Journal Review: Marx & Collins
Marx, “Estranged Labour”
In this article that I read by Karl Marx entitled “Estranged Labor”, it states that “With the increasing value of the world of things proceeds in direct proportion the devaluation of the world of men (p.31)”. This basically means that the materialistic items being made by workers are considered more valuable than the worker himself. This is because the more labor that the worker puts forth, the more he produces. The world consumes his products and places value on them, rather than the worker who makes the product. And, the products being sold are more expensive or valuable than what the worker is being paid to make the product. A commodity is something that can be bought or sold. Labor turns the worker into a commodity because the worker can be bought. The worker himself becomes property of whatever factory or organization he works for.
In the process of making these material goods, Marx believes that the worker becomes estranged or alienated. This is because the worker makes the products but isn’t able to keep it. The worker is also alienated from labor or the act of production because he puts time and labor into making the product. He is alienated from the nature of the material since he has no direct contact with the materials as they began in their natural forms, coming from the earth. He is also separated from himself his own emotions and feelings and since he must conduct himself according to the company policies.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “Class Struggle”
All history has to do with class struggle because there has always been an oppressor (ruler) and people being oppressed, which causes the oppressed people to struggle for more power and the oppressors to try to retain power. This struggle for power is present in every society, and is the cause for class distinction. Marx and Engels give the history of the class struggle by stating that in the beginning there was primitive capitalism which didn’t involve class or
In this article that I read by Karl Marx entitled “Estranged Labor”, it states that “With the increasing value of the world of things proceeds in direct proportion the devaluation of the world of men (p.31)”. This basically means that the materialistic items being made by workers are considered more valuable than the worker himself. This is because the more labor that the worker puts forth, the more he produces. The world consumes his products and places value on them, rather than the worker who makes the product. And, the products being sold are more expensive or valuable than what the worker is being paid to make the product. A commodity is something that can be bought or sold. Labor turns the worker into a commodity because the worker can be bought. The worker himself becomes property of whatever factory or organization he works for.
In the process of making these material goods, Marx believes that the worker becomes estranged or alienated. This is because the worker makes the products but isn’t able to keep it. The worker is also alienated from labor or the act of production because he puts time and labor into making the product. He is alienated from the nature of the material since he has no direct contact with the materials as they began in their natural forms, coming from the earth. He is also separated from himself his own emotions and feelings and since he must conduct himself according to the company policies.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, “Class Struggle”
All history has to do with class struggle because there has always been an oppressor (ruler) and people being oppressed, which causes the oppressed people to struggle for more power and the oppressors to try to retain power. This struggle for power is present in every society, and is the cause for class distinction. Marx and Engels give the history of the class struggle by stating that in the beginning there was primitive capitalism which didn’t involve class or