Solutions Offered by Marxist Theory

8/18/2019 Solutions Offered by Marxist Theory

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THE MARXIST THEORY

The import of the Marxian theory as far as achieving basic needs for all is concerned is that only

if organized labour leads the other poor strata in actions can meaningful changes occur in living

standards.

Hyman (197! explains that capitalism constitutes a complex of "or# and social relations of

production. The main features of the capitalist structure of "or# relations consist of the

follo"ing$ private o"nership of productive forces% concentration of o"nership in the hands of a

small minority& the obligation of the ma'ority of society to sell their labour po"er as a

commodity% the domination of profit as the fundamental motive of economic activity% and top

do"n hierarchical control over production processes by the fe" o"ners or their managerial

representatives. The structure of the capitalist "or# relations thus presents an exploitative

relationship ) the "ages and salaries paid to the employees represent only a portion of the value

they collectively produce. The remainder is appropriated by the employer as profit. The

capitalist context of production is therefore an inherently conflictual class relation. *iven the

employee status (as opposed to a producer status! of the "or#er in the capitalist context of

production& the "or#ers& individually and collectively& are alienated from having a say in "hat is

produced (product or service!& ho" "hat is produced is produced (that is& the process! and

deciding on the allocation of resources or profit& the surplus value.

+ased on the capitalist structure of "or# relations& Marxists consider that capitalist societies are

increasingly characterized by t"o ma'or antagonistic classes& defined by their economic status.

These are the ruling class (capitalists! and the sub'ectclass ("or#ers!. ,apitalists o"n and-or

control the means of production& distribution& consumption and exchange& as "ell as the means

of political domination. The "or#ers on the other hand are the subordinate class "ho neither o"n

nor control significant property& but are sub'ected to the servitude of the interest of the ruling

class& and is thereby politically& economically& and socially exploited and dominated.


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+u#harin explains that based on the exploitative and conflictual class relationship& the capitalist

system is by nature a violent system. ny system based on the exploitation of the over"helming

ma'ority by a tiny minority can only survive by repressing the other class violently. system

that thrives by the imposition of the interests of the minority on the entire society can only

engender social chaos& turbulence and "ar. To +u#harin& the capitalist society is unthin#able

"ithout armaments& as it is unthin#able "ithout "ars. He posits that "ar is nothing but another

method of competition at a specific level of development and that conflictual economic interests

give rise to the inevitability of the existence of arms and "ars (/ee IST in Africa& 07!

The Marxian theory of the state maintains that the state is an instrument of class domination.

2hichever class "ields political po"er uses it to advance the interests of its members by

oppressing the other class. 3n a capitalist society& the state is 4the executive committee of the

bourgeoisie5% it protects the property of the capitalist classes and adopts "hatever policies&

including violence& to sustain the status6uo. 2ithin the capitalist context& the propertyless class

is taught to understand that it is in its interest& and "ithin the limits of its capability& to revolt& in

the striving to defend its interests by fighting against political and-or economic exclusion. Hence&

to Marx and ngels& classes see# to protect the self interests of their members$

The bourgeoisie …has left remaining no other neus bet!een man and man than

na"ed self#interest$ than callous %cash pa&ment'( It has dro!ned the most hea)enl&

ecstasies of religious fer)or$ of chil)arous enthusiasm$ of philistine sentimentalism$ in

the ic& !ater of egotistical calculation *Mar and Engels$ +,--./01(

8riedrich ngels expresses similar idea in explaining that social classes pursue the selfinterest of

their members$


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2are#faced co)etousness !as the mo)ing spirit of ci)ili3ation from its da!n to the

present da&4 !ealth$ and again !ealth$ and for the third time !ealth4 !ealth$ not of

societ&$ but of the pun& indi)idual !as its onl& and final aim *cited in 2ober$ +,56.701(

The foregoing underscores the reality of life that in class societies$ the ruling class struggles to

retain political po!er and protect the economic !ealth of its members !hile the

epropriated$ the disad)antaged are compelled to struggle to end their eploitation and

repression( Therefore& the source of de)elopment and general !ellbeing of the ordinar&

people in a capitalist societ& li"e 8igeria is not the ruling class but organi3ed labour 9 both

the !aged and un!aged !hen the& form :oint platforms for struggles( That is "hy #e

(199$:;! argues that de)elopment is agencdetermined$ 4somebody has to determine that

development is desirable& that a particular #ind of development should be pursued and in a

particular #ind of manner5. This sho"s that desirability of development& the #ind of development

and the manner of attainment are neither accidental nor ob'ectively determined. ccording to

#e (199!& since the capitalist state is a specific modality of capitalist domination& the abilit& to

maintain the capitalist hegemon& on societ& and the capacit& of the dominated and

oppressed classes to deplo& effecti)e counter force in reaction to their domination goes a

long !a& to condition the possibilit& of de)elopment. The degree of resistance put up by the

dominated tends to determine the extent to "hich the state uses scarce resources& "hich should

have been invested in developmental programs into maintaining opulence for the bourgeoisie and

building the arsenal of terror and a militarized state.

8rom the Marxian perspective& the State$ contrar& to the claim of pluralist ad)ocates$ is not

an organisation for the interest of the !hole societ& but an instrument to coerce and


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Solutions Offered by Marxist Theory

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