Marxist Criticism

 Thinking Activity: Marxist Criticism

Hello Readers! This blog is written in response to the thinking activity assigned by Dr.Dilip Barad sir from the Department of English, MKBU. This blog deals with various western literary theories like Marxism, Feminism, Ecocriticism and Queer theory. In this blog, I will discuss  Marxism and Marxist Criticism.

Introduction:-

Marxism is a socio-economic and political theory, as well as a set of political and economic ideologies, developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the mid-19th century. It serves as the theoretical foundation for communism. 

What is Marxist Criticism ?

Marxist literary criticism is a way of analyzing literature based on Karl Marx's ideas. It explores the relationship between literature and the social and economic conditions in which it was created. Originally, it focused on how literature portrayed workers and classes. Later, it evolved to see literature as a record of historical conditions and a form of knowledge. Like cultural criticism, Marxist literary criticism questions the established literary "canon" and examines how culture and power intersect. For Marxist critics, literature can both reflect and challenge existing power dynamics. Notable 20th-century Marxist literary critics include Georg Lukács, Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Terry Eagleton, Raymond Williams, and Frederic Jameson.

Marxism is a philosophy created by Karl Marx in the 19th century. It explores how capitalism affects labor, productivity, and economic progress. Marx argues that a revolution by the working class is necessary to replace capitalism with communism. In Marxism, the key idea is the ongoing conflict between the capitalists (bourgeoisie) and the workers (proletariat), which is expected to result in a communist revolution.

The key ideas of Marxism :- ( Generated by ChatGPT)

1. Historical Materialism: According to Marx, the development of societies is driven by changes in the mode of production. He argued that historical development is primarily shaped by the struggle between social classes over control of the means of production (such as factories, land, and resources).

2. Class Struggle: Marx believed that human history is characterized by class struggle. In capitalist societies, he identified two primary classes: the bourgeoisie (capitalist class, who own and control the means of production) and the proletariat (working class, who sell their labor to the bourgeoisie).

3. Labor Theory of Value: Marx asserted that the value of a commodity is determined by the amount of socially necessary labor time required to produce it. He argued that the surplus value created by the labor of the proletariat is the source of profit for the capitalist class.

4. Alienation: Marx discussed the concept of alienation, where workers in a capitalist system become estranged from the products of their labor, the labor process itself, their fellow workers, and their human potential. This alienation is seen as a consequence of the capitalist mode of production.

5. Dictatorship of the Proletariat: Marx envisioned a transitional phase between capitalism and communism called the dictatorship of the proletariat. In this phase, the working class would take control of the state apparatus to establish a classless society.

6. Communism:The ultimate goal of Marxism is the establishment of a classless, stateless society known as communism. In this society, the means of production are collectively owned, and the principle "from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" is applied.

While Marxism has had a profound impact on social and political thought and has inspired various political movements, it has also been subject to criticism and has undergone numerous interpretations and adaptations over time. Different individuals and groups have applied and modified Marxist ideas in diverse ways to address specific historical and social contexts.

 In Marxist literary analysis, the course of human history, including social structures, institutions, and thinking, is mainly shaped by changes in how we produce and distribute goods—an aspect known as the mode of material production.

Changes in how we make things also impact the class structure of society, creating dominant and subordinate classes that engage in a struggle for economic, political, and social advantages during each era. Human consciousness is shaped by ideology—the beliefs, values, and ways of thinking through which people understand and explain reality. Ideology, influenced by class interests, serves to legitimize and perpetuate the dominant economic and social class in any historical period.

About Karl Marx:-

Karl Marx (1818–1883) was a German philosopher, economist, and political theorist who laid the foundation for the socio-economic and political ideology known as Marxism. Born in Trier, Prussia (now in western Germany), Marx was the son of a lawyer. He studied law, history, and philosophy at various universities.

Marx's most influential and renowned work is "The Communist Manifesto" (1848), co-written with Friedrich Engels. This seminal document passionately advocates for the overthrow of the capitalist system by the working class, leading to a classless and stateless society – communism.

In his major economic work, "Das Kapital" (Capital), Marx delved into the critique of capitalism. He explored the relationships between labor, value, and profit, presenting his famous Labor Theory of Value. Marx argued that capitalism inherently led to the exploitation of the working class (proletariat) by the owning class (bourgeoisie). He predicted that as capitalism developed, the contradictions and conflicts between these classes would intensify, ultimately culminating in a proletarian revolution.

Base and Superstructure:-

In Karl Marx's ideas, there are two key concepts: base and superstructure. The base includes the materials and resources used to produce what society needs. The superstructure encompasses everything else in society, like culture and institutions. It's a way of understanding how economic factors (base) shape and influence other aspects of a society (superstructure).

Marxist political theory sees history as a continuous battle between two classes: the bourgeoisie (capitalists who own wealth and production) and the proletariat (working class providing labor). In the ideal Marxist society, workers would own the means of production, replacing capitalism through a Communist revolution aimed at overthrowing the bourgeoisie.

What Marxist Critics do ?

1. They make a division between the 'overt' (manifest or surface) and 'covert' (latent or hidden) content of a literary work (much as psychoanalytic critics do) and then relate the covert subject matter of the literary work to basic Marxist themes, such as class struggle, or the progression of society through various historical stages, such as, the transition from feudalism to industrial capitalism.

2. Another method used by Marxist critics is to relate the context of a work to the social-class status of the author. In such cases an assumption is made (which again is similar to those made by psychoanalytic critics) that the author is unaware of precisely what he or she is saying or revealing in the text.

3. A third Marxist method is to explain the nature of a whole literary genre in terms of the social period which 'produced' it. For instance, The Rise of the Novel, by Ian Watt, relates the growth of the novel in the eighteenth century to the expansion of the middle classes during that period.

 4. A fourth Marxist practice is to relate the literary work to the social assumptions of the time in which it is 'consumed', a strategy which is used particularly in the later variant of Marxist criticism known as cultural materialism.

5. A fifth Marxist practice is the 'politicisation of literary form', that is, the claim that literary forms are themselves determined by political circumstance. For instance, in the view of some critics, literary realism carries with it an implicit validation of conservative social structures: for others, the formal and metrical intricacies of the sonnet and the iambic pentameter are a counterpart of social stability, decorum, and order. 

Marxist Criticism in Literary text and Movie:-

George Orwell's Animal Farm:-

"Animal Farm" by George Orwell is a great example of applying Marxist criticism. The story, symbolizing the Russian Revolution, depicts farm animals overthrowing humans. Marxist critics would analyze power dynamics, class struggle, and the rise of a new ruling class (the pigs) resembling capitalism. The unequal distribution of resources, labor exploitation, and the betrayal of ideals in the novella reflect social and economic commentary from a Marxist perspective.

Modern Times - Charlie Chaplin:-

"Modern Times," a film by Charlie Chaplin, can be viewed through a Marxist lens. The movie criticizes industrialization, modernization, and the dehumanizing impact of capitalism. Chaplin's depiction of the challenges faced by the working class and the difficult conditions in factories resonates with Marxist ideas of class conflict and exploitation.

Metropolis :-

"Metropolis," directed by Fritz Lang, delves into class divisions in a dystopian future city. A Marxist criticism analysis of the film highlights the sharp contrast between the affluent elite residing in luxury above ground and the oppressed, exploited working class laboring in harsh conditions below. The movie provides a visual narrative that aligns with Marxist themes of social inequality, economic exploitation, and class struggle.

Conclusion:-

In conclusion, Marxist criticism looks at literature through the perspective of socio-economic class structures, emphasizing power dynamics, oppression, and economic relationships. In essence, it analyzes how literature reflects and interacts with the existing economic and social conditions, bringing attention to the ideological aspects embedded within literary works.

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