Insights into the communist manifesto

In the communist Manifesto, Marx argues that capitalism creates two classes i.e. the Bourgeoisie and the proletariat, classes live in antagonism. The bourgeoisie possess all the means of social production while the proletariat do not own any means of production. This creates social inequalities since the resources are concentrated in a few hands Marx discusses the process of advancement of capitalism. With the dissolution of the primeval communities, people who were involved in small or middle businesses were swept away and became part of the proletariat. The feudal society under went revolution with advancement from small to giant modern industry. This evolution was accompanied by the political advance of the bourgeoisie class. In the capitalist society, man is never free and is reduced to exchange value. The bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat, fostered by political and religious notions.

According to Marx, the bourgeoisie cannot exist without constantly revolutionalizing the instruments of production and thereby the relations of production, and with them the whole relations of society (476). The constant demand for products keeps the bourgeoisie in ever changing social relations with the globe, creating relations between the producers, consumers and other participants in the market chain. The bourgeoisies centralize production and monopolize the market, compelling all nations to adopt the bourgeoisie mode of production. Currently, this can been observed in the multi-national corporations that have dominated the value chain right from production to consumption. Their businesses are constantly moving across nations in search for cheap and other means of production to maximize profits. In the process, local laborers are being exploited. Since government and trade policies tend to favor capitalists, they, are better placed to take advantage of cheap labor.

With the extensive use of machinery and division of labor, the work of the proletarians has loses all individual character. Man becomes an appendage of the machine, his value diminishes and his exchange value is restricted to the means of subsistence. Marx predicts that the ever expanding union of workers, facilitated by improved means of communications, will empower workers to revolt and battle the bourgeoisie class. However, organization of the proletariat into political party is constantly weakened by competition among workers themselves. Marx advocates for abolition of private property and increase in social status in production. Marx predicts that in future, capitalism will be ruled out and replaced with socialism and communism. With abolition of bourgeoisie, individuality will be abolished; together will freedom under the bourgeoisie condition (free trade, free selling and buying). Although Marx predicted abolition of bourgeoisie property, we note that current governments are still capitalistic and even those that tried to adopt communism failed to achieve it.

Source:
Tucker, R. c. 1978. 1972. The Marx-Engels Reader. Second edition.