Marxism

1. Marxism Dubbs World

2. Socialism Marxism Capitalism Confusionism! Trotskyism Communism ? Conservatism ? Leninism Maoism Liberalism Stalinism Fascism

3. The GREAT COW ANALOGY SOCIALISM You have two cows. The government takes them and puts them in a barn with everyone else’s cows. You have to take care of all the cows. The government gives you as much milk as you need. COMMUNISM You have two cows. Give both cows to the government, and they MAY give you some milk. FASCISM You have two cows. You give all the milk to the government, and the government sells it. NAZISM You have two cows. The government shoots you and takes both cows. ANARCHISM You have two cows. Keep both the cows, shoot the government agent, and steal another cow. CAPITALISM You have two cows. Sell one cow and buy a bull.

4. And continued… PURE COMMUNISM You have two cows. Your neighbours help you take care of them, and you all share the milk. LIBERALISM You have two cows. You sell both to the rich. The government then taxes the rich one cow and gives it to the poor. REPUBLICAN You have two cows. YOUR NEIGHBOR HAS NONE. SO? AMERICAN DEMOCRACY The government promises to give you two cows if you vote for it. After the election, the president in impeached for speculating in cow futures. The press dubs [sic] the affair ‘cowgate’.

5. COMMUNISM according to Karl MARX & Friedrich ENGELS ie. MARXIST COMMUNISM

6. Imagineby John Lennon Imagine there’s no heaven It’s easy if you try No hell below us Above us only sky Imagine all the people Living for today… Imagine there’s no country It isn’t hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion too Imagine all the people Living life in peace... Imagine no possessions I wonder if you can No need for greed or hunger A brotherhood of man Imagine all the people Sharing all the world… You may say I a dreamer But I’m not the only one I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will be as one.

7. Karl Marx1818 - 1883 • German philosopher, economist, and social theorist whose ideas have exercised an enormous influence on later thinkers and political activists.

8. In brief – the most important ideas of Karl Marx: All societies are made up of classes, and in modern, industrial societies there are two main classes – the capitalists (bourgeoisie) and the proletariat.

9. In brief – the most important ideas of Karl Marx: All societies are made up of classes, and in modern, industrial societies there are two main classes – the capitalists and the proletariat. These two classes must always be in conflict, and in capitalist societies the state – or machinery of government – it used to control the workers.

10. In brief – the most important ideas of Karl Marx: All societies are made up of classes, and in modern, industrial societies there are two main classes – the capitalists and the proletariat. These two classes must always be in conflict, and in capitalist societies the state – or machinery of government – it used to control the workers. The workers must use revolutionary force to overthrow the capitalists.

11. In brief – the most important ideas of Karl Marx: All societies are made up of classes, and in modern, industrial societies there are two main classes – the capitalists and the proletariat. These two classes must always be in conflict, and in capitalist societies the state – or machinery of government – it used to control the workers. The workers must use revolutionary force to overthrow the capitalists. The revolution will be successful only when the masses of workers become class-conscious – that is, realise how they are cheated by the capitalists.

12. In brief – the most important ideas of Karl Marx: All societies are made up of classes, and in modern, industrial societies there are two main classes – the capitalists and the proletariat. These two classes must always be in conflict, and in capitalist societies the state – or machinery of government – it used to control the workers. The workers must use revolutionary force to overthrow the capitalists. The revolution will be successful only when the masses of workers become class-conscious – that is, realise how they are cheated by the capitalists. After the revolution the workers will create a classless society in which all men will be equal. As it will no longer be needed, the state or machinery of government, will wither away.

13. Stages in History… …the inevitable progress of history = historical determinism Primitive Communism Feudalism Capitalism Socialism Communism (Utopia) PASSAGE OF TIME Evolution Violent Revolution Violent Revolution Transition

14. The history of all societies is the ‘history of class struggle’: Owners of the ‘means of production’ against/versus workers of the ‘means of production’. PRIMITIVE COMMUNISM (no government) = Classless society (based on subsistence living – very few commodities) Pre Industrial Society FEUDALISM (usually an absolute monarchy) = Aristocracy (landowners) versus Peasantry (land-workers) Industrial Society CAPITALISM (parliamentary democracy defending bourgeois principles) = Bourgeoisie (factory owners) versus Proletariat (factory workers) Revolution

15. The history of all societies is the history of class struggle: PRIMITIVE COMMUNISM FEUDALISM CAPITALISM SOCIALISM Dictatorship of the Proletariat = Workers control the State to resist counter-revolution… as the threat diminishes, so the State becomes less powerful! Society becomes more equal with class system breaking down and goods more fairly distributed. COMMUNISM Classless society - no State, just the administration of things! All equal where plentiful goods are fairly shared: ‘From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs’. Capitalist Revolution Socialist Revolution Gradual transition

16. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people. Karl Marx (1818-83)

18. From George Orwell’s Animal Farm– a ‘fairy story’ written as a comment on Communism: Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland, Beasts of every land and clime, Hearken to my joyful tidings Of the golden future time. Soon or late the day is coming, Tyrant Man shall be overthrown, And the fruitful fields of England Shall be trod by beast alone. Rings shall vanish from our noses, And the harness from our back, Bit and spur shall rust forever, Cruel whips no more shall crack. Riches more than mind can picture, Wheat and barley, oats and hay, Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels Shall be ours upon that day. Bright will shine the fields of England, Purer shall its waters be, Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes On the day that sets us free. For that day we must all labour, Though we die before it breaks; Cows and horses, geese and turkeys, All must toil for freedom’s sake. Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland, Beasts of every land and clime, Hearken well and spread my tidings Of the golden future time.

19. According to Marx & Engels – the history of mankind is the history of ‘class struggle’ in which working people were always fighting against the people who oppressed them. • In the Communist Manifesto, they claimed that: • Workers (the proletariat) were exploited by those who controlled money and invested in business (capitalists) • Most workers received poor wages and worked in terrible conditions which capitalists made large profits. • This unfair situation could not continue and would inevitably lead to a communist revolution. • The workers would overthrow the capitalists and a new, classless society would emerge. • They believed that communism was the last stage in history.