The Communist Manifesto: Class Struggle and Proletarian Revolution
I) Bourgeois and Proletarian
In all societies, social classes are always at war. These wars end with the complete transformation of society or the collapse of the contending classes.
The colonies, circumnavigation, and markets in India and China helped the bourgeoisie grow. Feudalism disappeared as manufacturing supplanted union operations, and later, the manufacturing industry and the middle-class bourgeois industrial system emerged.
“The government does nothing but manage the affairs of the bourgeoisie, which has destroyed feudal relations, patriarchal, idyllic, and has defined a naked, shameless, direct, brutal [society].”
Bourgeois property is the most complete expression of the mode of production and appropriation of produce based on class antagonisms and the exploitation of one another. The Communists summarize their theory: the abolition of private property. But they do not have to abolish industry; it does so daily. The work of the proletariat does not create ownership for the proletariat but capital. Property is moved between capital and wage labor.
Being a capitalist is to occupy a social position. Capital is a collective product, only set in motion by the action of all members of society.
“Communism is not [about] nobody robbing the power to appropriate the products of society, [but] not depriving him of the power to subjugate the labor of others by this appropriation.”
It is said that communism wants to abolish the family. This is not entirely true; what communism wants to abolish is “the exploitation of children by parents.” Communism is also accused of wanting to make a community of women, but for the bourgeois, women are just another production tool. Communism is not going to create such a community; it already exists.
Agglomerating the population, centralizing the means of production, and concentrating ownership results in political centralization.
“In the same proportion as the bourgeoisie develops, the proletariat develops—the modern working class—who live only so long as they find work and who find work only as long as their labor increases capital.”
The more industry grows, the more workers are needed, and now it is not only men’s work but also women’s and children’s. “Differences of age and sex, they lose all social significance.”
The struggle between the two classes, beginning when they arise, is first scattered, then in the same factory, then the town, all against the bourgeois, and not only against him but against the machines.
After a while, the bourgeoisie is no longer the dominant class and, therefore, cannot impose itself and guarantee slaves. They are forced to be dropped to the point of having to be kept instead of being fed by it. “Society can no longer live under its domination, which is to say that the existence of the bourgeoisie is incompatible with society.”
II) Workers and Communists
The Communists have joint interests with the proletariat; they have a separate party. They differ from other parties because they uphold the common interests in different parts of the development of the conflict between bourgeois and proletariat, representing the interests of the movement. “They are the most advanced and resolute party workers of all countries, that section which pushes forward all others and has the advantage of the progress and overall results of the proletarian movement.”
Bourgeois property is the most complete expression of the mode of production and appropriation of produce based on class antagonisms and the exploitation of one another. The Communists summarize their theory: the abolition of private property. But they do not have to abolish industry; it does so daily. The work of the proletariat does not create ownership for the proletariat but capital. Property is moved between capital and wage labor.
Being a capitalist is to occupy a social position. Capital is a collective product, only set in motion by the action of all members of society.
“Communism is not [about] nobody robbing the power to appropriate the products of society, [but] not depriving him of the power to subjugate the labor of others by this appropriation.”
It is said that communism wants to abolish the family. This is not entirely true; what communism wants to abolish is “the exploitation of children by parents.” Communism is also accused of wanting to make a community of women, but for the bourgeois, women are just another production tool. Communism is not going to create such a community; it already exists.
Communism contradicts all historical development because it abolishes all religion and morality rather than giving them a new way. On the other hand, the revolution is to raise the proletariat to the ruling class; the principle cannot be more than a violation of property rights, although these measures, from that point of view, may be insufficient. “These will be different in each country:
Abolition of property in land and application of the rent of land for state spending.
- Strong progressive tax.
- Abolition of inheritance.
- Confiscation of property of all emigrants and rebels.
- Centralization of credit in the hands of the state through a national bank with state capital and an exclusive monopoly.
- Centralization in the hands of the State of all means of transport.
- Proliferation of state-owned manufacturing firms and instruments of production, reclamation of waste lands, and improvement of land, according to a general plan.
- Obligation to work for all; Establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture.
- Combination of agriculture and industry measures to gradually do away with the opposition between town and countryside.
- Free public education for all children, abolition of child labor in factories as practiced today, the education system combined with material production.”
Conclusions
The Manifesto is more of a support for the workers oppressed by the bourgeoisie.
It gives a series of points to follow to improve the situation, among others, the entries listed in Chapter II. It explains communism and says all that is wrong with that society.
I believe that among the most important things is the abolition of private property, and I think that is one of the points on which it is based.
Some of the points that caught my attention are, for example, not allowing children to work and providing schools (this is done today). Another thing is that they speak of the bourgeois woman as an instrument of production, speaking of prostitutes, of which I did not know. The Communists want to abolish this, showing that they do not want to abolish morals but set them right.
Continuing with the workers, it is obvious that the community wants to make them the dominant social class. They are exploited and support a revolution, offering “a world to win.”
III) Socialist and Communist Literature
Feudal socialism in the Middle Ages is a mixture of lamentations and lampoons. On the other hand, the main accusation against the bourgeoisie is that it created under its regime a social class that blows up the whole social order.
The people who make the petty bourgeoisie, between proletarian and bourgeois, are constantly driven by competition. Due to industry growth, they will disappear and be replaced by commerce and manufacturing.
Petty-bourgeois socialism was born thanks to the writers who defended the proletariat and petty bourgeoisie from the bourgeoisie. From that point of view, petty socialism was born. “The content of this socialism is to restore the old means of production and thus, the old property relations; this is reactionary and utopian socialism.”
“The bourgeoisie wants to remedy social ills to consolidate bourgeois society.” They also want to leave the company as it is but without the elements that break it down, or the proletariat, or want to remove it from any revolutionary movement. “Bourgeois socialism is summed up in: the bourgeoisie are bourgeois in the interests of the working class.”
Socialist and communist systems make their appearance in the initial period of the struggle between bourgeoisie and proletariat. They throw themselves in search of a social science and want to reach their goal by peaceful means, rejecting any revolutionary action.
IV) Attitude of the Communists to the different Opposition parties
“The Communists fight for the objectives of the working class.” For example, in France are united with the Socialist Democratic Party, in Poland, support the party that sees the release in an agrarian reform, and in Germany under the control bourgeoisie, who fought against the absolute monarchy, feudal property and petty bourgeoisie.
“The Communists support every revolutionary movement against the existing social and political system.”
Conclusions
The Manifesto is more of a support for the workers who are oppressed by the bourgeoisie.
Gives a series of points to follow to improve the situation. Among others, the entries listed in Chapter II. Explains how communism, and says all that is wrong with that society.
I believe that among the most important thing is, the abolition of private property, and I think that is one of the points on which it is based.
Some of the points my attention are, for example, not allowing children to work and provide schools, this is done today, another thing is, that speak of the bourgeois woman as an instrument of production, this part speaking of prostitutes, of which I did not know, and the Communists, want to abolish it, show that they do not want to abolish the moral, but set it right.
Continuing with the workers, it is obvious that the community wants to make them the dominant social class, it is the exploited, and they do support a revolution, and offer “a world to win”