Poli 64 Modern Political Thought

1. Poli 64 Modern Political Thought TURN YOUR PHONE OFF! November 17 1558  Elizabethan Age begins Queen Mary I, the monarch of England and Ireland since 1553, dies and is succeeded by her 25-year-old half-sister, Elizabeth. The two half-sisters, both daughters of King Henry VIII, had a stormy relationship during Mary's five-year reign. Mary, who was brought up as a Catholic, enacted pro-Catholic legislation and made efforts to restore the pope to supremacy in England. A Protestant rebellion ensued, and Queen Mary imprisoned Elizabeth, a Protestant, in the Tower of London on suspicion of complicity. After Mary's death, Elizabeth survived several Catholic plots against her; though her ascension was greeted with approval by most of England's lords, who were largely Protestant and hoped for greater religious tolerance under a Protestant queen. Under the early guidance of Secretary of State Sir William Cecil, Elizabeth repealed Mary's pro-Catholic legislation, established a permanent Protestant Church of England, and encouraged the Calvinist reformers in Scotland.

3. QUIZ: Which of the following is NOT one of the original Marx Brothers? Zeppo Karl Harpo Groucho Harpo Answer: CHICO Groucho Zeppo Quiz bonus: Which Marx Brother is missing?

4. KARL MARX Important dates: 1818 born in Trier, Germany 1841 Doctorate from U. Jena 1842 Newspaper editor, Bonn 1843 Moves to Paris, meets Engels (“Paris Manuscripts”) 1845 Moves to Belgium (“German Ideology” 1846) (“Communist Manifesto 1848) 1849 Moves to London (Writes “later” works, including “Capital”) 1883 dies. Buried in Highgate Cemetery Important concepts: Critique Class Materialism Labor Dialectic Communism Alienation

5. Central themes in the socialist tradition “Communism” is an ideal with a long history, stretching back (at least) to Plato and early Christianity. “Communism” implies common holding and equal sharing of material goods and social authority “Socialism” is a particularly modern tradition of the communist ideal. “Socialism” is a communal ideology for modern, mass, industrial societies. Philosophical foundations: 1. Critique of existing society Moral critique: present as “unjust” Material critique: present as “inefficient” 2. Belief in human perfectibility Moral critique: change “hearts and minds” Material critique: change institutions and practices 3. Belief in virtues of communal life Pastoral vision: small, face to face, self-sufficient communities Technocratic vision: large, technologically advanced communities 4. Belief in revolutionary change Non-violent ideal: change by protest and education Violent ideal: change by open violent conflict 5. Internationalism National differences/identities replaced by class differences/identities

6. The presuppositions of Marx’s Materialist Conception of History 1. A dialectical philosophy of history (Hegel’s legacy) o    History as progressive realization of reason o    Realization of reason through dissolution of alienation o    Historical change as overcoming of contradictions

7. The presuppositions of Marx’s Materialist Conception of History 1. A dialectical philosophy of history (Hegel’s legacy)   2. A historical materialist theory o    Against idealism (against Hegel) o Against “essentialist” materialism (against Feuerbach) o    Human nature is historical §     What makes humans capable of “history” is the human capacity for labor ·     (NB: contrast “human” and “natural” history) §     Realization of reason is the dissolution of conditions ofalienated labor §  Historical progress is driven by overcoming of material contradictions between realities and possibilities of productive activity

8. The presuppositions of Marx’s Materialist Conception of History 1. A dialectical philosophy of history   2. A historical materialist theory 3. A critical theory or form of critique (Ideologiekritik) o    A “scientific” theory with practical, political intent. Dimensions: Descriptive: Analysis of social formations Explanatory: Analysis of social change Practical: Analysis of capitalist society

9. Marx’s Materialist Conception of History Descriptive: What is society, how is it structured? Society = “Mode of Production” Causal effects? Ideology Superstructure OR Relations of production Base Forces (means) of production Analytical points: Base “conditions” superstructure “Ruling ideas” reflect interests of “ruling class” Revolutionary change: resolving the “primacy puzzle”

10. Marx’s Materialist Conception of History Explanatory: How do societies change? Conditions of change subjective objective Forces change Crisis Revolutionaryconsciousness Stability Logic of change: Revolution material class ideological Contradictions Analytical points: Ruling classes try to “fetter” development of productive forces Revolutionary classes try to advance development of productive forces Revolutions can only succeed when all necessary conditions are present

11. Marx’s Materialist Conception of History Practical: How can we emancipate ourselves? Prerequisite of action: knowledge of historical possibilities The development of human societies Social structure Material conditions “Mode of production” Pre-class/classless Extreme scarcity “primitive” communism Unequal scarcity Ancient Class based Feudal Capitalist Early capitalism Artificial scarcity Late capitalism Post-class/classless Abundance Communism

12. Marx’s Materialist Conception of History Practical: How can we emancipate ourselves? Prerequisite of action: knowledge of historical possibilities Analytical points: Historical progress advances development of productive forces Capitalism enables – and is – the realization of the possibility of abundance Historical change “simplifies” class structures In capitalism, classes are “reduced” to 2: those who own, and those who work the means of production. Relations are “reduced” to economic exploitation Capitalism must be overthrown for progress – and freedom – to be realized. Capitalism is the first mode of production predicated on the development of productive forces. Capitalism cannot continue by developing productive forces.

13. Marx’s critique of capitalism Capitalism is self-subverting: The premise of capitalist production is continuous development of productive forces, BUT The social relations of capitalism cannot sustain continued development of productive forces The logic of capitalist production “Capital” (productive capacity) has two components: “Constant” capital (resources, tools, machinery); “Variable” capital (human labor) Process of competition: 1. Goal of capitalist: maximization of profit. Means: raise prices and/or cut costs 2. Competition makes price raising untenable; costs must be cut 3. Cost cutting achieved by reducing “variable” expenses, increasing ratio of “constant” expenses to “variable” expenses 4. Successful firms are “efficient” – producing more for less

14. Marx’s critique of capitalism Process of competition (continued): 5. Effects on social relations: for capitalists, “proletarianization”; for workers, “emiseration” 6. Effects on productive activity: Concentration of capital: growth of monopolies Contraction of markets: less wealth available for consumption of products Decline of profits, further sharpening of competition CRISIS OF “OVERPRODUCTION” Repeated cycling of process 7. Solution to crises of overproduction: Suppress demand (“dictatorship of bourgeoisie”) and/or suppress production Capitalism cannot enable the continued development of productive forces, or the realization of freedom for all. Capitalism is “self-subverting.”

15. The effects of “alienated labor” (or, the moral dimension of the material critique) • Alienation from the product of labor (products become commodities, and • objects “control” people) 2. Alienation from the process of labor (labor becomes “work,” controlled by others) 3. Alienation from one’s “species being” (labor is stripped of individual meaning;relations between individuals are stunted, mediated by objects) 4. Alienation from other laborers (labor becomes basis of competition) The point of Marx’s account of alienation: In conditions of scarcity, alienation is inevitable. In conditions of abundance, alienation is inefficient – and morally reprehensible

16. Marx on Communism Transitional stage: “Socialism” – the “dictatorship of the proletariat” -- “The only way for individuals to control modern universal interaction is to make it subject to the control of all” -- The proletariat is the “universal class”; its interest is the interest of freedom for all -- Working class uses state power to suppress the interests of the bourgeoisie, and eliminate the vestiges of capitalist social relations -- As the need for class competition decreases, the state “withers away” Communism: The end of “prehistory” and the beginning of human freedom -- “The administration of things replaces the administration of men” -- “The free development of each is the condition for the free development of all” -- A “Society of free social individuals” -- In a condition of abundance and freedom, the principle of production and distribution should be “From each according to his ability, to each according to his need” The failure of Marxism in practice: Bad theory or inappropriate application?