POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Sta. Mesa, Manila

COLLEGE OF ARTS

Department of Humanities

Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy

This EVALUATION PAPER on

“FUNDAMENTALS OF MARXIST - LENNINIST PHILOSOPHY”

is submitted by

EMMANUEL R. CALEON

as a partial requirement in

DIALECTICAL AND HISTORICAL MATERIALISM

under the supervision of

PROF. AMABLE TUIBEO

submitted on

OCTOBER 5, 2010

PAPER OUTLINE

I. Marxism as

a. Philosophy

b. Political Economy

c. Classless Society

II. Metaphysics of Marxism

a. Dialectical Materialism as against Mechanistic and Metaphysical

Materialism

b. Historical Materialism

III. The Marxist Theory of Knowledge

a. How Knowledge is Form under Dialectics

b. Practice as the Criterion of Validity

IV. Mode of Production

a. Forces and Means of Production

b. Relations of Production

c. Conflict between Means of Production and Relations of Production

V. Relation between Economic Base and Ideological Superstructure

a. Explain Social Existence determines Social Consciousness

VI. Origin and Function of the State according to Marx

VII. Why Religion is an Opium of the People according to Marx

VIII. How can the Classless Society be Achieved

IX. Personal Comment of Marxist Philosophy

An Introduction to Marxism

We can hereby grasp three aspects of Marxism. These are aspects in which the world

view of it as significant basically on materialist interpretation gives a view on human

liberation. Marxism can be viewed as philosophy into which dialectical and historical

materialism as a whole is discussed, in political economy that criticizes capitalism and

the vision of classless society into which it advocates proletariat revolution.

Marxism viewed human history as the struggle of social classes. The productive

capacity is the foundation of the society at large. Human history is basically on the basis

of economical condition. Marxism believes to the idea that the society evolves and is in

motion. The consciousness of man is reflected and can be derived on his material

condition. Human society undergone definite stages: the primitive communal; the slave

holding society; the feudal system and the capitalist society. Marxism aims to return the

societal status and values to the primitive communal by establishing the next stage of

socialism. Primitive communal model of society possesses the value of equality and

justice for each other.

These presented stages as shown above and will be discussed at the latter part,

Marxism saw that all undergone class struggle. The breakdown of the primitive

communalism opens the door for class differentiation on the basis of those who have

and those who do not have. It similar grounds, the historical model of Marxism, those

who do not have are commonly being oppressed by those who have. The breakdown of

primitive communalism is due of holding private property. Oppression arises to this

stratum.

Oppression is divided into two competing facts the oppressed or defined as the

working more yet receiving less and the oppressor or defined as working less yet

receiving and getting more. The concept of oppression simply imposes injustice among

people. Hitherto, economic and material conditions are directly manifested in

individual’s social class.

Political Economy of Marxism deals with his critique on capitalism. The relation

of production is duly by virtue, workers are oppressed and exploited. The capitalist that

holds the means of productions dominate the majority of the working class. Ownership

lied on the hands of the capitalists into which they were receiving more than they toil

and worked. Through this point, the workers who exerted effort will get less than what

they deserve. This mode or this situation is to be called as the surplus of labor in which

the workers are performing unpaid labor and was oppressed to receive the right and

just counterpart of his given sweat and labor. Marxism believes that because of private

ownership, the development of human society is disabled and cannot go further and

beyond what it suppose to be.

To breakdown the capitalist system, Marxism suggested for a proletariat

revolution in which it advocates a classless to stateless society. In order to overcome

private property society, workers and oppressed must unite and seized the political

power over the capitalist and bourgeoisie. This is to eliminate private property and to

form a society who can provide the needs of everyone. The revolution promises

socialized society in which it holds the slogan of “from each according to his ability, to

each according to his works”. Marxism asserted that when all the nations in the world

are in the stage of socialism, the world is now ready for a communism that holds the

slogan of “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”

Proletariat revolution aims that individual ownership will be transposed into

collective ownership by which it is the public that holds the right to everything and

equally distributed. In this way, the social classes will be abolished and all forms of

material inequality will vanish and dissolve in humankind.

Metaphysics of Marxism

Metaphysics of Marxism criticizes them pre-Marxist materialism in which Marx said

that these were mechanistic and metaphysical in form. Marxist materialist agreed to the

notion of the early materialism that the world does not resort into any supernatural

forces or doctrine of nature. This is purely on the cognition and reflection of the

material world. Marxism, however found conflict and created his new theory in the

body of dialectical and historical materialism.

Marxism’s stand is that everything is in motion; if everything is in motion then

matter is subject for change. If it is changing, nothing is immutable and inevitable.

Marxism clearly eliminates the supernatural forces that are immutable and unmoved.

Marxism’s materialism believes that nature is in process that motivates matter for

movement.

Pre- Marxist materialism is said to be mechanistic in view. It explained all the

manifold and phenomena removing the concept of supernatural forces that causes for

movement. It is the mechanical force that gives the matter its motion. This implied that

the rise of science in this age affects the belief. Marxism however saw inadequacy in this

concept. Mechanistic view did not appeal with supernatural forces yet it forgot that the

socio – economic condition of the people gives contribution to the changes and

development. This specific thought will be in fully formed under the historical

materialism. It focuses more on the mechanistic and scientific outlook, in which it forgot

to see the psychological, biological and social process of mankind. This also forgot the

concept of spirituality in which Marxism believes that because of mans shattered

material and socio-economic condition they learned to put necessary connection for

their soul to the being that they believe to rescue them.

Pre-Marxist materialism is said to be metaphysical materialism. It considered the

nature and society to be changeless and immutable. To this view, this denied the

existence of motion inside the matter. It refused to accept the idea that individuals have

the capacity of change. This problem is in the realm of singularity. Commonly referred

that this problem is absolutist the natural approach and forgot the condition for

singular growth. Indeed at some point, thinkers of the pre-Marxist materialism did a

good guesses on the changes that takes place in the nature, the evolution of certain

species yet, it lacks the understanding for the universality and essentiality of

development. It develops quantitatively but not even se the possibility or the chance of

it’s qualitatively. Further discussions on this matter will be in the next part of the paper.

In all, the pre-Marxists materialism, forgot the development of society and it only

develops in the scope of nature. They oppose the spiritual concept of origin that it is

from the supernatural forces and gives justification that it is natural forces that operates

in life. These methods duly did not see the evolution of society. It is the material

condition that the society undergoes changes and development. Thus, historical

materialism can explain the evolution of society, its origin and how the material

condition of the people affects the development and changes.

The Marxist Theory of Knowledge

It is very common in philosophy to the theory of knowledge. It answers the questions

on how knowledge is formed, its origin, sources and verifiability. Marxism, as we all

know it, is materialist in view. Marx, the founder or Marxism, is a successor and

influenced by Epicurus, Lucretus, Aristotle, Vico and Darwin. Marxism deals with

materialism. Materialism is viewed in such a way to emphasize the objects given to us

and they are present in the physical world.

Materialist position is that matter is primary over our ideas. This gives

superiority to the physical and visible world. Materialist pointed out that the world is

knowable, tangible and exists apart from human consciousness. This means that even

there was no consciousness, things exists in itself. The primacy of matter to which it is

present there and thereby we are to grasp them and ideas will follow as mere the

reflections of these physical matter. Thus, materialists are trying to emphasize that, if

there were no physical world that exists outside our mind, then, it is impossible to

attain knowledge for the reason, mind only interprets what is outside or on the other

hand, what are inside and present in the material, physical and knowable world.

The subject of materialism is the physical world and the physical world is made

up of matters. These matters are interrelated to each other. If they were interrelated,

then we could say that nothing is in complete isolation. Every matter links to another.

Each matter contains necessary relation and connection that binds them. Matter is also

capable for movement. If everything is moving therefore we can say that nothing is

absolute that everything or matter is in the process of becoming. Matter, being capable

of movement means that, time will come for it to pass away. Motion of matter is not

because of any inevitable agent, motion is in itself present to every single matter,

meaning it is the character of matter to posses this motion that they, themselves

operates on its own respect.

Matter as moving and in the process of becoming; this implies that matter

undergoes changes and development. Matter must first possess content; this is the unity

and struggle of opposites. Matter can be in for and for not: hey are subjected to take two

positions. These contents are what the matter is made of. It must have form; this

consists of transformation from quantity to quality. This means that singularity could

not be essential when standing alone. These singulars must be in full combinations so as

to produce the quality of things. The quality can be somehow equated to Aristotle’s

essence. Direction is the third, in which it is the spiral development or the negation of

the negation.

Summing what the materialist view on sources of matter can be as simple as this

way, materials exist independently from our consciousness; the only difference in

matter is between what is known and what is to be known. It is very important to note

that knowledge will arise from the covers of ignorance.

Marxism highlighted that practice serves as the criterion of validity of

knowledge. Practice comprises of all the objective forms of man’s activity. This includes

his social being in which material and spiritual culture is created. Practice as

determinant of knowledge or criterion of validity may dictates how the society was

influence by certain ideologies that arise, the inculcated culture and the implanted set of

beliefs that form as the social norm. Marxism maintains the position of historical

materialism that ideologies of every epoch are the ideologies of the ruling class. To this

matter, Marxism respond to this call as, the struggle for change in order to bring about a

new social norm and creating a new breed of individuals that will respond to the call of

service and can go beyond the self centeredness.

Practice indeed influences one’s life to the aspect on how he was molded by the

society. The society is a neutral institution that was manipulated by the ruling

ideologies that turns out to be either destructive or productive causes. It can easily

manipulate one’s understanding and personal outlook in life’s decision making.

Individuals thinking will primarily clings to what he used to be depending on the

nature he was brought out. He can be an active or passive member of the society based

on the environment he used to be.

Indeed, praxis is a reflection of the material condition of every individual. Praxis,

are influenced by the reigning class that is full existence. This is a proof on how the

ruling class maintains their status and achieves the success over the oppression of the

ruled class.

Mode of Production

Indeed, material and economic condition divides the class and the identity of the social

class derives from its relationship to the modes of production. Marx describes the social

classes in the capitalist society: Proletariat and; the bourgeoisie.

The proletariat or those people who sell their labor power and who in the

capitalist system do not own the means of production, in other words, they provide the

force of production. Bourgeoisie on the other hand owns this means of production.

Before we go any further, let us describe what are these means of production and forces

of production. “Forces of Production” is commonly given to the workers who do the

tasks and performs the work. Simply, they are the workers or employees. Forces of

production do not have the capital or means for production but they provide the labor

to accomplish the tasks given to them. The capitalists’ mode of production establishes

the conditions enabling the bourgeoisie to exploit the proletariat because of the surplus

value, whom workers did not get the right wages to the labor they generate.

Means of production holds the capital for providing raw materials, technologies

and the wages and salary of the proletariat or the working class. In all means, they buy

the labor of the working class and then exploit them by not giving the proper amount to

their exerted labor. There are also these so called petit bourgeoisies whom, at the same

time holds the means of productions and forces of productions. These petit bourgeoisies

employs laborers and buy labors and at the same time works or sell their labor as well.

The relation of the two simply goes to be the provider and the doer. The owners

depend so much on their workers ability of producing goods and at the same time, the

workers depend on the owners to that provide materials and will soon pay their labor.

Without the forces, there are no goods to be produced, no one will work and labor to

finish products. Without the workforce, there will be no products to appear. The same

point, the means holds the capital that without them, providing the raw materials, the

machineries, the capital, the absence of means will mean that there will be no one to

provide material conditions that is necessary to start the production.

Production is indeed a foundation of society. Without production, there will be

no goods to use by the people. Production is a necessary element that establishes

societal growth and development. Production provides people their basic needs and

necessities. That without production, society will face trouble and will failed in

achieving its goals to sustain the people.

There is a conflict between the relation and the means. Means of production

provides the materials and the relationship of mutuality are not realized. Conflict on the

one hand is the pervasion of balance. Conflict we can say is the oppression of the

working class. They did not receive what is just and proper for them. The conflict is that

the means hold so much them property while the relations push through imbalance and

injustice to the one who holds the labor. Proletariats are exploited and dominated by the

bourgeoisies who continually grows their means while the forces are exploited. In this

means, the relationship shows in-equilibrium.

Historical Materialism shows that means of production undergone several

changes and in different forms depending on their stages and time of existence.

Conflicts clothed differently, but the fact, it is present even before the capitalist society

exists. Let us take for example the feudal society, the land owners holds the means of

production, they provide the land, the storage, the raw materials and the merchants and

peasants are the forces that works and labor on the land and getting smaller value over

their exerted labor. The manifestation of oppression gives rise for the capitalist society.

The primitive communal has the most balance mode of production; they were

getting the right value for their exerted effort. The nature was their means that provides

their needs and at the same time they are the forces who received equally according to

their labor. The slave holding society possesses the worst scenario of conflict. Slaves are

purchased and work by any means without receiving the proper amount for his labor.

Slaves hold the forces of production and masters provide the means of production.

Relation between Economic Base and Ideological Superstructure

In review of Historical Materialism, Marx believes that the first stage of socio-economic

formation is the primitive communalism wherein everyone receives according to his

ability and to his contribution. This early system show equality of people and receives

the just accordingly. His efforts gained the equal amount to sustain his needs. We are

able to see that in this stage, the base is the only element that functions wherein there is

an absence of chained repression and oppression. The second level of socio-economic

formation hence shows how the first staged of superstructure revealed and manifested.

The second stage of socio-economic formation for Marx is the slave society. As

mentioned in the former paragraph, it is the stage in which the existence of

superstructure can be manifested. As the time goes by, here arrives the moment into

which people from the primitive communal started asking for more than what they

need. The government that was formed in the primitive communal is now becoming in

realization of self interests. In this particular point, we are able to see the early

reflection of wants that will cause for some people to get more than they deserve, since

the society that time have limited resources and these people of the early forming

superstructure gets the remaining resources for the economic base. This stage brings

forth the private property into which those who have gained more power and are

transcendence and superior over those who do not have. Since, those who do not have

need goods and resources to sustain them, they will now engage themselves to those

who have and will become a slave. There are also some slaves that are victims and

products of war. A tribe occupies small size of land but when this tribe expanded in

terms of population, they also need to expand their territory to sustain them for foods

and area. When two tribes meet at the half way, their number one reaction is to conduct

war against each other and the survivor of loosing tribe will become the slaves of the

winning tribe. The slave society is the relationship of masters and slaves by which the

base is the slave and the master is the superstructure. Now, we have presented two

ways of slave purchase, but this slave society will not be forever and the rise of the third

stage is next.

Feudalism is the third stage into which the slave holding society of master and

slaves evolves into land owners and peasants’ relationship. Land owners serve as the

superstructure and the peasants are the base. Peasants cultivate, sow and harvest on the

land of the owners but are receiving minimal amount for the totality of their effort. We

are able to see that in this stage, the relationship of base and superstructure raised into

the next level by which peasants are working on the land of someone who are rich and

are included in the ruling class. We should not forget that the rise of middle classes

vividly reveals itself and these bourgeoisies are those who can afford yet they are not in

the ruling class, they do not have yet they are not in the ruled class. Oppression and

repression to those who do not have is highly manifested in this stage. The oppression

reached the heights and the middle classes gathered all the peasants and started a

revolution against the land owners. They promised fraternity, brotherhood, equality

and justice to the people. This revolution or popularly known as the industrial

revolution, serves as the key for the next stage.

The promised fraternity, justice, brotherhood and equality are then shattered into

pieces. The land-owners and peasants relationship are then replaced by the capitalists

and the workers relationship. This stage is popularly known as the capitalist society.

The middle classes of the feudal society are now the superstructure. They possesses the

biggest private property of this age, they manipulated the system by industrialization.

The oppression of the ruled classes reached the next level in the presence of the

workers. The promised virtues are not attained because of the newly ruling classes

enjoy the leisure and comfort of life with the presence of private property. The

capitalists hold the technology, capital, and others that are necessary for a company to

run. They hire workers or employees to work for them and be their slaves. I can say,

this is the slave holding society in the new form. This particular time, world is in

advance capitalist system. The extremeness of chained wants resulted into chained

oppression and repression of the ruled class. We are able to observe the invisible

presence of the middle classes because people can only be considered into two

categories as the ruled class and the ruling class. Therefore, the relationship of economic

base and ideological superstructure is always in the form of ruled classes and the ruling

classes.

Marx proposes for a classless society or the socialism. This specific area will be in

further discussion at the latter part.

Another important idea we should consider in this particular part is the Marxists

quotation – the social existence determines social consciousness. This is very materialist

in view. This simply means that your social class determines the way you think and

how your lines of thought flow. At the same time, social class is not enough to

determine the thinking process of people, there is a need to consider how the others

influenced one person. The environment is an essential point we could consider to look

up on individuality. This standing on how he grow on how he interacts the world,

nature and environment, the influenced of social institutions is in the highest pledge

that made up man’s ability to think and influenced man’s belief. There are factors that

the society alone cannot build up. There are factors that are inseparable to man’s life.

These factors cause the development of man’s awareness and his consciousness.

Therefore, it is indeed true that the social existence has something to do on individuals’

consciousness basically on the grounds of factors affecting him as man and as

individual.

We are able to observe that during the breakdown of Primitive Communal, the

uprising of the base and superstructure became more vivid and clear. The classification

of the two totally depends on the concept of private property and the upholding of the

resources to the few and letting the rest crave for it. We are able to se that the social

institutions such as religion, politics, education and others made a great impact for the

development of the relations between the two. These institutions give an extreme

margin between them and the development of oppression to the ruled class.

Origin and Function of State

State in a lexical meaning means the territory considered as an organized political

community under one government. It is the organizing body of the people in one

community in which they believes in certain set of rules and laws that are consensus

and objectified by the people. Marx claims that there is no state that exists during the

primitive communalism.

People in the primitive communalism are self-organized. They know their

responsibility and their obligations to one another. They know the concept of

moderation and temperance. The idea of being more than the others was not present.

Since they are in similar paths there is no need for a formal consensus among them.

They were following no laws. The only classes in this time were male and female; the

separation of these two brings forth to family. The family reflects the autonomy of labor

and tasks. The difference between the two started to be manifested. As the group

becomes larger and the differences continually are manifested, here arises the formation

of the government. They started following several laws into which more on moral and

mythological.

The breakdown of the Primitive communalism society brings forth the existence

of state. At this particular point in time, the class of male and female redirected into the

masters and slaves. Thinking masters who are capable to educate themselves created

laws for everyone to follow. Since these laws were created by the masters, basically this

is to protect them for the slaves. Military are then arises to give protection for the ruling

classes.

The feudal society, the state has similar functions. This is to protect the feudal

lords from the merchants or peasants. Military are strengthened to provide more

protection not only to the ruling class but to protect the state from the other state. The

state that was run by the church started to impose their religious beliefs and serves as

opium to the people, teaching the followers of indoctrination. The church that time

holds the biggest farmland. They organize the state to protect their private properties

against the merchants and peasants.

State became as an organ of political power. This particular claim can be vividly

manifested in the capitalist society in which there is an extreme distinction between the

two classes and the separation of wealth to government is impossible. State was

shielded by laws and military that was functioning to one goal and that is to protect not

the citizen but to protect the ruling class, serving them like Gods and Goddesses.

In socialism, Marx proposes that state should be abolished. People should learn

and be educated properly. They should attain intellectualism to organize themselves

that there will be no need for the state. They should produce competent intellectuals

and professionals to take over the states function. State is a pseudo institution that

promises good and beautiful but put people into sorrows and sacrifices.

Religion as Opium of the People

Marx considered that there are social institutions that aim for preservation of the

existing rotten system. These institutions are at some point benefits the socio-economic

condition. One of these institutions is the religion.

Religion once aims to free the people from oppression. Religion during the early

age fights against slavery and do what is beneficial for the people. Therefore, religion is

not for the protection of the ruling class. As the time goes by, these original tasks

changes as the socio-economic conditions also change. From the medieval ages until

now, we are under the influence of religious principles and ideas; we are so amaze with

their promises. It means that what the religion originally aims changes and these

principles give huge contribution to the advancement of capitalism. Through the years,

religion was successful to inculcate distorting type of consciousness.

Marx considered religion as the opium of the people for no reason; opium

provides a false sense of contentment and religion do similar task for the people.

Therefore, religion is on the basis for supplementing people not their material

conditions but what awaits them after the physical existence – this is the false sense of

contentment on the side. Religion prepared people for his eternal life and letting the

material life just pass him by, even if it is full of sacrifices. Biblical interpretations and

scriptures that promote passivity and conservatism among the people is the biggest

factor or the biggest interval that the religion made. Because of religion, people’s

ideologies are prepared for salvation and the achievement of the eternal life and the

kingdom of God. Part of these salvation and attainment of eternal life and the kingdom

of God are the beliefs of what you sow you will reap; the code of humility; the principle

of forgiveness; the love and fanaticism for peace; the sustained healthy spirit but poor in

physique needs; the interpretation of good and beautiful and the idea of inevitable

truth. These are just some of the ideas present in majority of the religion.

These principles serve as element to social preservation and the maintenance of

the status quo. These principles teach people to be passive in a way that the ruling class

are oppressing their rights and perverting them from what they ought to be. They rely

so much on the heavenly promises that await them when the above mentioned virtue

and principles are practiced. Because people are passive and conservative, the

superstructure or the ruling class can easily manipulate the system and the religion is at

great defense and prevention for revolutions or uprising against the existing capitalist

system.

People never realize that they need to improve their life worth living and to

prepare themselves for the so called salvation. Religion prevents the people for thinking

and questioning their existence that what they need to preserve is not the

superstructure but instead the humanity. Religion is very decisive on this part and on

the contrary they promote this pseudo-humanity.

Religion I could say is a neutral institution in which it does not react to anything.

It has an invisible power that is manipulated by the people who runs it. We should also

consider that history show that in the existing system, religion benefits from this so

called superstructure. They were run by the ruling classes of rich and plenty of material

subjugations. It is another reason why they promote this passivity, they were afraid that

when system of classless society is attained, their sovereignty will vanish. Therefore, the

neutrality of the religion made it to be manipulative by the ruling people and people

behind the religious system. The neutrality of religion made it to be leaning away his

original objectives but moving towards the advantages of the superstructure, ruling

class, the oppressor and whatsoever we called it.

Therefore, religion is an opium of the people by promising the ruled class the

eternal life and salvation and the richness of the life in the heavenly world causing the

believers of passivity and conservatism which is an essential tool for the preservation

and advancement of the capitalist system with the intention of the religion to maintain

their sovereignty and continually benefits from the ruling classes.

Achievement of the Classless Society

Basically, it is the private property that gives distinctions on social classes. Private

properties are the personal assets and possession of an individual. To look back again

his historical materialism, Primitive Communal Society does not engaged themselves in

any possessions or in the simplest words, they own nothing except to what the

environment can provide the and they are entitled to it in the virtue of equality.

The breakdown of this society happened at the same time the existence of

personal properties. Those who do not have are being enslaved by those who do not.

The mere point, slaves are considered to be commodities and are be included and

entitled as property of the masters. The feudal system, lands serves to be the

manifestation of power in a sense that ruling class owned lands and the merchants or

peasants work on it. Harvested crops will not be for the ruled class or the merchants or

peasants but rather will fully go to the land owners. These serve as commodities and

privately owned by those who can have. These products can be purchased by those

who can afford it. The breakdown of the feudal system gives rise to the capitalist

society. The rise of technology as the basic property owned by the capitalist or the

capital holder can be considerably an essential distinction. Those who do not have will

toil and works hard.

The most obvious in all these stages were the oppression of the ruling classes to

the ruled classes. Marx, in his analysis in Historical Materialism, the rise of Private

Property causes the distinctions between the two class and the distinctions were

manifested with the oppressions of the ruled classes. Private Property is the evil that

ruined the humanity and the society. Marx’s proposition is to abolish class society by

the virtue of abolition of private property. He considered the primitive communal stage

in which everyone has sustainable life and working for the good of everyone.

We should change Private Property to Public Property. The concept of social

production is for private appropriation is to be change into the equation of social

production is for social appropriation.

We can abolish private property through Revolution. Revolution is the answer to

solve the problem of oppression. The virtue of revolution is to abolish the classes and

the private properties. Revolution of the oppressed will give rise to a new society in

which everyone is entitled to anything; they own nothing except their body. The

proletariat revolution will produce new men committed to answer social needs and can

go beyond their self-centeredness to respond in the call of the social duty. The

revolution will end the struggle of classes and will bring forth new social norms that are

characterized for change and motion. This society is a stage leading to another higher

stage. Socialism aims for social appropriation – from each according to his ability, to

each according to his works.

For us to create new must destroy the old fully. When there exists a remnant of

the old system, the possibility that this remnant may cause for another stain to avoid the

empowerment of the newly created system. Marx also said that progress will not be an

overnight process. This will take time before you realize the effects. This will need

earnest effort to help the society be built in accordance to the principles. People will

then taught to be intellectuals and the mutual values of the primitive communal. By

these virtues, we are able to avoid the values we learn from the past system that rotten

human history.

Personal Comment on Marxism

Like the any other philosophy, Marxism is not a perfect principle. As an individual who

possesses distinct criteria for my beliefs, I agree with Marx yet disagree at some. It is in

the character of man to doubt on things. As I observe, I wish to ask for clarifications on

the following grounds. To some that will be presented below, I have my answers about

it, yet I am asking for more to justification and clarified things out.

The first thing that I observe is with the Division of Labor – this area gives man

to master a specific skill which made him alienated to understand and learn others.

Marxism, as I understand is, was against for this, since Marxism was not for this idea,

then it should not be present in the socialism. What I see is that division of labor cannot

be prevented into whatever stages it could be. Division of Labor has an essential role to

play for a unified society giving one another their perspective tasks, to engage

themselves in fields he can excel. Division of Labor on the other hand can give order for

everyone knows what he will do. This is very significant to Socialism whose idea goes

as – to each according to his ability.

Necessity of revolution, for my point, it should be the last option – maybe

because my consciousness was determined by my social existence that I pointed this

things. With the case of the advance capitalism and the extreme passivity of the people,

revolutions will not be successful unless we unconcealed the passive people. For my

point, better to focus on the aspect of opening people’s mind and if the action is

successful, then we could think of another solution aside from bloody revolution. In a

way, if eighty percent or almost one hundred percent of the ruled class will learn to

fight for their own justice, then, the ruling class, little by little will do volunteered

regression.

Total abolition of private property has the possibility of falling into stagnation

and immobility of products for there will be no goods and product competition. These

two were actually a direct contradiction. To my own point of view and really do not

know how Marxism solve this problem, the absence of competition often results into

ambiguity of letting things to pass by, since there is an absence of competitors, they

tend not to think the improvement of their products.

Equality and classless society will mean abolishment of profession and jobs that

arise through capitalism and this will mean that how to sustain the people’s living if

there are no present job for them to do unless jobs under socialism will appear in just a

snap. I highly appreciate a classless society, but classless for me, is very absolute. To the

extent that who will be the which.

Socialism is a neutral institution which is incapable of controlling the people; it is

run and manipulated by the people. The problem is that what if we fall into wrong

leaders, incapable of governing and does possess self interest. The achievement of

Socialism will seems to be in pseudo but the fact is, the equality and fraternity will not

be at the fullest. The example is the industrial revolution; the promises of the mediator

are not attained. If this is the case, does this mean socialism failed and we need to

revolutionize again? Regaining my point, the failure or success will depend on whose

interest is at the heights.

Conflict of self interest will continually exist. Private properties less society will

not mean that philosophy of thoughts would not revolutionize or the progress of ideas

will not flourish. There will always be competing principles by this time, those who will

fight the ruling classless society versus those who wanted to establish private property

society. Since men are within his sphere of unique beliefs, there will always be the left

and the right of politics.

We need to consider that ruling classes was influenced by scientific discoveries

that made them ask for more wealth, money and power. Inequality can be then

originated from these scientific advancements. People’s craving for luxuries and

contentment are extended to dissatisfaction because here and now, then and there, there

always exists a new of which people aims to have. For this aim in mind, they tend to

forget others and ruling their way in the self centralized environment. For my

conclusion, existence of careless science will continually promote dissatisfaction for

people and inequality and justice for self interest will be the prime most concern of

every individual. To add mo, let us not forget that science contributes to this so called

oppression and repression and the chained and endless wants of people that is highly

manifested to the ruling class.

If the leading ideology of all ages is the ideology of the ruling class, therefore the

primitive communal shows the existence of the ruling class or the primitive communal

has no ideology that will mean they are nothing and just scrap. In Socialism, does this

will mean similar to the primitive communalism since there will be no more social

classes – the ruling and ruled class. I think this is more on ambiguity of interpretation

on my side.

These are just some of my observation regarding to Marxism and I admit, I did

not fully understand the wholeness of the Philosophy. I confess that at some point, I

misinterpret or misunderstood Marxist Philosophy that is the reason why, I exert an

extra effort to analyze my presented comments on this part.

CALEON, Emmanuel R.

2007 – 026158 – 3

October 3, 2010