Revolutionary Socialism
Human Nature
According to Karl Marx we have species essence. This essence differentiates us from other creatures
like animals. He called us ‘creatures of art’ because we chose what we do and this creates a purpose
for our life.
Marx further argued that as a result of capitalism, this species essence was being alienated. This is
because Capitalism removes species essence from the tasks we undertake.
This is for three main reasons which he explained: workers don’t see the fruits of their labour,
workers repeating the same task, and workers being put against each other.
Firstly, workers don’t see the fruits of their labour, this is because they are given a single task which
encompasses about 10% of the creating process. For instance, in a pencil factory a worker may only
be working on the wood and no other process. This is a stark contrast to the pre-industrial work
place where skilled workers would complete the full process from start to finish and therefore have
a connection to what they’re making. Post-industrialisation meant that workers had to work on small
parts of the project and never get to witness it getting finished.
In addition to this, the commodities that workers make are often ones that they themselves cannot
afford to buy, this further alienates them from their work.
Secondly, Marx argued that workers repeating the same task would often got bored and lose touch
with what they were doing. In essence, they lost their creativity because nothing new and innovative
is taking place (this is contrary to our human nature).
Lastly, Marx argued that workers were being put against each other, as a result of this, they would
argue and refuse to cooperate, this goes against the socialist idea of human nature where humans
are fraternal and communal.
Marx argued that humans were plastic creatures, this means that they are able to be moulded by
capitalism. Marx argued that the only reason that workers hadn’t risen up was because their plastic
nature was being moulded by capitalism which created a false consciousness for them.
Economy
Marx, Engels, and Luxemburg argued that the capitalist system should be abolished. This is because
they are revolutionary socialists which means that they fundamentally disagree with capitalism’s
existence.
Although capitalists would argue that capitalism is efficient because it allows workers to work
efficiently, socialists would disagree, they would argue that capitalism creates a ‘false
consciousness’. This consciousness means that workers believe that they are being treated fairly.
This is because humans are plastic. However, workers in reality will work slower because they are
doing something contrary to their human nature. This will make them work less efficiently.
Marx and Engels argued that in contrast, socialism would be the superior system which was equality
of outcome, where workers would have ‘each according to their ability and each according to their
needs’. Happier workers produce more commodities because their human nature would work with
them rather than against them.
Historical materialism is a fundamental principle of Marx which he predicts will be the downfall of
capitalism. There are two aspects of the economic base, the means of production and the relations
of production, in capitalism, the relations of production are owned by selfish factory owners, while
the proletariat (making up parts of the means of production) are being unfairly exploited. The
economic base influences the superstructure of society (the law, philosophy, medicine, politics, and
religion). Through empirical evidence, these workers would see that they are being exploited and
develop class consciousness.
After this class consciousness overthrows the state, there would be a dictatorship of the Proletariat.
They would introduce legislation which would gradually wither away the state and the Bourgeoisie
leading to communism.
While Marx argued that workers in developed countries would be able to develop the necessary
class consciousness, Luxemburg disagreed, she argued that workers would be able to develop class
consciousness in any country if they were given democracy in the workplace. This would allow them
to develop the necessary class consciousness to begins starting mass workers strikes. These strikes
would develop class consciousness which would then in turn be used to start a revolution.
Luxemburg argued that this revolution would need to be followed by elections where common
ownership would be promoted. She argued that ‘life dies within the institution’.
The State and Society
Thinkers such as Marx, Engels, and Luxemburg all believe that the state has to be abolished in a
revolution. This means its complete removal.
Marx believed that the only way to change the way the state operates is by changing the economic
base from capitalism to socialism. This is because the bourgeoisie control the superstructure due to
them having influence in the economic base. Therefore, parliament would never willingly remove
the luxuries provided to the those that control society.
While Marx argued for a complete overhaul of the state after having a revolution (whereby he would
have a dictatorship of the proletariat). This would mean the end of representative democracy in the
UK. The vanguard elite would then take power and introduce socialist reforms. Eventually this will
result in capitalism.
In so dubbed Stalinism and Marxist Leninism the state is large and typically consists of a dictatorship.
The Vanguard elite that are meant to protect the rights of the people just act as another type of
bourgeoisie. Such thinkers would argue that they have to remove the enemies of communism.
However Luxemburg would argue the contrary.
Luxemburg argues that life (democracy) dies in the institution. She believed that after the revolution
there shouldn’t be a vanguard elite, rather, there should be elections again with common ownership
being proposed as a main topic.
The state which would consist of common ownership and workers control would be orientated
around the workers. This would mean the ideal of ‘each according to their ability, to each according
to their need’ is fulfilled.
