Marxism Theory
By Cassie Stachura and Gaby Godinez
"The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles"
- Karl Marx
History of Marxism after Karl Marx's Death
(Cassie)
- Though Marxist Literary Criticism is based upon the writings of Marx in the 1800s, The Marxist Literary Criticism has advanced mainly in the twentieth century. The early starters of the Russian Revolution, especially Leon Trotsky, were among the primary people to apply Marxism to literature. In the novel LIterature and Revolution, Trotsky teaches of a tolerant literary environment in which anything should be able to be taught and writers could write and discuss freely. The literary freedom, he said, should be accompanied by a dialogue in which individuals devate the meaning of literary texts in Marxist terms. Literature and Revolution provided the framework for Marxist literary criticism in the Soviet Union, but he was exiled by Stalin in 1929 after falling out of favor with him. Since the Soviet Union was no longer developing Marxist literary theory than became the job of other Europeans. This led to a split between Soviet-Style Communism and academic Marxism. George Lukacs, Marxist literary critic and Hungarian scholar, wrote History and Class Consciousness and The Historical Novel which laid the template for important Marxist aesthetics. Walter Benjamin, Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno, together formed an important group of early Marxist critics and led the way themselves in defining and refining a complete Marxist critics literature. This trio was also asssociated with an organization of German scholars known as the Frankfurt School. They attempted to contstruct a pure vision of Marxism that could resist totalitarian corruption. In the 1960s, this work was carried on by Louis Althusser and Herbert Marcuse, who continued to expand and revise Marist thought, resulting in an extremely complex theory of Marxism which differed undeniably from the previous thought of Marxism. Today, Marxism includes various perspectives that influenced some of the most important literary scholars alive, such as Terry Eagleton, Frederic Jameson, and Luce Iragaray (Austin 194-195).
Important People to know!
-Georg Lukacs: considered the founder of Marxist reflection theory. This theory begins with the assumption that class conflicts and worker's struggles are so deeply engrained in society's consciousness that literature must reflect them(Austin 199).
-Theodore Adorno, Walter Benjamin, Max Horkheimer: founded an important group of early Marxist critics who led the way in defining a complete Marxist theory of literature. They were also associated with a group of German scholars known as the Frankfurt school. Going against Soviet-style communitst, they tried to construct a pure vision of Marxism that could resist totalitarian corruption(Austin 195).
-Walter Benjamin: a jewish philosopher who committed suicide in 1940 after trying unsuccessfully to exit Nazi Germany. He insisted that critics must always focus on the literary text as a product. Benjamin asked : "How do the economic realities of a society affect the production of a text?"(Austin201)
-Louis Althusser: sets out to redifine the Marxist relationship between base and superstructure in books such as For Marx(1965), Reading Capital(1968), and Lenin and Philosophy(1969). He rejected the notion that the base influences the superstructure without being influenced in return. His writings are considered a turning point in Marxism and are referred to as Post-Althusserian Marxism(Austin 204).
-Frederic Jameson: author of Political Unconscious. Jameson tries to synthesize the core assumptions of Marxism as well as psychoanalysis into one whole literary theory. He performed a traditional Marxist historical analysis on Freud's work. Jameson stated that the duty of a literary critic is to locate the repressed traces of human misery in literature and utilize them to create more accurate versions of history(Austin 204-205).
-Terry Eagleton: one of the foremost Marxist critics writing today who uses deconstructive principles to divide art and literature from the capitalist values associated with them in society(Austin 205).
The History of Karl Marx and the Beginning of Marxism.
(Cassie)
1818- Karl Marx is born in Trier, Germany to Hirschel and Henrietta Marx. Hirschel was a lawyer who decided to abandon his Jewish faith to escape Anti-Semitism. His father eventually changed his name from Hirschel to Heinrich.
1835- Marx entered Bonn University to study law. He spent most of his time socializing and running up large debts. His father was horrified when he found out about these debts. He agreed to pay them off, but insisted that Karl attend the more serene Berlin University.
*The move to Berlin resulted in a change in Marx and he bacame more studious. He was influenced by one of his professors, Bruno Bauer, whose atheism and radical political opinions got him into trouble with the school officials. It was through him that Marx became acquainted with the writings of G.W.F Hegel.
1838- Heinrich Marx (Karl’s father) died. Therefore, Marx had to earn his own living and became a professor. Marx then tried journalism but his radical political views meant that the majority of his work was considered too radical to be published. Therefore, he moved to Cologne where the city’s liberal opposition was strong and he was able to publish his articles in The Rhenish Gazette.
1842- Marx was appointed the editor of The Rhenish Gazette due to his articles in which he defended the freedom of the press.
*While in Cologne, he met Moses Hess, a socialist. Marx began attending socialist meetings organized by Hess. Marx became acquainted with the sufferings endured by the German working-class and showed him that they believed that socialism could bring this suffering to an end.
1843- Marx decided to write an article about the poverty of the Mosel wine-farmers. As a result of the article criticizing the government, the newspaper was banned by Prussian authorities.
*Marx was informed that he might be arrested so he married Jenny von Westphalen and escaped to France where he secured the position of editor of a new political journal called Franco-German Annals.
*In Paris he began associating with members of the working class for the first time. Marx was surprised by their poverty but impressed by their sense of community.
1844- Marx asserted himself as a communist and argued in the journal that the working class or the proletariots would eventually be the emancipators of society. The journal was immediately abandoned in Germany.
1844: Marx wrote Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts where he developed his ideas on alienation. He said that there are three kinds of alienation in a capitalist society. They are as follows:
1.) The worker is alienated from what he produces.
2.) The worker is alienated from himself; only when he is not working does he feel truly himself.
3.) People are alienated from each other.- In a competitive society people are alienated from each other.
While in Paris he became close friends with Friedrich Engels. Engels and Marx shared the same views on capitalism, so therefore they decided to work together.
1845- The Prussian authorities put pressure on the French government to expel Marx and Engels after their first article, the Holy Family. They decided to move to Belgium, where they would have more freedom. Marx lived in Brussels, which contained a community of political escapees.
July 1845- Marx and Engels visited England. Marx visited London where he met various other political exiles from Europe.
WHen Marx returned to Brussels, he finished his book The German Ideology. In this book, Marx developed his materialist conception of history. This book remained unpublished until after his death.
1846- Marx set up a Communist Correspondence Committee. The agenda was to attempt to bring socialist leaders living in various parts of Europe together. INfluenced by marx’s ideas, socialists in England held a conference in London where they formed the Communist League.
-Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto in 6 weeks. This was finally an accessible account of communist ideals.
February 1848- The Communist Manifesto was published. The following month, the government expelled Marx from Belgium. He went to Paris before moving to Cologne where he and Engels founded a radical newspaper entitled the New Rhenish Gazette.
May 1849- Marx received news he was to be expelled from the country. Marx now moved to France, where he predicted that a socialist revolution was about to occur. However, within a month of living there, he was ordered out of France.
September 1949- Marx is forced to move to England. Shortly after arriving in London, Jenny Marx gave birth to her fourth child. Pressure was put on the British government to expel Marx by the Prussians, but the Prime Minister, John Russell, refused.
March 1850- The Marx family is evicted from their apartment because they now live in extreme poverty. Their fifth Child, Franziska died within a year, as well as their child, Edgar
1852- Charles Dana, the socialist editor of the New York Daily Tribune, offered Marx a job writing for his newspaper. Over the next ten years, 487 articles were published by Marx.
1856- Jenny Marx health declined and she contracted small pox which caused her to lose her hearing and left her badly traumatized.
1859- Marx published A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy.
By 1860s- the work for the New York Daily Tribune came to a halt and Marx was again left penniless.
1867- The first volume of Das Kapital was published. The book included important concepts of capitalism. In the later part of Das Kapital, Marx mentions the issue of revolution and states that capitalist competition will eventually cause such a revolution.
1871- Marx began working on the second volume of Das Kapital.
1881- Jenny Marx dies. Karl Marx died two months later on March 14, 1883
*** www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUmarx.htm***
1835- Marx entered Bonn University to study law. He spent most of his time socializing and running up large debts. His father was horrified when he found out about these debts. He agreed to pay them off, but insisted that Karl attend the more serene Berlin University.
*The move to Berlin resulted in a change in Marx and he bacame more studious. He was influenced by one of his professors, Bruno Bauer, whose atheism and radical political opinions got him into trouble with the school officials. It was through him that Marx became acquainted with the writings of G.W.F Hegel.
1838- Heinrich Marx (Karl’s father) died. Therefore, Marx had to earn his own living and became a professor. Marx then tried journalism but his radical political views meant that the majority of his work was considered too radical to be published. Therefore, he moved to Cologne where the city’s liberal opposition was strong and he was able to publish his articles in The Rhenish Gazette.
1842- Marx was appointed the editor of The Rhenish Gazette due to his articles in which he defended the freedom of the press.
*While in Cologne, he met Moses Hess, a socialist. Marx began attending socialist meetings organized by Hess. Marx became acquainted with the sufferings endured by the German working-class and showed him that they believed that socialism could bring this suffering to an end.
1843- Marx decided to write an article about the poverty of the Mosel wine-farmers. As a result of the article criticizing the government, the newspaper was banned by Prussian authorities.
*Marx was informed that he might be arrested so he married Jenny von Westphalen and escaped to France where he secured the position of editor of a new political journal called Franco-German Annals.
*In Paris he began associating with members of the working class for the first time. Marx was surprised by their poverty but impressed by their sense of community.
1844- Marx asserted himself as a communist and argued in the journal that the working class or the proletariots would eventually be the emancipators of society. The journal was immediately abandoned in Germany.
1844: Marx wrote Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts where he developed his ideas on alienation. He said that there are three kinds of alienation in a capitalist society. They are as follows:
1.) The worker is alienated from what he produces.
2.) The worker is alienated from himself; only when he is not working does he feel truly himself.
3.) People are alienated from each other.- In a competitive society people are alienated from each other.
While in Paris he became close friends with Friedrich Engels. Engels and Marx shared the same views on capitalism, so therefore they decided to work together.
1845- The Prussian authorities put pressure on the French government to expel Marx and Engels after their first article, the Holy Family. They decided to move to Belgium, where they would have more freedom. Marx lived in Brussels, which contained a community of political escapees.
July 1845- Marx and Engels visited England. Marx visited London where he met various other political exiles from Europe.
WHen Marx returned to Brussels, he finished his book The German Ideology. In this book, Marx developed his materialist conception of history. This book remained unpublished until after his death.
1846- Marx set up a Communist Correspondence Committee. The agenda was to attempt to bring socialist leaders living in various parts of Europe together. INfluenced by marx’s ideas, socialists in England held a conference in London where they formed the Communist League.
-Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto in 6 weeks. This was finally an accessible account of communist ideals.
February 1848- The Communist Manifesto was published. The following month, the government expelled Marx from Belgium. He went to Paris before moving to Cologne where he and Engels founded a radical newspaper entitled the New Rhenish Gazette.
May 1849- Marx received news he was to be expelled from the country. Marx now moved to France, where he predicted that a socialist revolution was about to occur. However, within a month of living there, he was ordered out of France.
September 1949- Marx is forced to move to England. Shortly after arriving in London, Jenny Marx gave birth to her fourth child. Pressure was put on the British government to expel Marx by the Prussians, but the Prime Minister, John Russell, refused.
March 1850- The Marx family is evicted from their apartment because they now live in extreme poverty. Their fifth Child, Franziska died within a year, as well as their child, Edgar
1852- Charles Dana, the socialist editor of the New York Daily Tribune, offered Marx a job writing for his newspaper. Over the next ten years, 487 articles were published by Marx.
1856- Jenny Marx health declined and she contracted small pox which caused her to lose her hearing and left her badly traumatized.
1859- Marx published A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy.
By 1860s- the work for the New York Daily Tribune came to a halt and Marx was again left penniless.
1867- The first volume of Das Kapital was published. The book included important concepts of capitalism. In the later part of Das Kapital, Marx mentions the issue of revolution and states that capitalist competition will eventually cause such a revolution.
1871- Marx began working on the second volume of Das Kapital.
1881- Jenny Marx dies. Karl Marx died two months later on March 14, 1883
*** www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUmarx.htm***
Core themes:
(Cassie and Gaby)
- "The theory that capitalism creates unemployment as a means of keeping the workers in check," (www.spartacus.schoolnet.com).
A major theme of the marxist theory is the establishment of classes through capitalism. As the the quote points out, the differences in classes can be seen by those who create jobs and those who have jobs. The bourgeoisie "own the modes of production," (Cowles, 198) and they have the power to create employment. Thus, they have the power to maintain a distinction between the social classes. In Capitalist societies, Marx ascertains that there are only two classes, a capitalist and a proletarian class. This refers to the upper class and the workers respectively. Marx saw virtually no way for people to access or move through different social classes in a capitalist society(Olmann 573). Class, or wealth was a way in which the workers could be kept oppressed while the bourgeoise, who controlled the means of production, manipulated and isolated the lower class(Ollman 573). This separation of classes inevitably creates class conflicts between the two classes, which is unfair because the upper class has all of the instiutional power at their disposal and the lower class have to attempt to organize their greater numbers together in an attempt to become the haves. Marx believed that class conflicts eventually cause societies to change the ways they organize their production and labor forces. He believed that the only way to create new, fair superstructures was to change the base, or economic system(Austin 197).
- "The theory of base and superstructure are the main structures of Marxism"
The social relations between men are bound up with the way they produce their material life. The development of new modes of productive organization is based upon a changed set of social relations. This means that in a capitalist society, those who own the means of production or the bourgeoisie or upper class are distinctly separate from the proletarian class, who labor for the capitalist who buys their work in order to make a profit. Taken together, these relations of production form what Marx refers to as the base. Specifically, the base is an economic system or, in this case, capitalism. From this particular base, in every era, emerges a superstructure, or a certain set of laws and politics. The essential function of the superstructure is to affirm that the upper class has the power over the social classes underneath them because they own the means of production. The superstructure also consists of political, religious, ethical and aesthetic forms of ideology from the upper class exclusively. The function of this ideology is to assert that the dominant ideas of a society are the ideas of the bourgeoisie(Eagleton 4-5).
- "Alienation: A Direct Result of Capitalism"
Alienation is a historically created phenomenon. It originated and continues to exist in civilized society because of the alienation of labor which characterizes all systems of private property from slavery to capitalism. For Marxism, the causes of existing alienation are rooted in capitalism because laborers are pitted against each other and seen as a mere resource rather than human beings. Competition in capitalism also leads to alienation. Within the theory of Marxism, alienation can only be eliminated if the unity of the workers with the means of their labor is restored by incorporating the highest achievements into a collectivized mode of production(Novack 7-8).It was the alienation of man as a citizen in his relationship with the state that was the starting point of Marx's thought. Alienation results from organization within a society that is based on commodity production and only under the specific economic and social circumstances of a market economy, can the objects which workers produce the means of a particular way of life for the upper classthat is oppressive of the workers themselves(Mendel 13-14). Marx stated that there were three separate forms of alienation in a capitalist society and they are as follows:
1.) The worker is alienated from what he produces.
2.) The worker is alienated from himself; only when he is not working does he feel truly himself.
3.) People are alienated from each other.- In a competitive society people are alienated from each other. http://spartacus.schoolnet.com
- Value, Price, and Profit
"Having now, as far as it could be done in such a cursory manner, analyzed the nature of value, of the value of any commodity whatever, we must turn our attention to the specific value of labour. And here, again, I must startle you by a seeming paradox. All of you feel sure that what they daily sell is their Labour; that, therefore, Labour has a price, and that, the price of a commodity being only the monetary expression of its value, there must certainly exist such a thing as the value of labour. However, there exists no such thing as the value of labour in the common acceptance of the word. We have seen that the amount of necessary labour crystallized in a commodity constitutes its value. Now, applying this notion of value, how could we define, say, the value of a ten hours working day? How much labour is contained in that day? Ten hours' labour," (www.marxists.org).
A major theme of the marxist theory is the establishment of classes through capitalism. As the the quote points out, the differences in classes can be seen by those who create jobs and those who have jobs. The bourgeoisie "own the modes of production," (Cowles, 198) and they have the power to create employment. Thus, they have the power to maintain a distinction between the social classes. In Capitalist societies, Marx ascertains that there are only two classes, a capitalist and a proletarian class. This refers to the upper class and the workers respectively. Marx saw virtually no way for people to access or move through different social classes in a capitalist society(Olmann 573). Class, or wealth was a way in which the workers could be kept oppressed while the bourgeoise, who controlled the means of production, manipulated and isolated the lower class(Ollman 573). This separation of classes inevitably creates class conflicts between the two classes, which is unfair because the upper class has all of the instiutional power at their disposal and the lower class have to attempt to organize their greater numbers together in an attempt to become the haves. Marx believed that class conflicts eventually cause societies to change the ways they organize their production and labor forces. He believed that the only way to create new, fair superstructures was to change the base, or economic system(Austin 197).
- "The theory of base and superstructure are the main structures of Marxism"
The social relations between men are bound up with the way they produce their material life. The development of new modes of productive organization is based upon a changed set of social relations. This means that in a capitalist society, those who own the means of production or the bourgeoisie or upper class are distinctly separate from the proletarian class, who labor for the capitalist who buys their work in order to make a profit. Taken together, these relations of production form what Marx refers to as the base. Specifically, the base is an economic system or, in this case, capitalism. From this particular base, in every era, emerges a superstructure, or a certain set of laws and politics. The essential function of the superstructure is to affirm that the upper class has the power over the social classes underneath them because they own the means of production. The superstructure also consists of political, religious, ethical and aesthetic forms of ideology from the upper class exclusively. The function of this ideology is to assert that the dominant ideas of a society are the ideas of the bourgeoisie(Eagleton 4-5).
- "Alienation: A Direct Result of Capitalism"
Alienation is a historically created phenomenon. It originated and continues to exist in civilized society because of the alienation of labor which characterizes all systems of private property from slavery to capitalism. For Marxism, the causes of existing alienation are rooted in capitalism because laborers are pitted against each other and seen as a mere resource rather than human beings. Competition in capitalism also leads to alienation. Within the theory of Marxism, alienation can only be eliminated if the unity of the workers with the means of their labor is restored by incorporating the highest achievements into a collectivized mode of production(Novack 7-8).It was the alienation of man as a citizen in his relationship with the state that was the starting point of Marx's thought. Alienation results from organization within a society that is based on commodity production and only under the specific economic and social circumstances of a market economy, can the objects which workers produce the means of a particular way of life for the upper classthat is oppressive of the workers themselves(Mendel 13-14). Marx stated that there were three separate forms of alienation in a capitalist society and they are as follows:
1.) The worker is alienated from what he produces.
2.) The worker is alienated from himself; only when he is not working does he feel truly himself.
3.) People are alienated from each other.- In a competitive society people are alienated from each other. http://spartacus.schoolnet.com
- Value, Price, and Profit
"Having now, as far as it could be done in such a cursory manner, analyzed the nature of value, of the value of any commodity whatever, we must turn our attention to the specific value of labour. And here, again, I must startle you by a seeming paradox. All of you feel sure that what they daily sell is their Labour; that, therefore, Labour has a price, and that, the price of a commodity being only the monetary expression of its value, there must certainly exist such a thing as the value of labour. However, there exists no such thing as the value of labour in the common acceptance of the word. We have seen that the amount of necessary labour crystallized in a commodity constitutes its value. Now, applying this notion of value, how could we define, say, the value of a ten hours working day? How much labour is contained in that day? Ten hours' labour," (www.marxists.org).
What every reader should know:
(Gaby)
- Marxism and Feminism: "The 'marriage' of marxism and feminism has been like the marriage of husband and wife depicted in English common law: marxism and feminism are one and that one is marxism...[e]ither we need a healthier marriage or we need a divorce," (qtd. in Chinchilla, 291).
In the late 1980's, a movement to join marxism and feminism into one hyphenated cultural theory began to spread through North and South America. The movement established the close relationship between Marxism and Feminism. Here are some of the concepts the theories explore in socialist terms: "The importance of pluralism and democracy and its relationship to plural (potentially revolutionary) social subjects or actors (such as women) and the relationship of democracy and the relationship of democracy to the principle of autonomy for popular organizations (such as those composed of women) in their relationship to the state and to political parties (including vanguard or cadre organizations," (Chinchilla, 293).
Both Marxists and Feminists focus on the empowerment of "traditionally silenced groups," (Cowles, 206).
Marxists view women as equally affected by capitalist economies as men are, and they aim to level out the
power over production. Many Feminists also call themselves Marxists, and the same applies to many Marxists.
The movement previously described was started by such marxists-feminists or feminist-marxists.
There is one significant difference between these theories, and that is what each believes to be the cause of the
injustices in society. The following excerpt explains this difference: Feminists have worked around this
difference by developing the idea of "sexual economies," (206). This has also
"Full cooperation between the two groups has been impeded by their different
opinion about the source of oppression. For most Marxists, capitalism is
responsible for all oppression, including the oppression of women, and the
only way to bring real social justice to women is to modify the economic base
of society. Most feminists, on the other hand, believe that patriarchal
oppression is something that predates capitalism by thousands of years and,
unless concrete steps are taken, will outlive it. 'No analysis of the
reproduction of labor power under capitalism,' writes feminist Gayle Rubin,
'can explain the foot-binding, chastity belts, or any of the incredible array of
Byzantine, fetished indignities... which have been inflicted upon women in
various times and places,' " (Cowles, 206).
Feminists have worked around this difference by developing the idea of "sexual economies," (206). This has
also pushed Marxists to study the role of the sexual economy in what was previously believed to be an economy
solely based on the economic production of man.
To read more about Marxism and Feminism, click on the following link:
Marxism, Feminism, and the Struggle for Democracy in Latin America
Reading questions:
(Cassie)
- Explain how a Marxist would describe the history of a nation.
- What is a bourgeoisie? What is a proletarian? How do these two group work in a capitalist society?
- What are the similarities between Marxism and Feminism? Name one significant difference?
- Describe what Marx means when he says, "We have seen that the amount of necessary labour crystallized in a commodity constitutes its value," (Value, Price, and Profit).
- Give an example of a base and superstructure relationship in our current society.
Recommended web sites:
(Gaby)
- Spartacus Educational: this is an absolutely great website for viewing a timeline of Karl Marx's life (which we also provided above) and for further explanation of key themes and people that influenced the creation of Marxism.
- Marxists Internet Archive: this website is entirely dedicated to Marxist theory. It has a very detailed break down of the Marxist beliefs, and it also provides some of Marx's actual writings and speeches.
Critical Article Summary:
(Gaby)
Marxism: 1848 AND 1948
Eduard Heimann begins his article by stating the problem he will examine in his article. He describes this problem as the "relationship between means and end," (523). First, Heimann gives a basis for the problem. He notes that there are tensions between the early and late periods of the theory. These tensions derive from the idea that the “original objective of Marxism was philosophical; [yet] most of the classic writings are economic,” (523). In an attempt to minimize these tensions, Heimann addresses the philosophical standing of the later period. However, it is clear (through Marx's own writings) that Marxism is solely based on the notion that society operates on different levels because of the different social classes created by capitalism.
Heimann discusses the meaning of the phrase “individual property.” In an economic sense, this phrase means the actual legal property that belongs to a person. In the philosophical sense that was originally introduced in the early period of the theory, this phrase refers to “the common possession of the earth and the means of production,” (524). Marx's writings focus more on the effects a capitalist society directly has on the formation of social classes. Heimann discusses the theory's section on the bourgeousie and proletiriat world, which is discussed in the "Core Themes" section above. He also explains how man goes about reaching "full self-realization" (523). This is hindered by production because man is driven to identify their status according to their private property. Heimann suggests that man eventually realizes his own worth on the basis of socialism.
The article continues by exploring the notion that a society in which large amounts of production are owned by a small group of people is an unjust society. This is right along the lines of what Karl Marx himself believed and tried to demonstrate in his writings. Heimann suggests that “the ultimate idea…the theory tries to develop may well be called social democracy,” (525). In order to establish such a democracy, the society’s production must be “leveled down,” (525). The article concludes with the claim that social democracy, in order to work properly, must develop a “new philosophical foundation [that] cannot be derived from Marxism,” (530). By doing so, it will prevent the tensions created in Marxism.
Eduard Heimann begins his article by stating the problem he will examine in his article. He describes this problem as the "relationship between means and end," (523). First, Heimann gives a basis for the problem. He notes that there are tensions between the early and late periods of the theory. These tensions derive from the idea that the “original objective of Marxism was philosophical; [yet] most of the classic writings are economic,” (523). In an attempt to minimize these tensions, Heimann addresses the philosophical standing of the later period. However, it is clear (through Marx's own writings) that Marxism is solely based on the notion that society operates on different levels because of the different social classes created by capitalism.
Heimann discusses the meaning of the phrase “individual property.” In an economic sense, this phrase means the actual legal property that belongs to a person. In the philosophical sense that was originally introduced in the early period of the theory, this phrase refers to “the common possession of the earth and the means of production,” (524). Marx's writings focus more on the effects a capitalist society directly has on the formation of social classes. Heimann discusses the theory's section on the bourgeousie and proletiriat world, which is discussed in the "Core Themes" section above. He also explains how man goes about reaching "full self-realization" (523). This is hindered by production because man is driven to identify their status according to their private property. Heimann suggests that man eventually realizes his own worth on the basis of socialism.
The article continues by exploring the notion that a society in which large amounts of production are owned by a small group of people is an unjust society. This is right along the lines of what Karl Marx himself believed and tried to demonstrate in his writings. Heimann suggests that “the ultimate idea…the theory tries to develop may well be called social democracy,” (525). In order to establish such a democracy, the society’s production must be “leveled down,” (525). The article concludes with the claim that social democracy, in order to work properly, must develop a “new philosophical foundation [that] cannot be derived from Marxism,” (530). By doing so, it will prevent the tensions created in Marxism.
Annotated bibliography:
(Cassie)
Introduction
Marxism, or the set of ideas presented by Karl Marx himself, is the topic of this presentation. Marx viewed capitalism as a source of class division as well as a form of alienation and oppression of the lower classes. He believed that through a communistic society, the civilization would not be as divided and therefore there would be greater opportunities for everyone, not only those who were privileged by birth. Marxism as a form of literary criticism is a type of theory in which the reader identifies the constrictions of the middle class as well as explores such topics as alienation, competition, and how the concept of class creates what culture is. Marxists believe that the base of society is the economic system and that the superstructure is the culture that arises from it. Through this type of criticism, the identity of status and culture is crucial.
The resources were all helpful in their own way. Each of them brought new ideas as to what Marxism was and how it influences different avenues of daily life. Through this research of the works of great Marxist scholars, I have achieved a better understanding of Marxism as well as have achieved the ability to apply Marxist criticism to literature.
Austin, Mike. "Marxist Criticism." The Critical Experience: Literary Reading, Writing and
Criticism. 2nd ed. Dubuque: Kendell/Hunt, 1994. 194-213. Print.
This source is an excerpt from the English 274 textbook, The Critical Experience: Literary Reading, Writing and Criticism. It is scholarly popular due to the fact that this very excerpt is studied in various universities throughout the nation. The intended audience is literary theory scholars. The thesis and the main points of the article are to educate students about Marxist criticism, including the history, the base and superstructure of this criticism, the explanation of the Marxist Reflection Theory as well as to inform individuals about the proper way to write a Marxist criticism of a literary work.
The author, Mike Austin, is quite the educated man. He has a Ph. D in English Literature from the University of California at Santa Barbara, an M.A. in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric and Composition from Brigham University as well as a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in English from Brigham Young University. Professionally, he has also been the vice president for Academic Affairs at Newman University, Dean of Graduate Studies at Shepherd University, Chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages at Shepherd College as well as Associate Professor of English. He is the author of a plethora of books, including the popular textbook, Reading the World: Ideas that Matter. This book was published in 1994, meaning that it is approximately 16 years old. However, when it comes to the topic matter, it is still relevant today. The history of Marxist criticism has not changed and the ideas and theories seem quite current to various other more current Marxist readings. At the end of this chapter, Austin cites the work of other Marxist scholars. He studied it himself, but drew upon the research of his peers. The author does not seem biased in any way. Instead, the main point of this reading is to be informative. This source should be trusted because it is the very textbook that Students, including myself, read and study in order to expand our knowledge about literary theories. In comparison with my other sources, this one seems to be accurate.
This source added immensely to my knowledge of Marxism. It gives a clear background as well as historical information about the topic. Also, it provided me with how to write a Marxist criticism myself and expanded my knowledge and helped me to obtain a better understanding of Marxism itself. I will use this source as the foreground on which my presentation is based. I will both quote and cite this information. Compared to my other sources, I believe that this one will be the most relevant and informative. I would highly recommend that anyone who has a desire to learn about Marxism start with this very section of The Critical Experience. It is highly credible and informative.
I discovered this source by purchasing it for my English 274 class. I also read it during the discussion on Marxism.
Chinchilla, Norma Stultz. "Marxism, Feminism, and the struggle for Democracy in Latin
America" Vol. 5, No. 3, Special Issue: Marxist Feminist Theory (Sep., 1991), pp. 291-310 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. http://www.jstor.org/stable/189842
This source is an article from the book “Marxist Feminist Theory” entitled “Marxism, Feminism and the struggle for Democracy in Latin America”. It is an electronic source. The intended audience is Feminists, Marxists, or anyone concerned with these two topics in the context of the state of things in Latin America. The thesis is that changes made in Latin America in the 1980s call for a convergence of contemporary Marxist as well as feminist theory and practice. The main points are that there is a new feminist movement occurring and that many women are at the very center of this cultural movement. The connection between socialism or Marxism and feminism must be made in order to make this cultural change as effective as possible.
The author, Chinchilla, has a Ph.D in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin and has been a member of the CSULB faculty since 1983. She teaches courses in social stratification, social change, women in global perspective, Central American and Carribean People in the U.S. and international social conflicts. Her research focuses on women’s movements in Latin America. She was also awarded the 2002 prize for Best Book published in the area of Race/Ethnicity and Foreign Policy/Globalization by the American Political Science Association. As a Latina and a feminist, Chinchilla is quite an expert on this specific subject, making her quite the credible source. This article was published in 1991, making it about twenty years old. This is still accurate however, because Latin America is still going through these changes today.
This source was useful because it ties together two important forms of literary theory, Feminism and Marxism. It also applies these theories to a fairly recent event in history, making it interesting and easy to follow. I will use these to provide examples of how feminism and Marxism can be linked and applied to society today. I would recommend this to other students researching this topic because it concerns a fairly recent topic that is quite relatable.
I found the source by typing in “Marxism” and “Feminism” in the JStor Search Catalog.
Eagleton, Terry. Marxism and Literary Criticism. Berkeley: University of California, 1976.
Print.
This source is a book that is scholarly popular. It is a print source. The intended audience is scholars of Marxism or scholars of literary theory in general with a desire to learn more about Marxism. The thesis of this book is that “Marxist criticism is part of a larger body of theoretical analysis which aims to understand ideologies- the ideas, values, and feelings by which men experience their societies at various times(Eagleton p. 8).” The main points are the Marxist literature itself and its history, including the history of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, the form of Marxism as a literary theory and Marxist authors. The conclusion is that Marxist criticism analyses literature in terms of the historical conditions which produce it and its needs to be aware of its own historical conditions.
Without a doubt, this author is extremely credible. He taught at Oxford University and is the author of over forty books, many about literary theories. He is in fact referred to as Britain’s most influential literary critic. Also, he wrote this book in response to many class discussions and arguments that he had with his students to help others gain more clarity and answer some of those more complex questions. This source was published in 1976, which does make it a bit out of date. However, I feel that the historical points that are to be learned from this source are still relevant to the study of Marxism today. The information comes from being a literature professor over a multitude of years as well as him considering himself a Marxist. The author is not trying to persuade his audience. Rather, his intention appears to be to inform others about this topic. I can trust this source because he is an extremely accredited and educated author and critic as well as one who supports Marxism.
This source was useful because it provided me with the background of Marxism. Also, it answered various questions about how Marxism itself differs from other forms of criticism as well as the basic ideals and history of famous Marxist authors. It was one of the more informative of my sources because it contains a plethora of information as well as the fact that the language is not too complex, which made it easier to follow than some of my other sources.
To find this source, I asked a Dominican University librarian for her assistance to help me find a book about Marxism. With her help, I stumbled upon this tiny little gem of literary information.
Heimann, Eduard. "Marxism: 1848-1948" The Journal of Politics Vol. 11, No. 3 (Aug.,
1949), pp. 523-531 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Southern Political Science Association http://www.jstor.org/stable/2126139
This source is a scholarly popular electronic essay by Edward Heimann. The intended audience is literary scholars. The thesis is that in the relationship between institutional means and human objectives, the human objective has been gradually submerged by the means. The main points are that in Marxist terms, property ownership has taken away what it means to be essentially human. The connection from Marxism to socialism or even totalitarianism is also discussed.
Eduard Heimman was a Hamburg economist and Christian socialist. He departed greatly from typical Marxism and provided it with a more idealist edge. He was seen as an extremist. He wrote a number of books, mostly in German, about Marxism specifically, making him an expert on the subject. The source was published in 1949, making it over 60 years old. While it is acknowledged as out of date, his references to class structure and Marxism are still relevant. He discusses Marxist theory and development with socialism, which one knows is still a topic of conversation today. This information comes from historical evidence as well as the author’s own research and experiences living in society. The source is one that can be trusted because it is cited as a scholarly article.
This source provided me with more knowledge about the difference between Marxism and socialism. I will use the information to develop on the topic of Marxism, using various examples. I would recommend this source to other students doing research on the topic of Marxism because it is both informative and thought provoking.
I found this source by researching the key word “Marxism: in the JStor Database provided by the Dominican University Library pages of databases.
Marx, Karl. Value, Price and Profit. New York: New York International, Inc, 1969. Marxist Internet Archive. Web. <http://www.marxists.org>.
This is an electronic source of Karl Marx’s Value of Price and Profit with corrections and editing by Eleanor Marx Aveling. The intended audience was people that were interested in Marxism. The thesis is that the society is divided by class and people are therefore oppressed due to their lower status in society. The main points are that production, wages, profit and supply and demand are what is keeping the citizens oppressed within societal limitations.
The original author was Karl Marx himself, the inventor of the theory of Marxism, so he is obviously the most reliable source one can gain knowledge from on the subject of Marxism. The source was originally published in 1898, after Marx’s death. Obviously, this is not current. However, due to current editing, it remains up to date. Even though this is quite an old source, it is perhaps the most important because the author was Karl Marx himself. The date that it was published or written does not diminish its relevance and /or application to modern life. The information from the source comes from the research and observance of society and capitalism’s downfalls from Karl Marx.
This source added a lot to my knowledge because it was one of the original document that outlined the main points of the theory of Marxism and completely explained it in its entirety. I will use this source to make my own information more filled with the exact thoughts and theories of the creator of Marxism himself. I would recommend this to other’s studying the theory of Marxism because it is straight from the originator’s writings.
I found this source by typing in “Marxism” in Google and then seeing the website “Marxist’s Internet Archives”. I then searched the author and chose Karl Marx himself and saw the literature that he wrote entitled “Value, Price and Profit” and knew that it would be relevant to the subject matter of the study of Marxism.
Mendel, Ernest. "The Causes of Alienation." The Marxist Theory of Alienation. New York:
Pathfinder, 1973. 13-30. Print.
This source is an essay from a book or a print source. The intended audience is Marxists or scholars who want to develop their knowledge of Marxism. The thesis of this essay is that the alienation of man as a citizen in relationship with the state that became the starting point of Marx’s philosophical, political and social thought. The main ideas are that in alienation is the result of a certain form or organization in society. This is especially true in a society which is based on commodity production and only under the specific economic and social circumstances of a market economy. Also, Marxism states that in a market economy, the economic and social mechanisms become expressive and exploitative.
The author considered himself a Marxist. In his lifetime, he published about 2,000 articles and approximately thirty books in English, French, Dutch, German and other languages. He considered it his destiny to transmit the heritage of classical Marxist theory to a new generation. This book was published in about 1973, so it is a bit out of date. However, it discusses Karl Marx’s process of reaching the conclusions of what we now know as Marxist theory. The author is biased because he is a Marxist, but this also makes him highly educated and also connected with the message of the text. I can trust this source because Ernest is a highly published author and a respected man of Marxist theory.
This source was honestly not all that useful to me. It gave a lot of background about Marxism and the theories of the causes of alienation, but it provided me with a lot of information on Hegel when I personally would have liked learning more information about Karl Marx himself. I will use this as historical evidence on how Karl Marx arrived at his conclusion as well as the examples of Marxism in our modern day society. I would recommend this to a student who is doing a research paper on Hegel or alienation specifically, but not to a student who is researching Marxism itself.
I asked a librarian at Dominican University to help me find books on Marxism. She typed in the key word “Marxism” and directed me to take out this book.
Novack, George. "The Problem of Alienation." The Marxist Theory of Alienation. New York:
Pathfinder, 1973. 53-94. Print.
This source is an essay in the book The Marxist Theory of Alienation, print edition. The intended audience is educated people and literary scholars or Marxists. The thesis is that For Marxism the forms of alienation are products of man’s impotence before the forces of nature and society and his ignorance of the laws of their operation and also that they can diminish to the extent that a person’s control over his or her habitat and his social relations and scientific knowledge of their processes. The main points are that society itself, with its own rules and class structure has caused alienation in the working class as the industries and wealthy obtain more monetary gain while the working middle class and the lower class are alienated from the economic growth.
George Novack earned his M.A. from Harvard University and was an American communist politician and a Marxist theoretician, which makes him quite qualified to write about Marxism itself. He was a part of a successful publishing business, when the terrible Great Depression pushed him to appreciate Marxism and consider himself a Marxist. Novack produced a number of books about Marxist theory, including An Introduction to the Logic of Marxism and The Origins of Materialism. The source was published in 1973, making it over 35 years old, which means that it is pretty out of date. However, the problems presented are still relevant today. I believe that because he was such an active Marxist that this essay was perhaps a little biased. However, he was extremely knowledgeable about the subject itself, so his information is accurate.
This source provided me with a look at alienation between classes, which is still an issue today, from a Marxist perspective. I will use this source to provide examples of the divisions of classes. I think that even though it is not as historically relevant, it provides me with a glimpse into the perspective of a Marxist scholar. I would recommend it because it is interesting, but not for everyone because it is quite old.
I found the source with the help of a Dominican University librarian after looking up Marxism in the database.
Ollman, Bertell. "Marx's Use of "Class"" The American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 73. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1968. 573-80. JStor. 09 Nov. 2010. Web. <http://www.jstor.org>.
This is an article, or electronic source taken from the book The American Journal of Sociology. The intended audience was students and individuals who are interested in Marxism or are perhaps Marxists themselves. The thesis is that Marx’s utilization and interpretation of class is inextricable with his analyses. The main points are Marx’s definition of class and how that definition leads to his actual ideas which form the Marxist theory.
This article was first published in The American Journal of Sociology, so it is assumed to be a credible source. Bertell Ollman is a professor of politics at New York University. He earned his doctorates at Oxford University. Ollman has written and edited fifteen books, including Alienation: Marx’s Conception of Man in Capitalist Society, Dialectical Investigation and most recently, Dance of the Dialect: Steps in Marx’s Method. Therefore, due to his education and his extensive collection of literature that he wrote about Marxism, he proves to be a credible source. The source was published in 1968 originally, but it is still relevant today. This information came from research from many experts in the field, and they are subsequently cited in his article.
This source was quite helpful. It obviated the main points of Marxism and how the role of class is of utmost importance in the theory of Marxism itself. I will use this to discuss the core themes of Marxism, including class division and the definition of class from Karl Marx. I would recommend this to anyone doing research on Marxism because a better understanding of class, which is the main point of Karl Marx’s theories, is clearly defined and explained.
I found this source by using JStor, which is a database that I came across while browsing through Dominican University Library’s list of databases. I then typed in the key words “Karl Marx” and after reading it, decided that this was a credible and reliable source.
Runkle, Gerald. "Marxism and Charles Darwin" The Journal of Politics Vol. 23, No. 1
(Feb., 1961), pp. 108-126 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Southern Political Science Association http://www.jstor.org/stable/2127074
This is an electronic source from the database JStor. It is an excerpt entitled “Marxism and Charles Darwin” and it was published in “The Journal of Politics”. The intended audience is literary scholars. The thesis is that the publications of evolution, both in different terms, from Charles Darwin and Karl Marx were compared in their new theories and how these theories changed the way ideas were previously thought about and discussed. It is organized into three main questions, or ideas. They are as follows: What opinion did Marx and some of his followers have about Darwin’s work? What influence did Darwin’s work have on Marxism? And finally, What is the logical relation between Darwin’s work and Marxism?
Runkle is a professor of philosophy at Southern Illinois University. He cites many other authorities on the subject and he seems to refer back to them frequently, meaning that he has researched his topic. This article was published in 1961, so it is quite out of date. However, the comparison between Darwinism and Marxism is intriguing and this article connects two extremely influential theories of a particular time period. The information comes from various other studies and refers a lot to experts of the topic. I believe I can trust this source because it is cited in the Journal of Politics which is published by the Cambridge University Press, which is quite a prestigious publishing company.
This source adds to my knowledge because it provides me with a distinct analysis of the impact that the new Marxist way of thinking had on society in that particular point in time. I will use it as more background information to the Marxist theory itself in a more historical context. I would recommend it to other students because I believe that it is interesting to see how these two great men are both alike and different in their innovations.
In order to find this source of information I typed in “Marxism” in the search bar on Jstor, which I accessed through the Dominican University Library’s list of databases. Simkin, John. "Karl Marx: Biography." Spartacus Educational. John Simkin. Web. 06 Nov.
2010. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUmarx.htm>.
This source was a website, or electronic source. It was written for scholars. It is a brief biography of Karl Marx.
The author, John Simkin, is a history teacher who uses the internet to educate students about history. He is an author of several history books including Gandhi, The Vietname War and Race Relations in the United States. This exact source does not contain a publication date, but in Simkin’s biography, it says he launched the site six years ago, which means that this information was recently written.
I will use this to develop upon the personal history of Karl Marx. The website presented me with an overview of his life, not just his theories and ideas. This was new and vital information for the presentation. It is more current than my other sources and deals with Karl Marx on a personal, not political or literary element. I would recommend this source to other students who are researching Marxism and Karl Marx, because it provides some background and perhaps some incite to what sparked these ideas of the Marxist theory.
I found this website by typing in “Karl Marx: Biography” into the Google search bar. This was one of many sites that came up and after consideration and reading it over, I decided that this was the best option.
By: Cassie Stachura
Marxism, or the set of ideas presented by Karl Marx himself, is the topic of this presentation. Marx viewed capitalism as a source of class division as well as a form of alienation and oppression of the lower classes. He believed that through a communistic society, the civilization would not be as divided and therefore there would be greater opportunities for everyone, not only those who were privileged by birth. Marxism as a form of literary criticism is a type of theory in which the reader identifies the constrictions of the middle class as well as explores such topics as alienation, competition, and how the concept of class creates what culture is. Marxists believe that the base of society is the economic system and that the superstructure is the culture that arises from it. Through this type of criticism, the identity of status and culture is crucial.
The resources were all helpful in their own way. Each of them brought new ideas as to what Marxism was and how it influences different avenues of daily life. Through this research of the works of great Marxist scholars, I have achieved a better understanding of Marxism as well as have achieved the ability to apply Marxist criticism to literature.
Austin, Mike. "Marxist Criticism." The Critical Experience: Literary Reading, Writing and
Criticism. 2nd ed. Dubuque: Kendell/Hunt, 1994. 194-213. Print.
This source is an excerpt from the English 274 textbook, The Critical Experience: Literary Reading, Writing and Criticism. It is scholarly popular due to the fact that this very excerpt is studied in various universities throughout the nation. The intended audience is literary theory scholars. The thesis and the main points of the article are to educate students about Marxist criticism, including the history, the base and superstructure of this criticism, the explanation of the Marxist Reflection Theory as well as to inform individuals about the proper way to write a Marxist criticism of a literary work.
The author, Mike Austin, is quite the educated man. He has a Ph. D in English Literature from the University of California at Santa Barbara, an M.A. in English with an emphasis in Rhetoric and Composition from Brigham University as well as a B.A. Magna Cum Laude in English from Brigham Young University. Professionally, he has also been the vice president for Academic Affairs at Newman University, Dean of Graduate Studies at Shepherd University, Chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages at Shepherd College as well as Associate Professor of English. He is the author of a plethora of books, including the popular textbook, Reading the World: Ideas that Matter. This book was published in 1994, meaning that it is approximately 16 years old. However, when it comes to the topic matter, it is still relevant today. The history of Marxist criticism has not changed and the ideas and theories seem quite current to various other more current Marxist readings. At the end of this chapter, Austin cites the work of other Marxist scholars. He studied it himself, but drew upon the research of his peers. The author does not seem biased in any way. Instead, the main point of this reading is to be informative. This source should be trusted because it is the very textbook that Students, including myself, read and study in order to expand our knowledge about literary theories. In comparison with my other sources, this one seems to be accurate.
This source added immensely to my knowledge of Marxism. It gives a clear background as well as historical information about the topic. Also, it provided me with how to write a Marxist criticism myself and expanded my knowledge and helped me to obtain a better understanding of Marxism itself. I will use this source as the foreground on which my presentation is based. I will both quote and cite this information. Compared to my other sources, I believe that this one will be the most relevant and informative. I would highly recommend that anyone who has a desire to learn about Marxism start with this very section of The Critical Experience. It is highly credible and informative.
I discovered this source by purchasing it for my English 274 class. I also read it during the discussion on Marxism.
Chinchilla, Norma Stultz. "Marxism, Feminism, and the struggle for Democracy in Latin
America" Vol. 5, No. 3, Special Issue: Marxist Feminist Theory (Sep., 1991), pp. 291-310 Published by: Sage Publications, Inc. http://www.jstor.org/stable/189842
This source is an article from the book “Marxist Feminist Theory” entitled “Marxism, Feminism and the struggle for Democracy in Latin America”. It is an electronic source. The intended audience is Feminists, Marxists, or anyone concerned with these two topics in the context of the state of things in Latin America. The thesis is that changes made in Latin America in the 1980s call for a convergence of contemporary Marxist as well as feminist theory and practice. The main points are that there is a new feminist movement occurring and that many women are at the very center of this cultural movement. The connection between socialism or Marxism and feminism must be made in order to make this cultural change as effective as possible.
The author, Chinchilla, has a Ph.D in Sociology from the University of Wisconsin and has been a member of the CSULB faculty since 1983. She teaches courses in social stratification, social change, women in global perspective, Central American and Carribean People in the U.S. and international social conflicts. Her research focuses on women’s movements in Latin America. She was also awarded the 2002 prize for Best Book published in the area of Race/Ethnicity and Foreign Policy/Globalization by the American Political Science Association. As a Latina and a feminist, Chinchilla is quite an expert on this specific subject, making her quite the credible source. This article was published in 1991, making it about twenty years old. This is still accurate however, because Latin America is still going through these changes today.
This source was useful because it ties together two important forms of literary theory, Feminism and Marxism. It also applies these theories to a fairly recent event in history, making it interesting and easy to follow. I will use these to provide examples of how feminism and Marxism can be linked and applied to society today. I would recommend this to other students researching this topic because it concerns a fairly recent topic that is quite relatable.
I found the source by typing in “Marxism” and “Feminism” in the JStor Search Catalog.
Eagleton, Terry. Marxism and Literary Criticism. Berkeley: University of California, 1976.
Print.
This source is a book that is scholarly popular. It is a print source. The intended audience is scholars of Marxism or scholars of literary theory in general with a desire to learn more about Marxism. The thesis of this book is that “Marxist criticism is part of a larger body of theoretical analysis which aims to understand ideologies- the ideas, values, and feelings by which men experience their societies at various times(Eagleton p. 8).” The main points are the Marxist literature itself and its history, including the history of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels, the form of Marxism as a literary theory and Marxist authors. The conclusion is that Marxist criticism analyses literature in terms of the historical conditions which produce it and its needs to be aware of its own historical conditions.
Without a doubt, this author is extremely credible. He taught at Oxford University and is the author of over forty books, many about literary theories. He is in fact referred to as Britain’s most influential literary critic. Also, he wrote this book in response to many class discussions and arguments that he had with his students to help others gain more clarity and answer some of those more complex questions. This source was published in 1976, which does make it a bit out of date. However, I feel that the historical points that are to be learned from this source are still relevant to the study of Marxism today. The information comes from being a literature professor over a multitude of years as well as him considering himself a Marxist. The author is not trying to persuade his audience. Rather, his intention appears to be to inform others about this topic. I can trust this source because he is an extremely accredited and educated author and critic as well as one who supports Marxism.
This source was useful because it provided me with the background of Marxism. Also, it answered various questions about how Marxism itself differs from other forms of criticism as well as the basic ideals and history of famous Marxist authors. It was one of the more informative of my sources because it contains a plethora of information as well as the fact that the language is not too complex, which made it easier to follow than some of my other sources.
To find this source, I asked a Dominican University librarian for her assistance to help me find a book about Marxism. With her help, I stumbled upon this tiny little gem of literary information.
Heimann, Eduard. "Marxism: 1848-1948" The Journal of Politics Vol. 11, No. 3 (Aug.,
1949), pp. 523-531 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Southern Political Science Association http://www.jstor.org/stable/2126139
This source is a scholarly popular electronic essay by Edward Heimann. The intended audience is literary scholars. The thesis is that in the relationship between institutional means and human objectives, the human objective has been gradually submerged by the means. The main points are that in Marxist terms, property ownership has taken away what it means to be essentially human. The connection from Marxism to socialism or even totalitarianism is also discussed.
Eduard Heimman was a Hamburg economist and Christian socialist. He departed greatly from typical Marxism and provided it with a more idealist edge. He was seen as an extremist. He wrote a number of books, mostly in German, about Marxism specifically, making him an expert on the subject. The source was published in 1949, making it over 60 years old. While it is acknowledged as out of date, his references to class structure and Marxism are still relevant. He discusses Marxist theory and development with socialism, which one knows is still a topic of conversation today. This information comes from historical evidence as well as the author’s own research and experiences living in society. The source is one that can be trusted because it is cited as a scholarly article.
This source provided me with more knowledge about the difference between Marxism and socialism. I will use the information to develop on the topic of Marxism, using various examples. I would recommend this source to other students doing research on the topic of Marxism because it is both informative and thought provoking.
I found this source by researching the key word “Marxism: in the JStor Database provided by the Dominican University Library pages of databases.
Marx, Karl. Value, Price and Profit. New York: New York International, Inc, 1969. Marxist Internet Archive. Web. <http://www.marxists.org>.
This is an electronic source of Karl Marx’s Value of Price and Profit with corrections and editing by Eleanor Marx Aveling. The intended audience was people that were interested in Marxism. The thesis is that the society is divided by class and people are therefore oppressed due to their lower status in society. The main points are that production, wages, profit and supply and demand are what is keeping the citizens oppressed within societal limitations.
The original author was Karl Marx himself, the inventor of the theory of Marxism, so he is obviously the most reliable source one can gain knowledge from on the subject of Marxism. The source was originally published in 1898, after Marx’s death. Obviously, this is not current. However, due to current editing, it remains up to date. Even though this is quite an old source, it is perhaps the most important because the author was Karl Marx himself. The date that it was published or written does not diminish its relevance and /or application to modern life. The information from the source comes from the research and observance of society and capitalism’s downfalls from Karl Marx.
This source added a lot to my knowledge because it was one of the original document that outlined the main points of the theory of Marxism and completely explained it in its entirety. I will use this source to make my own information more filled with the exact thoughts and theories of the creator of Marxism himself. I would recommend this to other’s studying the theory of Marxism because it is straight from the originator’s writings.
I found this source by typing in “Marxism” in Google and then seeing the website “Marxist’s Internet Archives”. I then searched the author and chose Karl Marx himself and saw the literature that he wrote entitled “Value, Price and Profit” and knew that it would be relevant to the subject matter of the study of Marxism.
Mendel, Ernest. "The Causes of Alienation." The Marxist Theory of Alienation. New York:
Pathfinder, 1973. 13-30. Print.
This source is an essay from a book or a print source. The intended audience is Marxists or scholars who want to develop their knowledge of Marxism. The thesis of this essay is that the alienation of man as a citizen in relationship with the state that became the starting point of Marx’s philosophical, political and social thought. The main ideas are that in alienation is the result of a certain form or organization in society. This is especially true in a society which is based on commodity production and only under the specific economic and social circumstances of a market economy. Also, Marxism states that in a market economy, the economic and social mechanisms become expressive and exploitative.
The author considered himself a Marxist. In his lifetime, he published about 2,000 articles and approximately thirty books in English, French, Dutch, German and other languages. He considered it his destiny to transmit the heritage of classical Marxist theory to a new generation. This book was published in about 1973, so it is a bit out of date. However, it discusses Karl Marx’s process of reaching the conclusions of what we now know as Marxist theory. The author is biased because he is a Marxist, but this also makes him highly educated and also connected with the message of the text. I can trust this source because Ernest is a highly published author and a respected man of Marxist theory.
This source was honestly not all that useful to me. It gave a lot of background about Marxism and the theories of the causes of alienation, but it provided me with a lot of information on Hegel when I personally would have liked learning more information about Karl Marx himself. I will use this as historical evidence on how Karl Marx arrived at his conclusion as well as the examples of Marxism in our modern day society. I would recommend this to a student who is doing a research paper on Hegel or alienation specifically, but not to a student who is researching Marxism itself.
I asked a librarian at Dominican University to help me find books on Marxism. She typed in the key word “Marxism” and directed me to take out this book.
Novack, George. "The Problem of Alienation." The Marxist Theory of Alienation. New York:
Pathfinder, 1973. 53-94. Print.
This source is an essay in the book The Marxist Theory of Alienation, print edition. The intended audience is educated people and literary scholars or Marxists. The thesis is that For Marxism the forms of alienation are products of man’s impotence before the forces of nature and society and his ignorance of the laws of their operation and also that they can diminish to the extent that a person’s control over his or her habitat and his social relations and scientific knowledge of their processes. The main points are that society itself, with its own rules and class structure has caused alienation in the working class as the industries and wealthy obtain more monetary gain while the working middle class and the lower class are alienated from the economic growth.
George Novack earned his M.A. from Harvard University and was an American communist politician and a Marxist theoretician, which makes him quite qualified to write about Marxism itself. He was a part of a successful publishing business, when the terrible Great Depression pushed him to appreciate Marxism and consider himself a Marxist. Novack produced a number of books about Marxist theory, including An Introduction to the Logic of Marxism and The Origins of Materialism. The source was published in 1973, making it over 35 years old, which means that it is pretty out of date. However, the problems presented are still relevant today. I believe that because he was such an active Marxist that this essay was perhaps a little biased. However, he was extremely knowledgeable about the subject itself, so his information is accurate.
This source provided me with a look at alienation between classes, which is still an issue today, from a Marxist perspective. I will use this source to provide examples of the divisions of classes. I think that even though it is not as historically relevant, it provides me with a glimpse into the perspective of a Marxist scholar. I would recommend it because it is interesting, but not for everyone because it is quite old.
I found the source with the help of a Dominican University librarian after looking up Marxism in the database.
Ollman, Bertell. "Marx's Use of "Class"" The American Journal of Sociology. Vol. 73. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1968. 573-80. JStor. 09 Nov. 2010. Web. <http://www.jstor.org>.
This is an article, or electronic source taken from the book The American Journal of Sociology. The intended audience was students and individuals who are interested in Marxism or are perhaps Marxists themselves. The thesis is that Marx’s utilization and interpretation of class is inextricable with his analyses. The main points are Marx’s definition of class and how that definition leads to his actual ideas which form the Marxist theory.
This article was first published in The American Journal of Sociology, so it is assumed to be a credible source. Bertell Ollman is a professor of politics at New York University. He earned his doctorates at Oxford University. Ollman has written and edited fifteen books, including Alienation: Marx’s Conception of Man in Capitalist Society, Dialectical Investigation and most recently, Dance of the Dialect: Steps in Marx’s Method. Therefore, due to his education and his extensive collection of literature that he wrote about Marxism, he proves to be a credible source. The source was published in 1968 originally, but it is still relevant today. This information came from research from many experts in the field, and they are subsequently cited in his article.
This source was quite helpful. It obviated the main points of Marxism and how the role of class is of utmost importance in the theory of Marxism itself. I will use this to discuss the core themes of Marxism, including class division and the definition of class from Karl Marx. I would recommend this to anyone doing research on Marxism because a better understanding of class, which is the main point of Karl Marx’s theories, is clearly defined and explained.
I found this source by using JStor, which is a database that I came across while browsing through Dominican University Library’s list of databases. I then typed in the key words “Karl Marx” and after reading it, decided that this was a credible and reliable source.
Runkle, Gerald. "Marxism and Charles Darwin" The Journal of Politics Vol. 23, No. 1
(Feb., 1961), pp. 108-126 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Southern Political Science Association http://www.jstor.org/stable/2127074
This is an electronic source from the database JStor. It is an excerpt entitled “Marxism and Charles Darwin” and it was published in “The Journal of Politics”. The intended audience is literary scholars. The thesis is that the publications of evolution, both in different terms, from Charles Darwin and Karl Marx were compared in their new theories and how these theories changed the way ideas were previously thought about and discussed. It is organized into three main questions, or ideas. They are as follows: What opinion did Marx and some of his followers have about Darwin’s work? What influence did Darwin’s work have on Marxism? And finally, What is the logical relation between Darwin’s work and Marxism?
Runkle is a professor of philosophy at Southern Illinois University. He cites many other authorities on the subject and he seems to refer back to them frequently, meaning that he has researched his topic. This article was published in 1961, so it is quite out of date. However, the comparison between Darwinism and Marxism is intriguing and this article connects two extremely influential theories of a particular time period. The information comes from various other studies and refers a lot to experts of the topic. I believe I can trust this source because it is cited in the Journal of Politics which is published by the Cambridge University Press, which is quite a prestigious publishing company.
This source adds to my knowledge because it provides me with a distinct analysis of the impact that the new Marxist way of thinking had on society in that particular point in time. I will use it as more background information to the Marxist theory itself in a more historical context. I would recommend it to other students because I believe that it is interesting to see how these two great men are both alike and different in their innovations.
In order to find this source of information I typed in “Marxism” in the search bar on Jstor, which I accessed through the Dominican University Library’s list of databases. Simkin, John. "Karl Marx: Biography." Spartacus Educational. John Simkin. Web. 06 Nov.
2010. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUmarx.htm>.
This source was a website, or electronic source. It was written for scholars. It is a brief biography of Karl Marx.
The author, John Simkin, is a history teacher who uses the internet to educate students about history. He is an author of several history books including Gandhi, The Vietname War and Race Relations in the United States. This exact source does not contain a publication date, but in Simkin’s biography, it says he launched the site six years ago, which means that this information was recently written.
I will use this to develop upon the personal history of Karl Marx. The website presented me with an overview of his life, not just his theories and ideas. This was new and vital information for the presentation. It is more current than my other sources and deals with Karl Marx on a personal, not political or literary element. I would recommend this source to other students who are researching Marxism and Karl Marx, because it provides some background and perhaps some incite to what sparked these ideas of the Marxist theory.
I found this website by typing in “Karl Marx: Biography” into the Google search bar. This was one of many sites that came up and after consideration and reading it over, I decided that this was the best option.
By: Cassie Stachura
