Article
Communist Manifesto
Written by Marx and Engels its relevancy in the present age
- Parimal Dasgupta
“Whole history of mankind (since dissolution of primitive tribal society holding land in common
ownership) has been a history of class struggles, “contests between exploiting and exploited, ruling and
oppressed”......The exploited and oppressed class the proletariat cannot attain its emancipation from
the sway of the exploiting and ruling class-the bourgeoisie-without at the same time once and for all
emancipating the society at large from all exploitation, oppression, class distinctions and class struggles”.
“This proposition of Marx is destined to do for history what Darwin’s theory had done for biology”.
- Engels! In the Preface to Communist Manifesto.
The subject of Relevancy of Communist
Manifesto, written by Marx and Engels in 1847, in the
present age has become an important-subject matter
of discussion at present in political circle.
I
1. Marx, in repudiating the theory of Dialectical
Idealism of Hegel, his teacher in philosophy and a
very distinguished philosopher of Germany of a time,
well-proved and well established the theory of
Dialectical Materialism. By this, he created a topsyturvy situation in Philosophy. He explained the
development of human society in dialectical process
with the Theory: ‘From matter to knowledge’, opposed
to the theory: ‘From Supreme idea to matter’ of Hegel.
The Dialectical materialism has become the material
of thinking of the exploited people for making them
free from the idea of ‘Fate’, ‘Destiny’ or ‘Divine Order’,
that is: Fatalism with respect to system of exploitation
over them.
2. Marx, on the basis of this materialistic dialectics,
explained the class division and contradiction in the
system of production at a stage of society, indicated
the trend and way towards change of society. It is
epoch-changing contribution to social science. In the
realm of this though, his very close friend, Engels,
was a fellow traveller. He has also made immense
theoretical contribution in this subject. But, on the
whole, as the contribution of Marx was main, this
though has become known as Marxism.
3. Marx and Engels have put forward the theory
for change of society through class struggle due to
creation of classes and class contradictions in the
society at a stage of economic system of the society
in the process of social development. They have
announced: “The class struggle is the key to change
of society’, ‘driving force’ of history’, ‘Lever of social
revolution’. “The class struggle is the immediate driving
force of history and in particular the class struggle
between bourgeoisie and proletariat as the great lever
4
of modern social revolution”. (Marx-Engels: Selected
Correspondences (Moscow) page 395)
4. Marx and Engels have advanced proposition
for the advance of human society to Communist
Society. In this course, they have explained in the
affairs of economics as to ‘Value of commodity’,
‘creation of surplus value’ by the labour power
engaged in production, ‘exploitation of labour power’,
‘accumulation of capital’, the theory of class struggle,
‘Revolution and Dictatorship of the proletariat’ as its
basis. Marx wrote the book ‘Capital’ on the basis of
economic theories. After writing of capital it has
become known in Europe as ‘Bible’ of the working
class. On the other side the bourgeois class described
it as an ‘endeavour to rouse jealousy in the mind of
illiterate person. After publication of Marx’s lectureseries-article; WAGE, LABOUR and CAPITAL, the
German-secret-police organization wrote in a
confidential report:
“This noxious paper must indisputably exert the
most corrupting influence upon the uneducated public
to whom it is directed. The alluring theory of dividing
up of the wealth is held out to factory workers and
day labourers as an innate right and a profound hatred
of the rulers and the rest of the community is inculcated
into them. There would be gloomy outlook for fatherland and for civilisation in such succeeded in
undermining religion and respect for laws and in any
great measure infected the lower class of the people
by means of press and these clubs.....the
circumstance that the number of members (of workers
union) has increased from thirty seven to seventy
within a few days is worthy to note” (Marx: Man and
Fighter:-Boris Nicolaievsky and Otto MaenchenHelfen: Penguin Book page 137)
This Marxian Economics is completely different
from Bourgeois Economics. In it also lies blossoming
of certain unblossomed theories of certain economic
theoreticians of the past. On the whole it has become
a ‘Political Economy’. This Economics is the material
basis of the Communist politics with Marxian thought.
Class Struggle