Marxist Anthropology: Key Concepts and Social Impact
Anthropology of Marx
Karl Marx was born in 1818 in Trier, Rhineland, Prussia, and died in 1883. He was a 19th-century philosopher influential in social, economic, and political fields. His main influences include:
- The Left Hegelians, including Ludwig Feuerbach, whose materialistic turn influenced Marx’s philosophy and introduced the concept of alienation in the religious sphere.
- Utopian socialist ideas, in opposition to conservative thinkers, sensitive to the economic and social situation, advocating for social reforms.
These influences led Marx to create his masterpiece.
Meaning of Marx’s Work
Marx questioned rational explanations and the usefulness of metaphysics, viewing it as justification for speculative systems. He believed philosophy should be action, not speculation, analyzing society to transform it. He defended the worker and labor force against the bourgeoisie’s concentration of capital. Marx argued that the end of philosophy and human history is the creation of a just, egalitarian society. His philosophy is based on materialism.
Marx’s Anthropology
Man is a concrete being with material needs, transforming nature through work. Human life is marked by material reality, living conditions, social circumstances, and the role each plays in work. Marx divided these roles into owners and employees. The employee sells their labor for a wage, while the owner receives the benefits. The organization of work is a key characteristic.
Work has two purposes: transforming nature to meet human needs and transforming man. Man is a creator, unlike animals, and overcomes nature. Work turns man into a social being through participation in profits and wealth. In capitalist society, man lives an alienated life, feeling puzzled and dehumanized. He does not feel like an owner and is a means to achieve things for others, selling their ability to work.
Economic Alienation
This occurs when work does not meet its intended purposes, leading to dispossession, alienation, and degradation. This happens because the product of labor does not belong to the worker. The worker sells their labor, which becomes a commodity and does not belong to them. The employee loses respect for the product and the customer, working in subhuman conditions, leading to exploitation. The cause of this alienation is that work belongs to the employer, not the worker.
Ideological Alienation
Ideology is a system of ideas explaining the world and society, providing meaning to life. It is necessary to identify with the world to overcome disorientation. However, ideology often distorts explanations in service of the ruling class, supporting their interests. Both economic and ideological alienation serve to subdue the individual. Marx advocated for class struggle leading to a communist society.