The Manifesto is used to compare the Bourgeois and Proletarians places in society and then the Proletarians to the Communist. In the first part, Karl Marx is discussing the effect that industrialism has on the bourgeois. Marx displays to us that as industrialism increases the gap between the classes decreases because of the development of unions. This allows the lower classes to take a stand against the upper classes. The second section also looks at the shrinking gap, but between those working in the industry and the Communist. The actions of the working class are supported by communist because they share many of the same goals.
This document really got me into a sociological mindset. It allowed me to see where class lines were drawn, and how they have become blurred. The industrialization of western society has allowed these countries to become more prosperous, and as this occurred all of the people in the country were given the same opportunity. This meant the line between the bourgeois and the proletarians was made thinner. Communist support this thinning of lines. They have a goal of overthrowing bourgeois supremacy. Although this is not the only goal of the working class, they played a part in making the lines thinner. Communist felt this was a great way to display what life would be like without bourgeois rule. I never understood this connection until I read this article. I was defiantly educated by reading this.
In the first section, I ran across the quote “Because there is too much civilization, too much means of subsistence, too much industry, too commerce”. This line really got me thinking about how industrialized society has an effect on the people living in these societies. We see this in places like Detroit, and Mexico, and how when the factories leave, the societies struggle. Can building up the industrialization lead to a downfall? In regards to the second section, how does communism react to these changes in which the class lines have been blurred, and everyone is suffering.
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ReplyDeletePittsburgh has had most of its factories disappear, but has flourished in different more "white-collar" industries such as healthcare. Sure Detroit has had its bumps, but who didn't with the recession of 2008? General Motors just posted its most profitable quarter in decades and one can argue the downfall of Detroit wasn't its factories or industrialization but the "union-like" workers that demanded unfairly high wages. Some even argue societies that feel entitled lead to downfalls. This entitlement syndrome is often common in communist revolutions.
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