Marxism

Marxism is a way of thinking about politics and how society works. It began with the ideas of two German thinkers, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, who lived in the 1800s. They believed that the main force that changes history is the struggle between different groups of people, especially those who make things and those who own factories and land.

Marxism says that the way a society makes and uses things, like factories and farms, shapes everything else in that society. In a system called capitalism, the people who own these places make money by paying workers less than the value of what they make. This creates problems and anger between the two groups.

After Marx died, many other thinkers used his ideas in new ways. Some of these ideas became important in countries that tried to build a new kind of society. Others focused more on culture, ideas, and personal freedom. Because of this, there are many different ways people understand and use Marxism today.

Marxism has had a big effect on the world. It has inspired many changes in governments and many movements of people working together. Ideas from Marxism are used in many subjects studied in schools, from how societies work to how we understand books and art. Even today, people still talk and argue about what Marxism means and how it should be used.

Overview

Marxism tries to explain how societies work by looking at how people make and trade things to meet their needs. It says that the way a society makes and shares things shapes everything else, like laws, culture, and politics.

Marxism thinks that when people get better at making things, old ways become problems. These problems often cause fights between different groups, especially between those who own things and those who make things. Marx believed these fights would lead to big changes where everyone works together instead of some people taking more than others.

Schools of thought

Main article: Marxist schools of thought

See also: List of communist ideologies

Marxism has influenced many areas of study and society. It has shaped fields like anthropology, archaeology, art theory, criminology, cultural studies, economics, education, ethics, film theory, geography, historiography, literary criticism, media studies, philosophy, political science, political economy, psychoanalysis, science studies, sociology, theatre, and urban planning.

Classical

Main article: Classical Marxism

Classical Marxism refers to the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It shows how they thought about society and change.

Libertarian

See also: List of communist ideologies § Libertarian Marxism, and Libertarian socialism § Marxist

Libertarian Marxism focuses on freedom and less control in society. It believes that people can work together and make their own decisions.

Humanist

Main article: Marxist humanism

Marxist humanism started in 1932. Followers of this idea think that Marx's early writings about people's feelings connect to his later works.

Academic

See also: Marxist ethics, Marxist film theory, Marxist geography, and Marxist philosophy

Archaeology

Main article: Marxist archaeology

Marxist archaeology began in the Soviet Union in 1929. It looks at how society develops using ideas from Marx.

Sociology

Main article: Marxist sociology

See also: Marxist criminology

Marxist sociology studies society from Marx's point of view. It looks at how groups of people affect and shape society.

Economics

Main article: Marxian economics

Marxian economics is about understanding how money and work affect society, based on Marx's ideas.

Education

Marxist education uses Marx's ideas to think about teaching and learning.

Historiography

Main article: Marxist historiography

Marxist historiography studies history by looking at how classes and money affect what happens.

Literary criticism

Main article: Marxist literary criticism

Marxist literary criticism looks at books and stories to see how they reflect the society they come from.

Aesthetics

Main article: Marxist aesthetics

Marxist aesthetics is about how art and beauty are affected by society and money.

History

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Main articles: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels worked together to create ideas about how societies change. They thought the way people work and share things was very important. Marx talked about how workers sometimes feel separated from what they make. He believed history is mostly about groups of people fighting for power.

Marx and Engels met in 1844 and began working together. They wrote books and articles about their ideas. In 1848, they published a famous book called The Communist Manifesto. After Marx died in 1883, Engels helped share Marx's ideas by writing and translating his work.

Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union

In 1917, a group called the Bolsheviks took control of Russia. They wanted to create a society where everyone shared more equally. They made changes like free education and healthcare. After the leader Vladimir Lenin died, another leader named Joseph Stalin took over. He used Marx's ideas in his own way.

Chinese Revolution

Main article: Chinese Communist Revolution

Further information: Ideology of the Chinese Communist Party, Maoism, Sinicization of Marxism, and Socialism with Chinese characteristics

After World War II, the Chinese Communist Party took control of China. Their leader, Mao Zedong, adapted Marx's ideas to fit China. He focused on support from farmers, not just city workers. China became a new kind of society in 1949.

Late 20th century

Further information: Cold War

In 1959, a revolution in Cuba led by Fidel Castro brought changes to the country. In China, a movement tried to remove old ideas. Later, under Deng Xiaoping, China changed some ideas to focus more on building the economy.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, many socialist countries changed their ways. The Soviet Union broke apart in 1991, and many of these countries began using capitalist ways of running things.

21st century

China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam still use Marxist ideas to guide their governments. In the early 2000s, some countries in Latin America chose leaders who supported socialist ideas. These leaders worked together to help their people in new ways. The leader of China today, Xi Jinping, has said the country will keep using Marx's ideas to understand and improve the world.

Criticism

Main article: Criticism of Marxism

See also: Criticism of communist party rule and Criticism of socialism

Many people have questioned Marxism in different ways. Some think the ideas are not clear or can mean many things. Others feel that some parts of Marxism do not match what we see in real life. For example, some argue that places with more free markets often have higher incomes.

Some also say that Marxism can be too focused on thinking about ideas instead of doing things. Others believe that while some parts of Marxism are helpful, the whole idea might need updating or mixing with other thoughts. There are debates about whether Marxism's economic ideas work well in practice, and some say that important details were missed.