, Research Paper
This essay will compare the economic principles of capitalism and communism by giving brief historical background on both and describing the two. I will begin with the father of economy, Adam Smith, and finish with the theories of Karl Marx.
Adam Smith believed that if everyone behaves selfishly we are doing what is best for the economy of our society. This is what is known as “enlightened selfishness.” “Enlightened selfishness” is one of the main elements of capitalism. Profit is the motive for production of goods and greed is a virtue. You can own private property, but to maintain that private property you need capital to invest. Investing in something is always a risk. The larger the risk, the larger the pay-off. In a capitalistic society, the government does what is known as laissez-faire. This means that the government does not interfere with the market. This is known as the “hidden hand.” The desired result of laissez-faire and “enlightened selfishness” is competition. Ideally, this competition will bring out the best product for the buyers, and those who produce the best will be rewarded.
Before explaining the theories of communism it is necessary to understand the factory system of the time, otherwise known as industrialization. In the mid 1800’s, the cottage industry was switching over to the factory industry. The invention of the steam engine benefited the cities closest to water. Many new industries were emerging, but there were many negative effects of industrialization such as the exploitation of the worker. This was accomplished by the regimentation of the working class in the massive factories of the times. The factory system increased production but the workers were poorly treated; struggling to support their family; working 60-72 hour workweeks; suffering the horrors of working with dangerous machinery and they were being paid subsistent wages. The workers were, in general, unskilled and often repeated the same series of actions for 12 hours a day. The owners were the people profiting the most from this system. Because the common worker was so easy to come by and easy to underpay, the owners could have a higher profit. All of this and child labor too. Children and women were under paid even more so than men. Urbanization forced the creation of working class districts. These slums had no running water, diseases such as small pox and typhus were commonplace, people were clustered around the factories creating crowded flats and mortality rates were incredibly high. Marx and others saw capitalism as going hand-in-hand with these horrors.
Communism is considered a reaction to the “evils of capitalism.” Another way of saying communism is “dialectical materialism.” Karl Marx borrowed many ideas from the ideas of Gregor Hagel. Karl Marx was a German professor and theoretician, he published 2 famous works The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Das Kapital (1866). Before he could finish Das Kapital he died, Friedrich Engels finished the book. Frederik Angles was a collaborator of Marx’s and co-author of the book. Marx saw the exploitation of the common worker and predicted a revolution that would see the rise of the proletariat against the capitalistic suppressors. Proletariat is a term used by Marx to describe the working class. He also used the term bourgeoisie to describe the middle class, and aristocracy to describe the upper class with the distinction of being titled and privileged (no taxes before the French Revolution). Marx thought that there was a natural order to history, so naturally communism would follow capitalism. Communism would be the next evolution in the stage of history, it would be superior, more advanced. Most importantly though, was the belief that communism would have to be accepted, by any means necessary. Because of this revolutionary, radical attitude, any other sort of economic principle would be dismissed as wrong. Marx knew that the key to this revolution would be to make the downtrodden worker realize that he is just that: an exploited, oppressed victim. Ideally, communism is a classless society with no need for a government. To obtain a classless society the proletariat must become the government and abolish the power of the bourgeoisie. During the transition period between capitalism and communism it would be necessary to have a brief period of time where the state would be ruled by the dictatorship of the proletariat. After the revolution, the power of the newly communist country would be greatly taxed and vulnerable to attack of neighborhood countries fearing the “infection” of communism. Only through a temporary dictatorship could the nation be protected from the onslaught of other nations and from the class enemies (counter-revolutionaries, reactionaries, and propagandists seeking to undo communism).
The several distinct differences between communism and capitalism are made apparent by studying the principal theories behind the two.
Bibliography
The Communist Manifesto (1848)
Das Kapital (1866)
Другие работы по теме:
Marxism Essay Research Paper Marxism Marxism
Marxism Essay, Research Paper Marxism Marxism is a body of social, political, and economic thought derived from the writings of Karl Marx and his collaborator, Friedrich Engels. Many forms of Marxism have emerged since Karl Marx s death in 1883. Among these are Communism and Socialism. The ideas of Marxism are derived from his analysis of capitalism, mainly how it arose, how it works, whom it works for, and where it will go.
Marxism In The Ussr Essay Research Paper
In 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels boldly declared in The Communist Manifesto: A spectre is haunting Europe, the spectre of Communism. Indeed, the stirrings of Communism were witnessed that year in the revolutions that occurred in countries from France to Germany. However, Marx s visions of a communist revolution would not be carried out until nearly seventy years later with the Russian Revolution of 1917.
Cummunism Essay Research Paper Communism Communism is
Cummunism Essay, Research Paper Communism Communism is the idea of having a classless society of people where everything is supposed to be owned equally by all. In communism, unlike Marxism there is a peasant revolution instead of a proletariat revolution, and unlike in socialism there is a totalitarian government and there is no private property.
Marxism And The Revolution Essay Essay Research
Paper Marxism and the Revolution Essay Two important ideal s in Marx s ideas were the philosophies of Materialism and Dialectics. Materialism in philosophy is the recognition that the material word, the world we can see, hear, feel and touch is the only real world. Therefore it is logical to base our
CapitalimSocialism Essay Research Paper There are many
Capitalim-Socialism Essay, Research Paper There are many different economic systems that reside in someway throughout the world today like capitalism and socialism. Here in the United States, we live in a mixed economy ??one in which private enterprise and governmental participation coexist?. Currently Americans? lives are centered on the individual, according to Adam Smith.
Marxism Essay Research Paper True Marxism Now
Marxism Essay, Research Paper True Marxism: Now And Then “Modern bourgeois society with its relations of production, of exchange and of property, a society that has conjured up such gigantic means of production and of exchange, is like the sorcerer, who is no longer able to control the powers of the nether world whom he has called up by his spells.” The Marxist theory of revolution must be evaluated in regards to its strengths and weaknesses.
Evolution Of Marxism Essay Research Paper Michael
Evolution Of Marxism Essay, Research Paper Michael Mercorio Essay # 1 Econ 396 ? Independent Study Evolution of Marxism In theory, each mode of production is born and bread through the actions of the mode preceding it, such that feudalism begot capitalism and capitalism will eventually fold under its own convictions and lay the trails for socialism, or some form of communism.
Alteration Of The Vision Essay Research Paper
The Marxist belief being that class struggle plays a primary role in analyzing Western society in general and in understanding its allegedly inevitable development from bourgeois oppression under capitalism to a socialist society and thence to Communism.(American Heritage, 1997) was the guiding beacon of the revolution of Russia.
Karl Marx And Frederich Engels Essay Research
Paper In their Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels applied the term communism to the final part of socialism in which all class differences would end and people would live in peace. Marx and Engels were said to have found a scientific approach to socialism based
Marxism Essay Research Paper Marxism is a
Marxism Essay, Research Paper Marxism is a type of scientific socialism. Karl Marx was a communist used this to differentiate his ideas from the utopian socialist. His main idea was ?Workers of the world unite.? Marx also wrote the book ?The Communist Manifest?, in 1848.
20THCENTURY CAPITALISM Essay Research Paper 20THCENTURY CAPITALISM
20TH-CENTURY CAPITALISM Essay, Research Paper 20TH-CENTURY CAPITALISM For most of the 20th century capitalism has been buffeted by wars, revolution, and depression. World War I brought revolution and a Marxist-based communism to Russia. The war also spawned the Nazi system in Germany, a malevolent mixture of capitalism and state socialism, brought together in a regime whose violence and expansionism eventually pushed the world into another major conflict.
Capitalism And Communism Essay Research Paper Capitalism
Capitalism And Communism Essay, Research Paper Capitalism and Communism are two totally different economic systems. Capitalism is a much better economic system than Communism. Capitalism is an economic system characterized by freedom of the market and is the economic system where you do not have freedom because the government will make most of your decisions for you.
Marxism And Capitalism Essay Research Paper Modern
Marxism And Capitalism Essay, Research Paper Modern Marx?s theoretical work is the understanding of the nature of human beings and how they have constructed their historical world. Marx is considered
Wright
’s “Native Son”: Capitalist Or Communism? Essay, Research Paper Wright’s “Native Son”: Capitalist or Communism? Was Richard Wright’s Native Son a story about his views towards
The Communist Manifesto Essay Research Paper Karl
The Communist Manifesto Essay, Research Paper Karl Marx s The Communist Manifesto forecasted the downfall of capitalism and the rise of communism. It predicted that the communist revolution was most likely to take place first in Britain or Germany because of their high population of proletarian factory workers.
Capitalisam Essay Research Paper The topic of
Capitalisam Essay, Research Paper The topic of my speech is, Capitalism has too high a price, and while stating the fact I am reminded of what the American humourist and essayist Elwyn Brooks White had said many years ago, The trouble with the profit system is that it is highly unprofitable to most people. For those among you who may doubt these words, let me remind them of what took place in June last year.
Comparison Essay Essay Research Paper Comparison EssayThere
Comparison Essay Essay, Research Paper Comparison Essay There are many different ways to explain the beginning and creation. Genesis and Edith Hamilton?s ?Mythology,? are two of many literary works you can find. Both show how characters were created and formed. They give detailed understanding and examples of creation.
Marxism Is Dead Essay Research Paper Marxism
Marxism Is Dead Essay, Research Paper Marxism is Dead After class I go home to check my e-mail. A concept such as e-mail would have seemed absurd to Karl Marx and Max Weber. It is accepted as just another part of life in our high-technology society, however. Max Weber and Karl Marx had a difference of opinion over what was the driving force behind changes in society.
Marxism Through Galileo Essay Research Paper Marxism
Marxism Through Galileo Essay, Research Paper Marxism Through Galileo Marxism is a form of communism in which one day the common people, or the proletariats, would overthrow the power of the upper class, or capitalists. Bertolt Brecht, the author of the play Galileo, was a strong believer in this kind of communism.
Capitalism Essay Research Paper Capitalism faces several
Capitalism Essay, Research Paper Capitalism faces several challenges and problems. Two main problems with capitalism are, property and income become unequal, and major industries suppress small entrepreneurs. The advantage and costs reflects the fist choice of the buyers that want to spend money. Instead the first choice should be more on the people who don?t have money to spend, like the poor.
Reflection On Capitalism Essay Research Paper It
Reflection On Capitalism Essay, Research Paper It seems that in the United States of America Capitalism streams with grace. For me capitalism seems to be the best way for an economy to grow. Some may say, capitalism is unfair in terms of competition and giving the best possible price to the consumer. Or that capitalism creates classes where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer .
Socialism And Capitalism Essay Research Paper What
Socialism And Capitalism Essay, Research Paper What is the difference between socialism and capitalism? Is socialism more moral than capitalism? To answer these questions we need to look at both systems and there definitions. Socialism is an economic system in which there is no private property and the state owns all the factors of production.
Marx And Marxism Essay Research Paper Marx
Marx And Marxism Essay, Research Paper Marx and Marxism 2. First noted by John Locke in his Second Treatise on Government, labor is a source of value. Stated simply, the work a person does is worth money or a wage. This is a fundamental, arguably the fundamental principle, in the capitalist economic system.
A Comparrison Of Multi-Valued Orientation And Two
Valued Orientation Essay, Research Paper Multi-valued orientation and two valued orientation are two completely different thing. THey compare in only one way. This is the fact that they both have values. It could be said that a contrastment of the two would be more useful than a comparison. Two valued orientation is for extremists.
Get In Essay Research Paper Click Here
Get In Essay, Research Paper Click Here If YOU Have Friends! Can’t find the paper you need? Try Collegiate Care Comparing Casablanca to 1984 Charlie Parker at Storyville
Comparison Essay Essay Research Paper Comparison EssayTwo
Comparison Essay Essay, Research Paper Comparison Essay Two individuals dominate the late night airwaves, Jay Leno and David Letterman. Leno uses a conservative humor and Letterman’s humor is progressive. While the two shows claim to be different, they both follow the same format. Both shows include a ten-minute stand up routine, strange co-hosts and interviews with celebrity guests.
Capitalism Essay Research Paper The protection from
Capitalism Essay, Research Paper The protection from force, that is, the protection of individual rights, would be achieved through the use of a police force to protect the rights of citizens at home; a military, to protect the rights of citizens from foreign aggression; and a court system to enforce contracts and settle disputes between citizens.
Robert ShulmanS Dreiser And The Dynamics Of
American Capitalism Essay, Research Paper Capitalism and Communism are two antagonist economic, political, and social systems. Capitalism is characterized by a free market for goods and private control of production and consumption, and by different social classes. In Communism calls for a classless society, where the leadership is in the hands of workers, and all means of production are owned in common, and not by the individuals.
Marx Essay Research Paper Karl Marx and
Marx Essay, Research Paper Karl Marx and Max Weber have agreed and disagreed on numerous issues during their years as sociologists and political economists. An issue that they
MarxismLeninism As A Political Theory Essay Research
Paper Marxism-Leninism as a Political Theory Although the economic theory s of Marxism-Leninism and capitalism differ intensely and are in fact quite contrary to one another, both have their positive and negative characteristics. The Marxist-Leninist theory is based on their idea that socialism should and will overcome capitalism because it is a wiser and more just economic system.
Jungle Essay Research Paper The Jungle written
Jungle Essay, Research Paper The Jungle, written by Upton Sinclair in 1905, the author supports Socialism over Capitalism and used the struggle to keep the house in order to portray the evils of Capitalism on the family and the society in General.