The concept of Marxian Marxism, developed by Karl Marx (1818-1883), is based on the idea that the distribution of wealth, power, and resources in society is inherently and deeply unequal. Marx posited that the ultimate source of this inequality lies in the economic relations through which people obtain the resources necessary for their survival. According to Marx, the capitalist class, which holds the majority of the economic resources in society, exploits the working class by pushing down wages and extracting a surplus in the form of profits. As a result of this economic exploitation, Marx argued that the working class is permanently excluded from political, social, and economic power. In order to achieve a more equitable society, Marx believed that the capitalist class must be overthrown and replaced by a new revolutionary class—the proletariat—who would be able to bring about the needed changes from below.
The central components of Marxian Marxism are the concepts of class struggles and interpretation of history through materialist dialectics. Marx believed that class struggle was the primary force driving historical change, and that it is inevitable as long as classes exist in society. According to Marx, class struggle occurs when members of different classes struggle for access to resources, such as food, shelter, and employment. It is through these conflicts between classes that societies evolve, with new technologies and ideologies being shaped in response to the demands of the various classes.
Additionally, Marx sought to explain history through materialist dialectics. This is the idea that the material conditions of society give rise to the ideological superstructure of society. Thus, the material economic relations between the different classes of society shapes the way those classes interact with each other. This dialectic between material conditions and ideas shapes history and is the fundamental driving force behind historical change.
Marxs conception of socialism was based on his idea of the classless society. He believed that the only way to achieve a more equitable society was to dismantle the capitalist class structure, and replace it with a society in which everyone has equal access to resources and power—a society without classes. He envisioned socialism as a transitional stage between capitalism and communism, in which people work cooperatively rather than competitively to produce the goods necessary for collective well-being.
Marxian Marxism has been hugely influential in the political landscape, providing intellectual support for socialist, communist, and labor movements around the world. Through its focus on class consciousness and its analysis of the material conditions of society, Marx’s theories helped to explain the causes of social and economic disparities, and continue to provide a framework for understanding and addressing these issues.
