Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class Political Science Book Solutions Chapter 3 Marxism Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.
PSEB Solutions for Class 12 Political Science Chapter 3 Marxism
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
What is Marxism? Discuss four important principles of Karl Marx.
Or
Discuss any six principles of Marxian Socialism.
Or
Critically evaluate the main principles of Marxism.
Answer:
Karl Marx has been acknowledged as an originator of communism. He tried to give socialism a scientific and practical form for the first time. Marxist society is called Proletariat Socialism and Scientific Socialism. Marx regards his socialism scientific as it is based on History. Simon and Oven presented their views on socialism even before Marx, but their socialism is not considered to be scientific since it is purely based on assumption and not on History.
In the words of Wayper, these writers merely depicted beautiful sight of the roses, but never prepared a ground to plant the rose plants. Prof. Joad is of the view that Marx was the first writer on Socialism as his writings can be called scientific. He not only prepared a background for the society of his objectives, but also dealt with it in detail as to how it (society) passes through different situations and is ultimately established.
Washerman has written about Marx that “he found socialism a conspiracy and left it a movement.” Marx studies the development of society in a scientific manner. Marx’s materialistic and economic interpretation of society is called Marxism. Generally speaking, some people think that Marxism is nothing but the voice of working class and a revolutionary, violent political conception. But Marxism, as Wayper opines, is not only the raised voice of labour class rather it is a system to understand the definite form of the effect and complications of present society. Its object is to study the revolutionary circumstances and different forms of society.
Marx has not only propounded his views in a systematic way but has also suggested the ways to apply them. In the words of Catlin, “Marxist philosophy is vast and well- connected. It is influential as revolutionary system is based on the principle of class- struggle; the principle of class struggle is based on the theory of surplus value; the theory of surplus value is based on economic principle,”. Thus
Marxist conception is an inseparable unit which has six main propositions:
1. Dialectical Materialism.
2. Materialistic Interpretation of History.
3. Theory of Class-struggle.
4. Theory of Surplus Value.
5. Views about Religion.
6. Self-destruction of Capitalism.
1. Dialectical Materialism:
Marx believed that contrary forces are present in every stage of history and this is the moving force of history. The internal contradictions are inherent in things because all things have something which is dying away and something which is still developing. This process of development is a process of thesis, anti-thesis leading to synthesis. It means that two different forces act and react and give rise to a third new force.
Applying the above principle of dialectical materialism to the various stages of evolution of society, Marx declared that contradictions have existed at each stage of its evolution. The present society in which the few capitalists control the economic forces is also not free from it. The present capitalist is also faced with its anti-thesis-the proletariat. The capitalists and the workers are in conflict with each other. Marx was of the opinion that the result of this class-struggle will be the coming into existence of a classless society.
2. Materialistic interpretation of History:
Historical materialism or the materialist conception of history is the direct application of the principles of dialectical materialism to the development of society. Karl Marx made it the corner-stone of his political philosophy. Although Marx does not very much explain as to what he means by his theory of historical materialism ; it is, in fact, an economic interpretation of history.
To quote Marx, “The materialistic conception of history starts from the principle that production, and with production the exchange of its products, is the basis of every social order, that in every society which has appeared in history the distribution of the products, and with it the division of society into classes or estates is determined by what is produced and how it is produced, and how the product is exchanged.
According to this conception, the ultimate causes of all social changes and political revolutions are to be sought, not in the minds of men, in their increasing insight into eternal truth and justice, but in changes in the mode of production and exchange; they are to be sought not in the philosophy but in the economics of the period concerned.”
3. Theory of Class-struggle:
According to Marx, the history of humanity is the history of class-struggle. It is the story of the struggles of the underdog against the master. Whatever may be the form of the struggle, the basic factor is the class war. Marx holds that in every society the forces of economic production divide the society into two hostile classes-the capitalists and the workers. The capitalists have control over the means of production-the land, the workshop, raw material and the working capital.
They earn their living by ‘owning these material means of production.’ On the other hand, the workers do not possess these economic forces of production; they have labour and earn their living by the sale thereof. The workers either plough the field owned by the landlord or work in the workshop or the factory on the material supplied by the capitalist. These two classes are interdependent and greatly require each other. In the absence of the worker the factory would stop turning out production and fields would remain unploughed. The worker in the absence of the capitalist would starve as he would have no work. However, each class wants to derive the maximum advantage from the other.
The capitalists want to extract more and to pay less wages, while the workers desire to get the highest possible wages for their labour. But in this struggle the workers stand at a great disadvantage because their labour is a perishable commodity, it cannot be stored. They must find work to avoid starvation. The capitalists do not suffer from such disability. The result is that the wage-earners have to accept the wages, whatever is offered to them by the capitalists.
Thus the capitalists in their hands possess a weapon of oppression and suppression, which the wage-earners never like. Whenever the workers become conscious of their exploitation, they organise themselves, rise and revolt. In this way there comes into existence a permanent and irreconcilable hostility between the capitalists and the workers. This hostility has reached its climax in modern age. It is both oppressive and unjust. Its oppresssive character lies in the fact that it compels the wage-earners to accept the wage, whatever is offered to them by the capitalists ; it is unjust in the sense that it deprives the workers of the wealth which is the product of their own labour.
4. Theory of Surplus Value:
Marx describes surplus value as ‘concealed labour’ or ‘unpaid labour’. Surplus value is the difference between the value of a commodity and the wages received by the labourer. Marx holds that since labour is the primary source of value, the whole price of the value should be paid to the labourer. But, this is not done in practice. The labourer is paid only a small fraction of it and the rest goes to the pocket of the capitalist.
To this amount of wealth ‘concealed labour’ not paid to the labourer and pocketed by the capitalist, Marx gives the name of surplus value. The theory of surplus value supplies a linchpin to his economic interpretation of Russian history. It points out how the social structure largely depends oil the distribution of wealth in the society. By this theory of surplus value, Marx tries to show the injustice that prevails in the capitalist society.
5. Views about Religion:
Marx held that religion was used to convince the proletariat that if they obeyed the state and their bosses, they would be rewarded in another life. The proletarian was lulled into accepting his way of life by the vision of heaven. This life might be harsh, but if he just stood in taking it as God’s gift, he would be rewarded in the next life. Marx felt that this kept the workers from actively seeking to change the system.
He saw what he believed to be the superstition and ‘hocus and pocus’ of religion used by the dominant class—the bourgeoisie, to hold the proletariat in its downtrodden position. This is what Marx meant by his famous statement that religion is the opium of the people. Thus, Marx made scathing attack against the religious system of his day and argued that the future proletarian society would have no need for religion.
6. Self-destruction of Capitalism:
Marx was of the opinion that capitalism carries with itself the seeds of its destruction, therefore, its destruction is inevitable. He says that in capitalist production there is tendency towards the concentration of wealth into fewer and fewer hands. The small businessmen are eliminated in the open and cut-throat competition, become propertyless and ultimately join the class of workers. Thus on the one hand, the number of the capitalists decreases, on the other hand, the number of labourers increases. What is important is that the labourers become class conscious owing to the similarity in the conditions.
As industrialisation progresses, workers and labourers begin to live at one place. This gives birth to class consciousness and the spirit of co-operation in them. They form unions and associations against the bourgeoisie. Capitalism increases the miseries of the workers day-by-day. Marx opined that when wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals, it would become easy for the proletariat to dispose of the few individuals and thereby establish their supremacy.
Establishment of Classless and Stateless Socialist Society:
The aim of communists is to establish a Stateless and Classless society evolving out of class-struggle, the control would be exercised by society as a whole. All the class distinctions would disappear and with the disappearance of class distinctions the class-struggle would naturally come to an end. The State would also wither away. Thus the new communist society would be Classless and Stateless where the freedom of each is the condition of the free development of all. The wage system will also wither away giving place to the principle, from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. Marx is of the opinion that a Stateless and Classless society will come into existence after the stages mentioned below:
1. Revolution:
Karl Marx says that a communist society will be established through a social revolution. No doubt capitalism has the germs of its own destruction but still the workers will have to take certain steps in order to improve their lot. The workers should organize themselves and should try to create class-consciousness among themselves. They should resort to violent method in order to destroy capitalism. The workers should make use of all the possible methods for capturing governmental authority.
2. Dictatorship of the Proletariat:
According to Karl Marx, capitalism is inevitably doomed to destruction and communism is bound to blossom. But after capitalism is destroyed communism will not spring up all at once. Its march will be preceded by what Marx calls “Proletarian Dictatorship.” The dictatorship of all Proletariat is an essential stage in the course of transition from the capitalistic society to the socialistic society. Before communism can be established the bureaucratic and military machine erected by the bourgeoisie must be completely smashed and a new order must be set up in its place.
Marx thus contemplated a transitional stage between the conquest of power by the proletariat and the establishment of a new social order. Engels says, “As the State is only a temporary institution which is to be made use of in the revolution in order to forcibly suppress the opponents, it is perfectly absurd to talk about a free popular State, so long as the proletariat need the State, it needs it not in the interests of freedom but in order to suppress its opponents and when it becomes possible to speak of freedom the State as such ceases to exist.”
Classless and Stateless Society. After the destruction of capitalism the class-struggle in society will come to an end. This way the society will become a classless society. Economic equality will come to stay in society. Under such circumstances the State will be rendered useless and hence it will be abolished. Voluntary associations formed by the people will take the place of the State. To establish such a society is the ultimate aim of communism.
Effects:
The ideas of Karl Marx have greatly influenced the people. Marx was considered as the father of labour movement in Europe. Many countries of the world have adopted communism today. After second World War a communist bloc emerged in the world.
Question 2.
On what grounds has Marxism been criticised?
Answer:
Marxism has been criticised on the following grounds:
1. It is based on wrong conceptions:
Economic factor plays an important role in shaping and moulding the historical changes and movements but it cannot be asserted that all the historical movements are exclusively determined and shaded by the modes of production and exchange. Non¬economic factors also play a role in the development of history. Human passions, sentiments, religion and emotions have also vitally determined and shaped the human history.
2. History is not the story of class war:
The law that sustains the universe and makes for progress is not the law of struggle and competition but the law of love, co-operation and sacrifice. Plato’s analysis of society, as based on the need of mutual co-operation for the satisfaction of common needs is more true than that of Marx. History is not at all the story of class-war.
3. State is not an evil:
The Communists consider the State as an evil because it helps the capitalists in exploiting the poor. The State also helps in increasing the class-struggle. But all this is wrong. The State is not an evil but it is something good. The state is based not on force but on the will of the people. The State power can be used rightly as well as wrongly. When the State authority passes on into the hands of selfish people only then it is used for exploiting the poor and the workers. History bears testimony to the fact that many a time the power of the State is exercised for the public welfare. The aim of the State is to help in the development of individual’s life.
4. Abolition of the State is not possible:
The Communists favour the idea of abolishing the State but this thing is not possible. The State instead of withering away is getting more and more powers. The individual today is very much dependent on the State for the satisfaction of his needs. In so many communist countries capitalism has been abolished but there seems to be a little possibility of the abolition of the state.
5. Nobody wants to lose power easily:
Power is such a thing that nobody wants to lose easily. If a person gets power just once, he tries to keep a hold on it for ever. The working class also wants to capture power but there is no guarantee that they will ever quit it. In China there is communism and the rulers of that country have not abolished the State so far. There is no guarantee that the working class will never misuse authority.
6. Labour alone is not responsible for production:
The Communists attach importance only to the labour in production but it is not correct. Capital also plays an important role in case of production. The capitalist is to take many pains for selling the manufactured commodities. Sometimes it so happens that the capitalist is to sell the material below the cost price. Under such circumstances the worker has no right even to accept wages. The worker is concerned only with the wages and about nothing else.
7. Prediction of Marx proved wrong:
Marx’s prediction about the increasing misery and degradation of the working class has not proved true. The worker of at least the affluent societies in the West has shared in the growing prosperity of the bourgeoisie and now enjoys more amenities than his predecessors a hundred years back. The society does not show any sign of proletarianism. In between the working class and the capitalist class there has arisen a fairly large middle class.
Thus, instead of becoming sharply divided into two classes the society has come to be divided into three or more sections. Most of the people belonging to the middle class reflect the ideas of the bourgeoisie and do not feel very enthusiastic about the proletarian cause. Capitalism has also hitherto been showing signs of growth and expansion. It has adjusted itself to the changing circumstances.
8. No importance to good means:
Karl Marx has emphasized the need of achieving the object and for this purpose, he says, all the means can be used. He favoured the idea of establishing a communist society by making use of violent means. But peace and order is disturbed by the use of violent activities. Moreover, the critics doubt if a violent revolution can provide a secure foundation of the socialist order of society.
9. Workers can be happy even in a capitalistic society:
It is wrong to assume that the condition of the workers in a capitalist society will be quite deplorable. There are many countries today where there is capitalism but at the same time every possible effort is being made to improve the lot of the workers. The defects of capitalism can be removed if the State takes certain steps to this effect.
10. Attack on religion is unjustified:
The communist attack on religion is unjustified. Religion exercises a greater degree of influence on the life of the individual. Hallowell is of the opinion that, in theory Marxism rejects religion, but in practice the passion which informs it is religious in character. For God, Marx substitutes Historical necessity, for the chosen people the proletariat and for the Messianic kingdom the realm of freedom.”
11. It ends individuality of the individual:
Communism has been criticised on the ground that it ends the individuality of the individual. In a communist society the individual can do nothing of his own sweet accord. He cannot get the incentive to hard work. The abolition of property will also prove a hindrance in the way of the individual.
12. Democracy is not a mere myth:
Marx has called the modem democracy as a mere myth. He is of the opinion that liberty in the absence of economic equality is meaningless. Real liberty lies in getting rid of hunger and unemployment. But the fact is that man does not live by bread alone. At certain occasions the individual would like to remain hungry for the sake of his freedom. Today it is an age of democracy and it cannot be called meaningless and useless.
13. It gives no importance to moral character:
Laski says, “Communism is a creed in which there is intellectual error, moral blindness and social perversity.” Communism gives no importance to moral character. Economic needs pale into insignificance before moral principles.
Estimate of Marxism:
Nevertheless, the ideas of Marx have gained a powerful hold over the intellectuals as well as the masses. He uncovered vital truths and foresaw important developments that were hidden from his contemporaries. He unravelled the relation between economic factors and social change and made a powerful attack on the squalor and complacency. He gave a philosophy which has changed the face of the world. In the words of ‘Wayper, “For the power of his message, for the inspiration of his teaching, and for his effect upon further development, Marx can be sure of his place in any collection of the world’s great masters of political thought.”
Russell says, “Marxist doctrines like those of other men, are partly true and partly false. There is much that can be controverted but there are some points in his theory that are of such importance as to prove him a man of supreme intelligence. ” Hallowell says, “We may reject the programme of Marxism, but we cannot ignore the indictment which it makes of capitalism.”
Short Answer type Questions
Question 1.
Who was Karl Marx?
Answer:
Karl Marx has been acknowledged as an originator of communism. He tried to give socialism a scientific and practical form for the first time. Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818 (New Style) in the city of Trier (Rhenish Prussia). His father was a lawyer, a jew, who in 1824 adopted Protestantism. The family was well to do, cultured but not revolutionary. After graduating from a Gymnasium in Trier, Marx entered the university, first at Bonn and later in Berlin, where he read law, majoring in history and philosophy.
Question 2.
What is Marxism?
Answer:
Marxism is the doctrine and programme of revolutionary or scientific socialism. Its basis is Marx’s analysis of history which traces the origin of social institutions to economic forces. As a political theory it deals with the class structure of society in which the state is the executive committee of the economically dominant class. As an economic theory it is a critique of the capitalism mode of production, explanation of how labour is exploited by the owners of the capital and how the process leads to the decay of capitalism. As a revolutionary programme it is an analysis of tactics of the proletarian dictatorship and the final establishment of classless and stateless social
Question 3.
Explain briefly Karl Marx’s Materialistic Interpretation of history.
Or
What, according to Marx, is the economic interpretation of history?
Answer:
Historical materialism or the materialistic conception of history is the direct application of the principles of dialectical materialism to the development of society. Karl Marx made it the cornerstone of his political philosophy. Although Marx does not very much explain as to what he means by his theory of historical materialism, it is in fact an economic interpretation of history. To quote Marx, “The materialistic conception of history starts from the principle that production, and with production the exchange of its products, is the basis of every social order in every society which has appeared in history.
The distribution of the products, and with it the division of society into classes or estates is determined by what is produced and how it is produced, and how the product is exchanged. According to this conception, the ultimate causes of all social changes and political revolutions are to be sought, not in the minds of men, in their increasing insight into eternal truth and justice, but in changes in the mode of production and exchange. They are to be sought not in the philosophy but in the economics of the period concerned.”
Question 4.
Explain four basic principles of Marxism.
Answer:
Following are the four main principles of Marxism:
1. Dialectical Materialism:
Dialectical materialism is the basic principle of Marxism and the whole political philosophy of Marx rests on it. Marx believed that contrary forces are present in every stage of history and this is the moving force of history. The process of development is the process of thesis, anti-thesis leading to synthesis.
2. Materialistic Interpretation of History:
According to Karl Marx, economic system of the society determines the general character of social, political and spiritual process of life. Whenever changes occur in the mode or relation of production, the whole social and cultural pattern undergoes a rapid change.
3. Theory of Class-Struggle:
According to Marx, the history of humanity is the history of class-struggle. It is the story of the struggle of the underdog against the master. According to Karl Marx, hitherto, society has been divided into two classes — the capitalists and the workers, exploiters and the exploited, rulers and the ruled. The interests of the two classes are opposed to each other and hence a continuous struggle between the two classes.
4. Another Principle of Marxism is theory of Surplus Value.
Question 5.
Write down Karl Marx’s theory of class-struggle.
Or
Write down Karl Marx’s theory of class-struggle.
Or
What is Karl Mark’s theory of class-war?
Answer:
According to Marx, the history of humanity is the history of class-struggle. It is the story of the struggles of the underdog against the master. Whatever may be the form of the struggle, the basic factor is the class war. Marx holds that in every society the forces of economic production divide the society into two hostile classes the capitalists and the workers. These two classes are interdependent and greatly require each other. However, each class wants to derive the maximum advantage from the other. The capitalists want to extract more and to pay less wages, while the workers desire to get the highest possible wages for their labour.
Thus, the capitalists in their hands possess a weapon of oppression and suppression, which the wage-earners never like. Whenever the workers become conscious of their exploitation, they organise themselves, rise and revolt. In this way there comes into existence a permanent and irreconciliable hostility between the capitalists and the workers. This hostility has reached its climax in modem age.
Question 6.
To what extent do you agree with Marx’s theory of class-struggle.?
Answer:
According to Marx, the history of humanity is the history of class-struggle but this view of Marx is not acceptable. The law of love, co-operation and sacrifice Plato’s analysis of society as based on the need of mutual co-operation for the satisfaction of common needs is more true than that of Marx. History is not at all the history of class-war.
Question 7.
What is Karl Marx’s theory of Surplus Value?
Or
What is Marx’s Principle of Surplus Value?
Answer:
Marx describes surplus value as ‘concealed labour’ or ‘unpaid labour’. Surplus value is the difference between the value of a commodity and the wages received by the labourer. Marx holds that since labour is the primary source of value, the whole price of the value should be paid to the labourer. But, this is not done in practice. The labourer is paid only a small fraction of it and the rest goes to the pocket of the capitalist. To this amount of wealth ‘concealed labour’ not paid to the labourer and pocketed by the capitalist, Marx gives the name of surplus value. The theory of surplus value supplies a linchpin to his economic interpretation of Russian history. It points out how the social structure largely depends on the distribution of wealth in the society. By this theory of surplus value, Marx tries to show the injustice that prevails in the capitalist society.
Question 8.
Write down Marx’s view about state.
Answer:
Marx has expressed his views about state in the ‘Communist Manifesto’:
According to Marx, State is neither a divine institution nor a result of social contract. State is a result of social evolution and it is a product of class-struggle. According to Marx, state could not represent all the classes. It has always favoured that class which controls resources of production. State is based on force. The state is against public welfare. State protects the capitalists in the name of public welfare. According to Marx, State has always caused misery.
Marx has observed that the state is a mill that crushes the working class. Marx believes that a day will come when workers | will organise themselves to snatch power from the capitalists and the dictatorship of the proletariat will be established. Dictatorship of the Proletariat will be a transitional state before the establishment of a classless society.
Question 9.
Explain any four bases of the criticism of Marxism.
Answer:
Marxism has been criticised on the following grounds:
1. It is based on wrong conceptions:
Economic factor plays an important role in shaping and moulding the historical changes and movements but it cannot be concluded that all the historical movements are exclusively determined and shaded by the modes of production and exchange.
2. History is not the story of class war:
The law that sustains the universe and makes for progress is not the law of struggle and competition but the law of love, co-operation and sacrifice. Plato’s analysis of society, as based on the need of mutual co-operation for the satisfaction of common needs, is more true than that of Marx. History is not at all the story of class-war.
3. State is not an evil:
The Communists consider the State as an evil because it helps the capitalists in exploiting the poor. The State also helps in increasing the class-struggle. But all this is wrong. The State is not an evil but it is something good.
4. Marxism gives no importance to moral character.
Question 10.
What is Karl Marx’s principle of Dialectical Materialism?
Answer:
Marx believed that contrary forces are present in every stage of history and this is the moving force of history. The internal contradictions are inherent in things because all things have something which is dying away and something which is still developing. This process of development is a process of thesis, anti-thesis leading to synthesis. It means that two different forces act and react and give rise to a third new force.
Applying the above principle of dialectical materialism to the various stages of evolution of society, Marx declared that contradictions have existed at each stage of its evolution. The present society in which the few capitalists control the economic forces is also not free from it. The present capitalist is also faced with its anti thesis the proletariat. The capitalists and the workers are in conflict with each i other. Marx was of the opinion that the result of this class-struggle will be the coming into existence of a classless society.
Question 11.
Write down the names of three important works of Karl Marx.
Answer:
The main works of Karl Marx are:
- Communist Manifesto
- Critique of Political Economy
- A Critical Analysis of Capital Production
- Das Kapital.
Question 12.
What do you understand by the Marxian concept of classless society?
Or
What do you understand by classless and stateless concept of Marxism?
Answer:
The aim of communists is to establish a Stateless and Classless society, evolving out of class-struggle. Marx is of the opinion that after the destruction of capitalism, the class-struggle in society will come to an end. This way the society will become a classless society. Economic equality will come to stay in society. Thus the new communist society would be classless and stateless where freedom of each is the condition for free development of all. The wage system will also wither away giving place to the principle, from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. Under such circumstances the state will be rendered useless and hence it will be abolished.
Question 13.
What do you understand by Marx’s dictatorship of Proletariat?
Or
According to Marxists what is meant by ‘Dictatorship of Proletariat’?
Answer:
The dictatorship of the proletariat is an essential stage in the course of transition from the capitalistic society to the socialistic society. Before communism can be established the bureaucracy and military erected by the bourgeoisie must be completely smashed and a new order must be set up at its place. During the transitional period the proletariat shall gradually socialise the natural resources and destroy the last remnants of capitalism. The dictatorship of the proletariat shall aim at the abolition of all the classes and thus prepare the way for its own extinction. During the period of dictatorship of the proletariat, the state becomes a representative of the whole society and not of one class.
Question 14.
Why, according to Marx, will state wither away?
Answer:
Karl Marx regards state as a class institution. According to him, State is nothing more than a machine for the exploitation of one class by the other. But once Capitalism is crushed, the state becomes superfluous and it must wither away. Since the state is a class institution, it will continue only till the remnants of the Capitalist class. Since it is the result of class-struggle, with the end of class-struggle and establishment of classless society it shall wither away of its own.
Question 15.
Write Marx’s view on Religion.
Or
What was Karl Mark’s opinion about religion?
Answer:
Marx held that religion was used to convince the proletariat that if they obeyed the state and their bosses, they would be rewarded in another life. The proletarian was lulled into accepting his way of life by the vision of heaven. This life might be harsh, but if he just stood in taking it as God’s gift, he would be rewarded in the next life. Marx felt that this kept the workers from actively seeking to change the system.
He saw what he believed to be the superstition and ‘hocus and pocus’ of religion used by the dominant class the bourgeoisie, to hold the proletariat in its downtrodden position. This is what Marx meant by his famous statement that religion is the opium of the people. Thus, Marx made scathing attack against the religious system of his day and argued that the future proletarian society would have no need for religion.
Very Short Answer type Questions
Question 1.
Who was Karl Marx?
Answer:
Karl Marx has been acknowledged as an originator of communism. He tried to give socialism a scientific and practical form for the first time. Karl Marx was born on May 5, 1818 in the city of Trier (Rhenish Prussia).
Question 2.
What do you mean by Marxism?
Answer:
Marxism is the doctrine and programme of revolutionary or scientific socialism. Its basis is Marx’s analysis of history which traces the origin of social institutions to economic forces. As a political theory it deals with the class structure of society in which the state is the executive committee of the economically dominant class.
Question 3.
Explain any two basic principles of Marxism.
Answer:
Following are the two main principles of Marxism:
1. Dialectical Materialism:
Dialectical materialism is the basic principle of Marxism and the whole political philosophy of Marx rests on it. Marx believed that contrary forces are present in every stage of history and this is the moving force of history. The process of development is the process of thesis, anti-thesis leading to synthesis.
2. Materialistic Interpretation of History:
According to Karl Marx, economic system of the society determines the general character of social, political and spiritual process of life.
Question 4.
Write down Karl Marx’s theory of class-struggle.
Answer:
According to Marx, the history of humanity is the history of class-struggle. It is the story of the struggles of the underdog against the master. Whatever may be the form of the struggle, the basic factor is the class war. Marx holds that in every society the forces of economic production divide the society into two hostile classesthe capitalists and the workers. The capitalists want to extract more and to pay less wages, while the workers desire to get the highest possible wages for their labour.
Question 5.
What is Karl Marx’s theory of Surplus Value?
Answer:
Surplus value is the difference between the value of a commodity and the wages received by the labourer. The labourer is paid only a small fraction of it and the rest goes to the pocket of the capitalist. To this amount of wealth ‘concealed labour’ not paid to the labourer and pocketed by the capitalist, Marx gives the name of surplus value.
Question 6.
Write down Marx’s view about state.
Answer:
Marx has expressed his views about state in the ‘Communist Manifesto’. According to Marx, State is neither a divine institution nor a result of social contract. State is a result of social evolution and it is a product of class-struggle. According to Marx, state could not represent all the classes. It has always favoured that class which controls resources of production.
Question 7.
Discuss any two bases of the criticism of Marxism.
Answer:
1. It is based on wrong conceptions. Economic factor plays an important role in shaping and moulding the historical changes and movements but it cannot be concluded that all the historical movements are exclusively determined and shaded by the modes of production and exchange.
2. History is not the story of class war. The law that sustains the universe and makes for progress is not the law of struggle and competition but the law of love, co-operation and sacrifice.
Question 8.
Write down the names of two important works of Karl Marx.
Answer:
The main works of Karl Marx are:
- Communist Manifesto
- Das Kapital.
Question 9.
Why, according to Marx, will state wither away?
Answer:
Karl Marx regards state as a class institution. According to him, State is nothing more than a machine for the exploitation of one class by the other. But once Capitalism is crushed, the state becomes superfluous and it must wither away. Since the state is a class institution, it will continue only till the remnants of the Capitalist class. Since it is the result of class-struggle, with the end of class-struggle and establishment of classless society it shall wither away of its own.
Question 10.
Explain Karl Marx’s idea towards religion.
Answer:
Marx meant by his famous statement that religion is the opium of the people. Thus, Marx made scathing attack against the religious system of his day and argued that the future proletarian society would have no need for religion.
One Line Answer Type Questions
Question 1.
Write down names of two famous works of Karl Marx.
Answer:
- Communist Manifesto
- Das Kapital.
Question 2.
Write two main theories of Karl Marx.
Answer:
- Dialectical Materialism
- Economic Interpretation of History.
Question 3.
Write down Marx’s view on state.
Answer:
Karl Marx called state as the Executive committee of the bourgeois class. According to Karl Marx, state is a political means of the
capitalist class by which it exploits the workers.
Question 4.
Describe any one important characteristic of Marxian view of the nature of state.
Answer:
State is neither a natural institution nor a moral institution.
Question 5.
Mention Marxian view about the welfare state.
Answer:
Marxist ideology considers the welfare state a means of capitalistic system. It considers such a state an evil as it is exploitative in nature.
Question 6.
Write the names of two works (books) of Karl Marx.
Answer:
1. Communist Manifesto
2. Das Kapital.
Question 7.
Write one criticism of Marxism.
Answer:
Individual liberty has not been given any importance in Marxism.
Fill In The Blanks
1. Marxism is based on the ideas of ……………. .
Answer:
Karl Marx
2. Marx is acknowledged as the father of ……………. .
Answer:
Scientific Socialism
3. According to Marx, the history of humanity is the history of ……………. .
Answer:
class struggle
4. Dialectical Materialism is not an original contribution of ……………. .
Answer:
Karl Marx
5. The ideas of Karl Marx have greatly influenced the ……………. .
Answer:
people.
True or False Statement
1. Marx interprets history from materialistic point of view.
Answer:
True
2. Marx describes surplus value as concealed labour.
Answer:
True
3. Karl Marx was in favour of Capitalism and labour exploitation.
Answer:
False
4. Stalin was the writer of Das Kapital.
Answer:
False
5. Karl Marx’s works include Communist Manifesto and Das Kapital.
Answer:
True
Choose The Correct Answer
Question 1.
Who is acknowledged as the father of scientific socialism?
(a) Plato ,
(b) Karl Marx
(c) T.H. Green
(d) Lenin.
Answer:
(b) Karl Marx
Question 2.
Which of the following is not a basic principle of Marxism?
(a) Dialectical Materialism
(b) Class Struggle
(c) Theory of Surplus Value
(d) Laissez-faire.
Answer:
(d) Laissez-faire.
Question 3.
Who said, “Religion is the opium of the people.”?
(a) Lenin
(b) Karl Marx
(c) Benthan
(d) J.S. Mill.
Answer:
(b) Karl Marx
Question 4.
Who said, “Historical Materialism is the heart of Marxism.”?
(a) Plamentaz
(b) Stalin
(c) G.D.H. Cole
(d) Hegel.
Answer:
(a) Plamentaz
Question 5.
Which of the following is a basic principle of Marxism?
(a) Dialectical Materialism
(b) Class Struggle
(c) Theory of Surplus Value
(d) All of the above.
Answer:
(d) All of the above.
Question 6.
Who applied Historical Materialism to explain both the past history and the future possible evolution?
(a) Kant
(b) Karl Marx
(c) Hegel
(d) G.D.H. Cole.
Answer:
(b) Karl Marx