Communist Manifesto Questions.docx
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LC 272 Reading Questions Marx/Engels "Communist Manifesto" 1. Summarize the central points of the Manifesto in four sentences. (This is to practice distilling what is absolutely necessary from an article – will help with your writing): Communism is a strong movement that has already gained traction in the present time. Communism seeks to correct the exploitation of the upper class of the lower class. It will accomplish this by abolishing private property, thus equating all those in society. This will help correct the ever- increasing gap between the socio-economic classes that would otherwise lead to economic collapse and civil unrest. 2. According to what category does Marx interpret history? Quickly outline the progression of this history to 1848. Marx starts off speaking about Roman times, the Middle Ages, and then does a quick progression to the progressive current world with its industrial boom. It is deceiving, because Marx foretells so much of the future of industry, including the buildup and eventual collapse of economies around the world, including America, multiple times. 3. How does Marx tie colonialism into his critique? With the colonization of America, the opening of trade routes and development all around the world develop. The rise of America as a world power also influences countries around the world to either join the bourgeoisie system or fail. 4. According to Marx, what are the greatest faults of bourgeois society? Some of the great faults of a bourgeois society include the exploitation of the many for a benefit of the few, the reduction of the individual into a small payment, the increase of supply with decrease in demand, and the steady gap growing between the rich and poor. 5. Who is the proletariat? Who are the bourgeoisie? Proletariats are working class people who are unable to
Transcript of Communist Manifesto Questions.docx
LC 272 Reading Questions
LC 272 Reading Questions
Marx/Engels "Communist Manifesto"
1. Summarize the central points of the Manifesto in four sentences. (This is to practice distilling what is absolutely necessary from an article will help with your writing): Communism is a strong movement that has already gained traction in the present time. Communism seeks to correct the exploitation of the upper class of the lower class. It will accomplish this by abolishing private property, thus equating all those in society. This will help correct the ever-increasing gap between the socio-economic classes that would otherwise lead to economic collapse and civil unrest.
2. According to what category does Marx interpret history? Quickly outline the progression of this history to 1848. Marx starts off speaking about Roman times, the Middle Ages, and then does a quick progression to the progressive current world with its industrial boom. It is deceiving, because Marx foretells so much of the future of industry, including the buildup and eventual collapse of economies around the world, including America, multiple times.
3. How does Marx tie colonialism into his critique? With the colonization of America, the opening of trade routes and development all around the world develop. The rise of America as a world power also influences countries around the world to either join the bourgeoisie system or fail.
4. According to Marx, what are the greatest faults of bourgeois society? Some of the great faults of a bourgeois society include the exploitation of the many for a benefit of the few, the reduction of the individual into a small payment, the increase of supply with decrease in demand, and the steady gap growing between the rich and poor.
5. Who is the proletariat? Who are the bourgeoisie? Proletariats are working class people who are unable to produce anything, and thus they are wage laborers. Bourgeois are the wealthy middle class who own means of production and are employers of wage laborers.
6. Why is the Communist Manifesto an example of utopian/dystopian thought? The present time is the dystopia, and the way to achieve utopia is through communism.
7. According to Marx, how is a communist society better than the bourgeois society? A communist party will not exploit the working class for the benefit of the upper class. More importantly, the abolition of private property will eliminate the upper class and their control upon the many below them.
8. What other kinds of socialists does Marx identify? Feudal Socialism, Petty-Bourgeois Socialism, German Socialism, Conservative Socialism, and Critical-Utopian Socialism and Communism.
