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| KARL MARX (1818 - 1883) |
Karl Marx, the main pioneer of the idea of "scientific socialism" was born in 1818 in the city of Trier, Germany, his father a lawyer and at age seventeen Karl entered the University of Bonn, also studied law. Later he moved to the University of Berlin and then to his PhD in philosophy from the University of Jena.
Whether it was more interested, Marx throw themselves into the world of journalism and soon became editor of the Rheinische Zeitung in Cologne. However, radical political views who dragged him into the different kinds of trouble and forced him to move to Paris. That's where he first met with Friedrich Engels first. The rope of friendship and equality binding on both the political views of these people as a single bi until his death.
Marx could not long stay in Paris and immediately kicked from there and had to carry suitcases to move to Brussels. In this city, in 1847 he first published his thoughts are important and big The poverty of philosophy (philosophy of Poverty). The following year joined hands together with Friedrich Engels published their Communist Manifesto, a book that eventually became the reading world. In the same year Marx returned to Cologne to then expelled again from there only every few months. After there were displaced displaced here, Marx finally crossed the Strait of Canal and settled in London until his death.
Although there are only a little money in koceknya thanks to the work of journalism, Marx spent a large amount of his time in London to investigate and write books about politics and economics. (In those years Marx and relatives can help the cost of living than her closest comrade Friedrich Engels). The first volume of Das Kapital, Marx's most important scientific papers published in 1867. When Marx died in 1883, two volumes of the connections are not yet fully completed. Both volumes were compiled and published the connections oIeh Engels hold on the notes and manuscripts left by Marx.
Works of Marx formulated the theoretical basis of Communism. Judging from the extraordinary growth of this movement in the 20th century, it's worth if he gets a place in high order this book. The problem is, how high?
The main factor for this decision is the calculation of long-term significance in the history of Communist. Since the growth of Communism as an integral part of contemporary history, was a little difficult to determine accurately the perspective of its future. Although no one was able to ascertain how much Communism can grow and how long this ideology could survive, which is certain he is strong and resilient as well as ideology rooted menghunjam to earth, and has certainly had a major influence in the world for at least the next few centuries .
At present, about a century after Marx's death, the number of people who at least influenced by Marxism has nearly 1.3 billion number. The number of adherents is larger than the number of adherents of any ideology in human history. Not just the absolute numbers, but also as a group of the whole population of the world. This resulted in the Communists, and also some non-Communists, believed that in the future can not but Marxism will grab victory in the entire world. However, it is difficult to establish the truth in the belief that no bergoyah. There have been many examples of the ideology that seems very significant influence in its time but eventually wither and fade. (The religion founded by Mani could be an interesting example). If we retroactively to 1900, would seem clear that constitutional democracy is the current that would be a fad of the future. Hold on to hope, it seems that way, but now no more people who believe everything has happened as the original image.
Now concerning Communism. Put a person believes so and know exactly how great the influence of Communists in the world today and in the future world, yet people still question the significance of Karl Marx in the Communist movement. Politics of the Soviet government now seems to not supervised by the works of Marx, who wrote the basics of mind like Hegel's dialectic style and the theory of "surplus value." The theories that seem little influence in the practice of rotation of the wheels of government politics of the Soviet Union, both domestic and foreign politics.
Communism today focuses on four ideas: (1) Learn a little small the rich live in luxury in abundance, while the workers are very numerous lives miserable wallowing papa. (2) How to dismantle this injustice is by way of carrying out the socialist system, a system where the means of production controlled by the state rather than by a private individual. (3) In general, only the most practical way to implement the socialist system is through violent revolution. (4) To maintain the continuity of the socialist system should be governed by a dictatorship of the Communist Party in a reasonable period of time.
Three of the first idea was hatched by clear before Marx. While the fourth idea comes from Marx's notion of the "dictatorship of the proletariat." Meanwhile, the duration of the validity of the Soviet dictatorship is now more a result of the steps of Lenin and Stalin than the ideas of Marx. This seems to lead to the assumption that the influence of Marx on Communism is smaller than the actual reality, and the appreciation people have of his writings more like just etalasi to justify the nature of "scholarly" than the ideas and politics that have been implemented and accepted.
While there may be truth to that notion, but it seems too excessive. Lenin for example, do not just consider themselves to follow the teachings of Marx, but he really read it, live it, and accept it. He's convinced that dilimpahkannya road just above the rail that stretched Marx. So also happened to Mao Tse Tung and other Communist leaders. It is true, Marx's ideas may have been misunderstood and interpreted in another, but this sort of thing also applies to the teachings of Jesus or Buddha or Islam. If all the Chinese government's political base and the Soviet Union departed directly from the works of Marx, he would get a higher level of order in this book list.
It may be argued that Lenin, the practical politician who actually founded the Communist state, holds a large stake in terms of building Communism as an ideology is so great influence in the world. This opinion makes sense. Lenin's really an important figure. But, in my opinion, the writings of Marx's such a great influence on the mind not only Lenin but also other Communist leaders, which obviously has more important position.
Also there is an opportunity to debate whether the award of terumusnya Marxism does not have to be divided between Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. They both write the "Communist Manifesto" and Engels clearly had a profound influence on the final settlement of Das Kapital. Though each wrote a book in its own name individually but they are so intimate intellectual cooperation so that the overall results can be regarded as a masterpiece together. Indeed, Marx and Engels is treated as a unit in this book, although that included only the name of Marx because (I think I am right) he is considered the dominant partner in a broad sense.
Finally, often accused person that the Marxist theory in economics is very bad and a lot wrong. Of course, many specific allegations proved Marx wrong. For example, Marx predicted that the capitalist countries the workers will be more protracted in the course of time. Clearly, this prediction is not proven. Marx also takes into account that the medium will be swept away and most people will get into the proletarian class, and few who can rise up and enter the capitalist class. It was certainly never proven. Marx also seems to believe, the increasing mechanization will reduce the profits of the capitalists, the trust is not only wrong but it also looks stupid. But, regardless of whether economic theory is right or wrong, all it has nothing to do with the influence of Marx. The importance of a philosopher lies not in his opinion but the truth lies in the question of whether the fruit of his mind has moved people to act or not. Measured from this angle, no doubt the significance of Karl Marx had a wonderful wonderful.
