An Overview of Capitalism Using the Method of Marxism

An Overview of Capitalism Using the Method of Marxism Marxian theories against capitalism Historical materialism Marx’s theory of historical materialism, inspired by Hegel’s phenomenology, stated that both human societies and cultural institutions resulted from economic activity. Unlike Hegel who stated that abstract ideas were the cause of change, however, Marx proposed that material, economic forces, and their relationship with the natural, biological and physical world, were the determining proponents of dialectical change. History rests in the internal contradictions in the system of material production (producing what people need for survival), and other factors that have influenced society, such as geographical movement and growth of population, were not as determinant as the mode of production. Any changes in the material and economic conditions of a society also imply changes in its social relations. Social change, then, resulted from internal conflicts in a society’s economy. The social reality determines human consciousness. The mode of production is composed of two aspects: the productive forces and men’s relations of production. The productive forces include the instruments of production wherewith material values needed for survival, such as food, clothing, shelter, fuel, etc., are produced and the people who use these instruments in the production of material values through their production experience and labor skill. Men’s relations of productions, on the other hand, refer to the relations the people make with each other during production. These may come in the form of cooperation and mutual help, and in domination and subordination. Marx regarded revolutions not as political accidents, but manifestations of the historical progress of societies. Revolutions occur when modes of production â€Å"mature†, or contradict themselves to the point that they eventually collapse. Marx recounts human history in terms of four modes of production. The first mode of production, named asiatic, was considered as primitive communism, It was characterized by a communal ownership of land and essential economic resources. This mode of production was phased out when physically stronger people instituted the concept of private property. The ancient mode of production gave authority to people with physical, political and material strength – the masters while the non-owning class were slaves. Slaves were treated as commodities and made to engage in torturous menial and physical labor. This started a revolution of the slaves against their masters. The feudal mode of production was characterized, again, by two classes: feudal lords and serfs. Lords owned the land, and their job was to lease land and employ agricultural labor in their lands. The serfs worked in the lands and paid taxes in exchange for the lords’ protection. Like in the ancient mode of production, the serfs revolted against the lords. Industrialism grew becaus e of the revolution. Finally, the capitalistic mode of production, and the one Marx was most bothered with, caused the migration from rural to urban areas. There were two working classes as well: the bourgeoisie, who owned most of society’s wealth and means of production, and the proletariats, who rendered service for survival. Marx wanted that the exploitation present since the ancient mode of production would dispel, and so proposed socialism and communism. Socialism is the beginning stage wherein society is classless, while communism is the final stage wherein equality has been thoroughly implemented and private property and ownership are absent. Alienation The Marxist definition of alienation means that man does not experience himself as the acting agent in his grasp of the world, but that the world remains alien to him. The process of alienation is expressed in work and the division of labor, especially due to the emergence of capitalism and private property. Eventually, labor rules over the man and becomes a power independent of its producer. Man’s identity and consciousness of himself and his world becomes marred. â€Å"The object produced by labor, its product, now stands opposed to it as an alien being, as a power independent of the producer. The product of labor is labor which has been embodied in an object and turned into a physical thing; this product is an objectification of labor† Marx seeks the liberation of man from labor that destroys his individuality through his criticism of capitalism. Capitalist production, according to him, transforms the relations of individuals into qualities of things, and exploits its producers like machines through aliented labor. He differentiates proper work and alienated labor as thus: â€Å"Man no longer reproduces himself merely intellectually, as in consciousness, but actively and in a real sense, and he sees his own reflection in a world which he has constructed. While, therefore, alienated labor takes away the object of production from man, it also takes away his species life, his real objectivity as a species-being, and changes his advantage over animals into a disadvantage in so far as his inorganic body, nature, is taken from him. Just as alienated labor transforms free and self-directed activity into a means, so it transforms the species life of man into a means of physical existence. Consciousness, which man has from his species, is transformed through alienation so that species life becomes only a means for him. Alienation also leads to the perversion of moral values, as man is too conscious of economy’s values gain, work, thrift and sobriety to develop virtues. Due to the rising importance of commodities and money, for every new product, the potential for deceit and robbery grows. The alienated man only knows one way of relating himself to the world: through having and consuming it. He becomes more needy for money and possessions, and watches for signs of weaknesses in which he can maximize his gain. Class Consciousness Class consciousness is recognizing that the different interests and conditions of living between the two classes (bourgeois and proletariat) define their relationship with each other. This occurs when there is awareness from the working class that the conditions of labor and living of their class was created by the upper class. Once this happens, the working class becomes the enemy of the upper class. There are six features of class consciousness, although it was not Marx, but Bertell Ollman, who came up with them. The first feature pertains to the subjective and objective identity and interests of membership in a class. â€Å"Subjective† refers to what people think about their class situation, while â€Å"objective† refers to how the classes actually worked as seen in historical development, The second feature is that people must be knowledgeable about how capitalism works, either to benefit or deter them. The third feature pertains to the â€Å"broad outlines of class struggle and where one fits into it†. The fourth feature pertains to the solidarity with other members of the same class, which are exemplified by worker unions and revolts. The fifth feature is a â€Å"rational hostility† towards the opposing class. The last feature pertains to having a â€Å"vision of a more democratic and egalitarian society that is not only possible but is a condition individuals can help bring about.†

The History of Socially Desirable Female Body Types Essay

The History of Socially Desirable Female Body Types - Essay Example Personally, my fixation is for those round ones. They not only resemble the full luminescent moon but overdrive the imagination with pictures of the full frame all its glory. Poets swooned. Cleopatra is reputed to have had the most attractive face - one that launched a thousand ships of war! The desire to be thin is widespread among women. Many starve themselves almost to death in the quest for the thin, graceful frame. However, I am of the view that majority of my fellow males will agree that there is something divine about the layers of flesh and soft skin and their contour that make the female extraordinarily fabulous. (Ximena A Ramirez). To me, the peach and cream skin or the golden color is the most arresting. Not to say that the colored or black fare any worse. Given the right proportion and features, they could be equally magnetizing. Thanks to the herbals, the cosmetics, the Fair and Lovely creams and lotions, they all look scintillating in the light. The female figure has been the object of famous artists, sculptors and architects. The female bust may consist of flesh, blood, muscles and glands. But the rounded shape, the graceful ebb and flow of her movements, create their own impact and envy. Since ancient times, the form of women have been embellished and preserved through art and dances. (Kapila Vatsyayan). Year after year, prized beauties vie for beauty crowns that are there for the best combination of beauty and brains. The present day wonder, Jennifer Lopez's anatomical assets are insured in cool millions! (Stephen Wilson). Conclusion Movie makers and advertisers rake in millions by depicting female silhouettes in countless poses, outfits, angles, coverings, hiding something here and there, and arousing emotions and imaginations. The males may be stronger and more muscular. But in aesthetics and grace, the female body wins the prize, hands down! Sources: Kapila Vatsyayan, A Holistic Eye On Cultural Interface and Synergy, Across the Himalayan Gap, http://ignca.nic.in/ks_41014.htm. Natural Complexion & Body Bars, Alpine Naturals, http://www.alpinenaturals.com/complexionbars.html. Stephen Wilson, Excerpts from Information Arts: Intersections of Art, Science, and Technology, San Francisco State University, http://userwww.sfsu.edu/swilson/papers/wilson.body.infoarts.html. Ximena A Ramirez, Thin is In, An Analysis of Media Endorsed Ideals of Physical Attractiveness and Their Affects on College-Aged Women, A Senior Honor's Thesis, Department of Communication, Boston College, May 2007, http://www.bc.edu/schools/cas/communication/meta-elements/pdf/thesis07.ramirez.pdf. Pictures: Complexion, Warm & Fuzzy, http://www.istockphoto.com/imageindex/432/0/432062. Figures, Rock Painting of Female Figures, http://www.srilanka.fr/imagebank/sigiriya/pages/Rock%20Painting%20of%20Female%20Figures.htm. The first crush, Demi Moore, IMDB, The Internet Movie Database, http://www.imdb.com/media/rm4085684224/nm0000193.

Describe slavery in the US especial black women in bondage .use Essay

Describe slavery in the US especial black women in bondage .use annotated bliliography that include primary and secondary source - Essay Example Through the mid-19th century, westward expansion of America, beside with a rising abolition movement in North-America would arouse a long discussion over slavery that could have divided the nation during the American Civil War (1861-65). After the end of this bloody war, though the Union’s victory freed four million slaves of the nation, but the inheritance of slavery sustained to influence the history of America, from the chaotic years of Reconstruction (1865-77) to the movement of civil rights (1960s), that came out a century after the end of slavery. Slavery in America In beginning of the seventeenth century, European colonists of Jamestown Virginia, in North America were the first who turned towards African slaves. (Alexander, and Rucker  55-56) These slaves were considered as a cheaper, extra hard working alternative of indenture servants. ("Slavery and Indentured Servants:Law Library of Congress.") These indenture servants were mostly poorer Europeans. Twenty African m en and women were transported by a Dutch ship to a British colony, slavery stretch all over the American colonies. Although it is not possible to give exact number, it is estimated by some historians that around six to seven million slaves were transported to the New World during the eighteenth century alone, divesting the continent of Africa from large number of its healthy and able men and women. Both men and women slaves experienced an equally devastating time. Both were deprived from a family and land of origin. Together were forced to carry out tough labor, subjected to psychological and physical humiliation, and were also denied of their very basic rights. During slavery these men and women were beaten cruelly, divided from loved ones randomly, and despite of gender, treated as private property in the eyes of the law.   African Women Early on, females slave were available to buyers in the colonies for working on their fields. These female slaves were available lower prices. Actually, skillful labor, like carpentry and blacksmith, was allotted only to men slaves; that further reduced the number of black men available for agriculture work. As an outcome, men were outnumbered in the field by women slaves.   On farms having a small agricultural area, only women slaves were forced to perform labor equal to men slaves. On large farms, field and plantations, work was divided amongst both genders, while male groups were given physically tough tasks. Commonly, men were assigned plowing while women were given hoed task. Motherhood of Enslaved Women Major role of women in Africa was that of mother. While in slavery, this primary role of African womanhood was dishonored. Inside the plantation system of America in the 18th century, women slaves during their pregnancy were considered as an economical advantage for their masters as a number of labor pool are multiplied. (Gilchrist) While in Africa birth of a child brought in respect for these black women. The avera ge age of enslaved woman giving first birth was nineteen years old and afterward, used to give a new birth every two years. As this cycle was advocated by the master, was also benefiting the mother. During pregnancy, she was given more food and lower working hours. She was also no likely to be sold as tested fertility made her more precious for her master Harassing the Dignity of Black Women Black women slaves were expected to