Karl marx Essays (427 words) - Socialism, Marxism, Marxist Theory

Karl marx Karl Marx along with Friedrich Engels was an idealist who observed the cruelties and injustices that the poor working class encountered during the industrial revolution. The industrial revolution changed the way the world produced goods. It was an economic revolution in which there was a transformation from the traditional handmade tools and items to machine driven, mass produced goods. It happened suddenly and was great. It changed the primarily agricultural society into one that was dominated by industry and manufacturing. It basically brought work from home and centralized it in the factory. It was an era of great misery and torment of all workers in a socially distressed system. Pollution increased, working conditions were harmful, and capitalists employed women and children, making them work long hours for very low wages. Many workers of the working class lived in small, dirty shelters where sickness was widespread. With the introduction of factories, the conditions became worse . It greatly affected the way people lived and worked. The industrial revolution created a major gap between the rich and the poor. In The Communist Manifesto Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels attempt to explain the reasons why there is a class struggle and suggest how to prevent class separation. Marx proposed what is known as the conflict theory. The conflict theory emphasizes the role of coercion and power in producing social order. According to conflict theory inequality exists because those in control of a disproportionate share of societys resources actively defend their advantages. Those with the most resources exercise power over others with inequality and power struggles resulting. The Bourgeoisie, the owning class, struggles to exploit or manipulate the Proletariat, the working class, to function and behave in their favor. The Bourgeoisie is the capitalists who own the factories, the products made in the factories, and control all the trade. The Proletariats have gained nothing in society but the thrill of their own labor. They werent getting the wages they deserved for the labor that was accomplished. They receive barely enough to survive in life and have little chances of achieving much more. How is it possible to work and not have enough money? Who creates wealth? Surplus value is an economic theory used by Karl Marx. Surplus value is the difference between workers wage and the price of a good or service produced by that worker. This theory is based on the fact that workers provide value through the labor used to produce goods and services. One group does most of the work and the other reaps the benefit.