Voegelin's Critique of Ideology (original) (raw)

The Political Thought of Karl Heinrich Marx (1818-1883)

Abstract The political thought of Karl Marx is aimed to liberate workers all over the world and achieve an egalitarian society in which they (workers) will live in true freedom and enjoy ‘real value’ of their labour. He calls this type of society ‘communist society’. In this study, we examine within the purview of the Marxian theory (as a theoretical framework) how Marx hopes to achieve such a society. His life sketch is presented as a precursor to his intellectual enterprise. Themes such as dialectical materialism, materialistic interpretation of history, the theory of surplus value, the theory of class struggle, dictatorship of the proletariat, classless and stateless society, analysis of capitalism, and nature of communist society have been examined maximally. Dissecting from those purveyors, the study gives an evaluation of Marxist political thought. Marx overstates his case of ‘economic determinism’ however; he brings into political theory a new way of apprehending society which is based on class struggle. Or, Marx offers two set of ideas; first, a comprehensive theory of society to enable us to understand the problems of our society today and, second, which deciphers Marxist philosophy into practical political goals and action, offers us violent revolution as the most decisive way-out of the evils of capitalism in order to step into the ‘communist paradise’ i.e. classless/stateless society. The first of these we can accept, without accepting the second.

A note on Marx

Throughout all his life Karl Marx wrote angrily about capitalism. By use of a dialectic approach he was convinced that the working class had to unite and make a social revolution and thereby free them selves from exploitation. Marx himself was in many ways a dialectic person as we try to show in the note. So in some sense he became one with his scientific methodology.

[Syllabus] "Karl Marx" (Spring 2015)

Course Description SS.490 Karl Marx This course will be an exploration of the work of Karl Marx. Because too often Marx is more often mentioned rather than read, the readings for the course will be drawn from his actual works and to some degree those of his collaborator and friend Friedrich Engels. Students will gain a familiarity with Marx’s writings on a wide range of subjects, as well as a direct encounter with Marx’s thought that will allow them to begin to come to their own conclusions about the many “Marxisms” and interpretations of Marx that have filled the period since his death in 1883 and that even during his life led Marx to rebuke some of his admirers by declaring that “what is certain is that I myself am not a Marxist.” Readings may include The German Ideology, The 1844 Manuscripts, Grundrisse, Capital, Dissertation, The Eighteenth Brumaire, and Marx’s Anthropological Notebooks, correspondence, interviews with Marx, and contemporary critical accounts. It is important to keep in mind that this course is only a single semester and so it can only serve as an introduction to an extensive and varied body of work. Our primary purpose here is to allow you to begin an engagement that, for the fortunate, lasts a lifetime. Room: Eng 311 Meeting Time: Wednesday 2:00-4:50pm Department of Social Science & Cultural Studies Pratt Institute