Marx on Alienation

Marx on Alienation

1. Introduction

   • 'Economic + Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844' Marx
   • Focusing = 1st + 3rd manuscript.
   • 1st Manuscript = Marx develops this theory through explaining how, under capitalism, more people rely on 'labour' to live.
   • Theory of alienation = describes the alienation of people = aspects - their human nature from living in society formed in social classes.
   • In the later Marx developed foundations of his theory of alienation from works of Ludwig Feuerbach..
   • 'Towards Critique of Hegels Philosophy of Right: Introduction
   • 3rd Manuscript = Marx defines meaning of human requirement and praises Feuerbachs critique of Hegel.
   • To show this Marx develops 4 types of alienation.

2. 1st Manuscript (Marx Development Alienated Labour)

   • 2. Alienation - worker from working - from act of producing.
     • Work worker performs doesn't belong to worker.
       • Is a means of survival worker is forced to do for someone else.
         • Therefore - working activity doesn't come from creativity...
           • But exists outside of him and reveals a loss of identity.
   • 1. Alienation - worker from work - from product of labour.
     • Marx = work makes human 'it fulfils our species essence' it allows = creative + flourish.
       • But in 19th century Europe = work destroyed workers, particularly those who- nothing to sell but labour. (Working Class)
         • Economic system of private ownership, society divided 2 classes: property owners + property-less workers.
           • In this form workers don't only suffer = being poor, but also = alienation from world.
             • Alienation happens because worker can't relate to product of his work.
               • Worker puts life into object + his labour = invested into object...
                 • But because worker doesn't have connection = product he becomes more alienated more he produced, under capitalism.
                   • Everything - makes goes to world - doesn't belong to.
   • 3. Alienation worker from himself- as a producer.
     • For human beings work = life purpose.
       • Process of transforming goods makes up the identity of a human being.
         • But in private ownership and division of labour worker = alienated from these 2 things.
   • 4. Alienation worker from other workers.
     • Since the workers product is owned by someone else, worker sees this person = capitalist as alien + hostile.
       • The worker feels alienated from + hostile towards system = private property.
         • Through- capitalist appropriates both object of production for own enrichment...
           • and workers identity + wholeness as human being.

3. Third Manuscript

   • In capitalist society, human needs = defined by system of private ownership.
     • Instead of mere food, clothing and shelter, human beings need money.
       • Capitalism holds different needs, different social classes it creates.
         • As capitalists gain more wealth = needs become more refined.
           • This means = workers forced adjust needs downwards, making them = bare minimum, system pays them to stay alive.
             • In this system, the worker becomes conscious = of miserable status in relation to the capitalist.
               • Solution to alienation = communism.
                 • Which gets rid of system of private property.
   • Marx agrees with Feuerbach's critique of Hegel.
     • Feuerbach claims religion = reflection of human alienation stemming from hostile relationships.
       • Marx agrees Feuerbach's criticism against Hegel from privileging religious belief.
         • Hegel correctly identifies labour: essence of man, but mistakenly defines it: mental activity when its physical labour.
   • Hegel = most evolved state of self-consciousness = self-objectification that carries with it the experience of alienation.
     • The function of religion, civil society + state = enable objectified self consciousness subject to feel at home in the world.
       • Marx, however sees this as movement away from nature and towards reliance on institutions in order to improve alienation as a mistake.
         • For Marx, alienation results from isolation from nature.
           • In Religious experience the subject finds confirmation of his alienation he doesn't negate it.
             • Human beings are motivated by their relationship to natural objects through their senses.
               • This is the essence of human experience.
                 • Human beings seek self realization by transforming natural objects.
                   • When, however man is estranged from nature, one is estranged from oneself.

4. Marx on Feuerbach

   • It is here Marx sets out his account of religion.
     • In terms of religion, marx accepted Feurbachs claim that humans have created God.
       • Feuerbach additionally argued that worshipping God alienated human beings from enjoying own human powers.
         • However Marx criticises Feuerbach account as hes failed to understand why people fall into religious alienation.
           • Marx claims religion is response to alienation in material life.
             • Therefore can't be removed until human material is liberated.
               • There are 2 aspects of alienation responsible for creating religion.
                 • 1. Alienated Labour
                   • 2. Need Humans assert there communal essence.
                     • Humans exist in community + what makes Human life possible = economic relations.
   • Marx states we must acknowledge communal existence in institutions.
     • At firs it is though religion which creates false community.
       • Then when we get rid of religion, the state fills this gap.
         • But state and religion = be upstaged when community social and economic equal created.

5. 'On James Mill'

   • Here non-alienated labour is described such that a persons immediate enjoyment of production is seen as evidence of there powers.
     • Also described as meeting needs of others - therefore confirming human essence and mutual dependence.