The Communist Manifesto is sometimes called the Manifesto of the Communist Party. Karl Marx who was a political theorist alongside another German called Friedrich Engels wrote it with the aim of improving the relationship among people. It was written in 1848, a time, industrial revolution and politics were changing. There was technological advancement, which they believed would continue growing and replace the old dysfunctional system. The manifesto centered on social engineering, for economic and social development. The manifesto was recorded in the books of history as having the greatest impact on political and industrial development. It analyses the problems of the capitalist system of government and the class struggle (Hunley, 1991). Angel admits that Marx did most of the work, which he published after Marx’s death. This manifesto was published in different languages all over the world.
The capitalist system encourages economic and industrial development. It has facilitated globalization through the competition it has created. It is however to be blamed for all the conflicts and recessions that have been recorded in the books of history. This is because it encourages a class system and a system where all persons invest either energy or resources for their own personal gains. In this system, the rich continue being rich while the poor continue struggling to reach the ruling class and end up enriching themselves the more. In the system, there is the ruler and the ruled those who are oppressed and others who are oppressing and groups exist in conflicting forms. Marx encourages communism and argues that the state would benefit more through this system as all energy would be geared towards developing the state.
The manifesto is a reflection of one of the political theories known as the Conflict Theory. The two theorists tried to highlight the discrepancies of a capitalist system despite the positive contribution it seems to have. In capitalism, the government is interpreted by looking at the class constitution. The highest level consists of the ruling class or the rich also called the Bourgeois. This class owns most of the properties and provides most of the material needs in society. The ruling class has an upper hand and rules the other classes hence creating a conflict. They are the decision-makers because they own most of the shares in the capital market.
The second class consists of the working group. Marx referred to the class as the class of the proletariat. Unlike the bourgeoisie who provides a means of production, they are only able to produce goods, which are consumed at the family level (Hunley, 1991). They work under the ruling class who make them work hard for little pay and in most cases under poor working environment so they can increase production. The masters in expanding their wealth use the increased production. This is a major conflict because the underclasses are constantly trying to improve their status while the ruling classes are not willing to provide the necessary conditions for the efforts.
Marx believes that despite the conflict, the two classes are interdependent on each other. In the process of the underclass trying to rise above the ruling class, they improve their own lives and consequently the nation’s wealth. He said that if the economics of a country expands due to production by the ruling class, the working class has a chance of expanding economically. He however says there are many difficulties involved in the co-existing of the two classes.
The class in which individuals grow plays a great role in shaping the person. Those people who are born or grow in the ruling class environment, appreciate the materials owned and will work hard to maintain that. They know the importance of money and what money can do for people hence adapting the tendency of wanting wealth on their accounts. On the other hand, those who grow to labor will learn to appreciate that through their hard work they can achieve and live a more comfortable life hence they value work for it is through work they are able to survive.
He further explains the relationship between the proletarians and communists. Communists are just like the working class in almost all aspects. The difference comes in the way they pursue their struggles. Unlike the working class who are after overtaking the ruling class, they are interested in struggling for the entire working class group irrespective of the places they come from. The other factor to distinguish them is the way the process of trying to reach the ruling class (Hunley, 1991). The communists unlike the proletarians, who are individualistic in their struggles, aim to fight for the interests of the class as a whole.
Marx feels that communists are judged wrongly when some people say that communists believe in free love a condition whereby a group of people opposes issues of marriage, especially in public. They believe that love issues are private and the state should not interfere with them by having policies that direct people on how to go about them. The other objection is the claim that communists do not believe in working and that they do not encourage society to work. The communists have a number of demands that they aim will bring peaceful co-existence among people and control exploitation by the ruling class. Their demands include; properties being owned by all and not privately owned, since the property will be publically owned, people will no longer inherit, transport and communication should be owned by the state, all, right to education for all, should equally share labor and generally, the state is to control all properties and activities. They argue that unity and justice can be achieved through the implementation of those policies, which would eliminate the class factor.
They believe that when this class factor is eliminated, the political power will be of no use. They believe that political power is a grouping by able people in the ruling class who oppresses the other groups in the society. There should be no superior class or individual than the other because the environment in which we grow has a great impact on our future class. Most innocent people find themselves in classes where they suffer all their lives. It is not because they do not work, but because they are destined while others find themselves in wealth classes when they do not even work for it. Most critics of Marx’s manifesto do not see a possibility of such a state and do not understand how any revolutionary state would change to suit the communists.
Marx gives a clear distinction between the communists and the socialists. He says that in communism, there are no classes and property is publicly owned. In socialism, there are classes but the working-class rules the society. They disagree with the other groups for not recognizing that the working class has a role to play in society. By the end of the nineteenth century, many countries were calling upon all the workers to fight for communalism. They support them by arguing that they stand with all activist groups so that they are not oppressed by the political system or the society organization (Hunley, 1991). The second argument is that they do openly declare their stand. They are not comfortable with the social conditions in place and want to have a classless society where all people receive equal treatment. They feel that the prevailing conflicts all over the world are because of the social structure, which encourages the class system, and in the process of trying to outdo each other conflicts occur. He says the classification also the capitalist system is to be blamed. Wars, economic recession, and other forms of political conflicts result when some people want to benefit more than others do. All this can only be solved through embracing communism.
In conclusion, Marx and Angel made some significant contributions, which help to solve the mystery in the world why conflicts seem never to be resolved. The theory of conflicts centers on the whole manifesto. Most countries feel that conflicts can be solved through the adoption of the communist system although they still find some limitations as it does not encourage competition which facilitates development. The main point communicated in the manifesto is the abolition of the class system or the capitalist system if the world is to enjoy any peace.
Reference
Hunley, J. (1991). The Life and Thought of Friedrich Engels: A Reinterpretation. New York, NY: Yale University Press.