Marx's Core Concepts: Work, Alienation, and History

Marx's Criticisms of H, L, R Models

Marx's criticisms of the models by H, L, R (presumably Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau) include:

1. They start with an abstract individual, i.e., considered separately from the context that gave them birth.
2. They assert the state is rational and universal, whereas Marx contended that, far from being a mediating instrument, it becomes a dominator.

Critique of Abstract Separation

The modern theory of abstract principles, or "abstract separation" (Abstracto separado), means that it abstractly considers and separates individuals from the context that has engendered them. Individuals are the product of a culture, society, and historical epoch, and only exist from this conception. The idea of a "state of nature" as a separate instance, existing before the establishment of societies, cannot avoid projecting some traits arising from a supposed pre-social common natural state, which Marx found problematic.

The Subject of History in Marx's View

Who is the subject of history? Marx argued it is nonsensical to say that society arises from the association of men in the state of nature. According to Marx:

• The subject of history is collective.
• Individuals only exist within this collective and are understood from it.

This is, in turn, because of the contradiction of claiming that society arises from the association of men in the state of nature, as it raises a false problem of whether the individual or society comes first.

Man's Essence as Work in Marxist Theory

Marx maintained that the essence of man is work. This is because it is through their productive activity that humanity transforms itself and develops. Therefore, Marx stated that man is what he produces and how he produces it.

Work and Freedom: A Marxist Perspective

The relationship between work and freedom, according to Marx, can be understood in two ways:

• Positively: Man is free in the development of his being through his work, when work is a fulfilling and creative activity.
• Negatively: When work becomes automated and tedious (as often seen in capitalist production), man loses his freedom and becomes alienated from his labor.

Alienation in the Work Process Explained

According to Marx, man, throughout history, builds his essence through work (trabajo). Alienation in the work process consists of the following:

• Man no longer feels that his work belongs to him.
• Under the capitalist mode of production, the work and the products of work do not belong to the workers.
• Consequently, they have lost their essence.

Three Perspectives on Worker Alienation

Marx identified three perspectives or aspects of the alienation process for the worker:

1. Alienation from the Productive Activity: The employee feels that his job no longer belongs to him, leading to a negative experience or sensation.
2. Alienation from the Product: The production no longer belongs to the worker but to the capitalist. As a result, the worker becomes disinterested in the product of their labor.
3. Loss of Control over Work: The worker cannot choose their work; it depends on the position they occupy (donde que ocupa) in the production system and not the place they wish to occupy (no el lugar a ser ocupado).

Marx's Conception of History's Meaning

For Marx, the meaning or "sense" of history is the progression through distinct societal stages:

• From an initial classless society,
• To a society divided into classes,
• Which will ultimately be overcome by establishing a new society without class divisions, realized in communism.

History is thus seen as a mission towards this ideal future.

Five Historical Modes of Production

According to Marx, five modes of production have developed throughout history:

• Asian Mode of Production
• Ancient Mode of Production (referred to as "OLD" in the original)
• Feudal Mode of Production
• Capitalist Mode of Production
• Communist Mode of Production