Communism."
ReplyDeleteBy this statement, Marx was saying that Communism was both inevitable and omnipresent (in Europe, that is). Everyone in Europe knew what Communism was without knowing the actual term, and every country therein would, sooner or later, learn of its power.
The bourgeoisie have oppressed the proletarians for so long that it is inevitable that they will rise and overpower the bourgeoisie, according to Marx. Their hand in oppressing them is, unknowingly, also their hand in their own demise.
ReplyDelete"The executive of the modern state is but a committee for the managing of the affairs of the whole bourgeoisie"
ReplyDeleteMarx believed that the concept of the modern nation-state was created as the result of the bourgeoisie's rise to power. Just as fiefdom held feudal society in place years before, the nation-state was holding the system of capitalism in place during Marx's life. Therefore, there was an inherent aspect of the "executive" of the bourgeoisie that protected capitalism and therefore the bourgeoisie, ignoring the struggles of the proletariat.
Marx's statement, "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles," is a thesis of what he believes is the reoccurring theme of societies throughout history. in all of history there has been an upper class of society that has dominated the lower class such as serfs in the Middle Ages. Now in almost every case the lower class has revolted and overthrown the upper class and become the dominating group. He uses the French Revolution as an example as the bourgeois was upturned by the lower class. Marx then states that the only chance for peace is through communism where everyone is equal.
ReplyDelete"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles"
ReplyDeleteBy this statement, Marx meant that lower classes have been trying to rise above or overthrow higher classes throughout history. He is calling the proletariat people to rise up and once again overthrow the bourgeoisie. Although this cycle has occurred many times throughout history, he claims that this overthrow will be the last.
"What the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, is its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable"
ReplyDeleteThe bourgeoisie created the proletariat, using and abusing them in order to make capital. By treating them unfairly, the bourgeoisie will eventually cause the proletariat to unite against their abusers and take revenge. Thus, the group that they created will destroy them.
"Society as a whole is more and more splitting into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat"
ReplyDeleteWith this quote Marx is describing the continuously growing economic gap between the working class and the educated middle class. He describes the two entities as "hostile camps," demonstrating his belief that after years of inferiority, the large, frustrated Proletariat will rise agaisnt their middle class superiors.
"Communism deprives no man of the power to appropriate the products of society; all that it does is to deprive him of the power to subjugate the labor of others by means of such appropriation." In this statement, Marx is conveying that Communism doesn't necessarily have total control over each individual. What Communism does accomplish, however, is it prevents us from enslaving or controlling others to achieve our personal goals.
ReplyDelete"Society as a whole is more and more splitting into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat"
ReplyDeleteWith this statement, Marx is recognizing the huge gap between the Proletariat, the working class, and the Bourgeoisie, the Capitalists. He believes the only way for the very oppressed and hostile proletariat group to gain power is a violent overthrow of the dominating capitalist group.
"Society as a whole is more and more splitting into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat"
ReplyDeleteThis quote is a general thought of the whole of the manifest. One group is the destitute of the population whereas the other group is the successful business men. Marx is commenting that the difference of living situations. The difference of qualities causes hostilities between these two groups that will soon cause violence between them.
"Communism deprives no man of the power to appropriate the products of society; all that is does is to deprive him of the power to subjugate the labor of others by means of such appropriation."
ReplyDeleteThe bourgeois economic system runs on the exchange of ever-increasing capital, and the disenfranchisement of the capital-less proletariat is an intrinsic feature of the system. By eliminating private property, Marx prohibits exchange and its attendant concentration of wealth. In his view, this means that all "products of society" will be available for each individual to appropriate, without excluding others.