Book Review: "Karl Marx" by Allen W. Wood
The biographical information on Marx' life is a very small percentage of this volume, but it does give the reader a good idea of his background and early education that led to the development of his ideas and philosophies. His expulsion from both Paris and Germany led to his settlement in London, where he did the bulk of his work.Marx helped found the International Working Men's Association in 1864, which helped spread the ideals of socialism and anti-capitalism. Eventually these ideas spread around the world and led to the formation of labor unions in many areas, including the United States. They also led to the rise of socialist mentality in Russia, leading eventually to the formation of the Soviet Union and the overthrow of the royal family.Another important observation is the close friendship between Marx and Friedrich Engels, the philosopher. The pair collaborated on many books, and Engels helped Marx financially when he was unable to make a living after settling in London. Of course, one of the most important historiographical observations consists of the fall of the Soviet Union in 1999, and its relationship to Marxist philosophy. The author maintains Marx encouraged anti-capitalism, rather than abject socialism
This helps explain the Marxian idea of labor movements, which attempted to end the hostile relations in the workplace by organizing the workers and making them part of the industry, rather than adversarial toward it. This might be surprising to some, but the author's explanation that Marx expected socialism to spread throughout Europe in order for it survive seems plausible. His life was difficult, and he did not live to see the changes throughout Europe as countries began to embrace his socialistic beliefs. In conclusion, Marx was a revolutionary of his time, and his ideas, although often dismissed, are still controversial and thought provoking today. On alienation, the author writes of Marxist thought, "Workers are said to be deprived of, and hence 'alienated' (separated) from their products; they stand in an 'alien' (hostile) relation to the environment in which they work, and they experience the labor they perform as 'alien' to them (indifferent or inimical to their natural human desires and aspirations)" (Wood 3). Today's society seems much more interested in "matter" or materials, than in spirit, and that may explain many of society's modern woes. , and so, would not have been surprised to see the fall of the Soviet Union (Wood xxvi). The author is more critical of Marx in the Marx and morality section of the book. Of historical materialism, the author notes, "The central claim of historical materialism is that people's economic behavior, their 'mode of production in material life', is the 'basis' of their social life generally, that this 'economic basis' generally 'conditions' or 'determines' both the society's remaining institutions, and the prevalent ideas or forms of social consciousness" (Wood 63). He writes, "Marx may exhibit his acceptance of certain values in the course of attacking capitalism, but he seldom reflects on what these values are, or on how they might be justified philosophically" (Wood 127). Indeed, this also seems to be a characteristic of modern society, which Marx may have predicted with his ideas on capitalism and its evils. Probably the most important factual information in the book discusses Marx' life and his philosophical beliefs, which guided a nation for decades. Today, this idea seems especially valid, as many people identify with their jobs (or production), and they are the central focus of their lives and social institutions. However, his ideas did not damped capitalism, and in fact, today it seems more entrenched in society than ever before.
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