Das Kapital, Karl Marx

Das Kapital, Marx - Essay

This book reveals the drawbacks of modern society and capitalism according to the German philosopher Karl Marx. The basic notion to understand it is to understand the reason why he considers Human-beings apart from other animal-species. According to him, work is the main factor which raise Humanity over other types of life. Indeed, he differentiates Human-species in the sense that the work they realize is originated from the concept of consciousness and the idea of willing and planning what will be achieved. This conscious does not appear in animal-species which just acts by instinct, to answer to an actual need. From this point, we will try to understand what the author considers as the sense of Labor, what could be the drawback and the consequences of this notion applied in a non-adapted society and finally what would be a solution to fight against these drawbacks.

I/ How work gives a sense to Humanity

Marx defines the notion of work as the activity in which the Human-being modify the nature in order to build a (living-environment) which will reach her fundamental needs. According to him, modifying the nature and the environment around her has for consequence to transform her own nature by developing her skills, her capacity and her potential, as well intellectual as physical. Indeed, the ability of achieving any kind of labour is not innate and requires the Human-being to develop a strong will, a great sense of discipline and to acquire the notion of effort and perseverance. Therefore, labour is the fundamental key to raise each individual to a greater version of herself.

As the concept of labour is specific to the Human-species because of the intervention of the conscience in the mental conceptualization and visualisation of the results expected from task to achieve, the author affirms that the labour represents the essence of the Human-beings. He concludes his definition of work by establishing the fact that Humanity is achieved through work and that work makes the link between a Human-being and her nature.

From this point of view, we understand that labour is considered by the author as a factor of social integration which, more than linking every individual to her humanity, is also the key to establish a link between every individual and to her integration in the society.

However, if work represents the freedom of expression and of self-creation of everyone, how can we consider the consequences of work in a consumption-focused society?

II/ How work can alienate Human-beings

From the previous questioning, the opinion of Marx is clearly-defined.

If the worker reaches her Humanity through work and the creation of her labour, the modern notion of taking away the creation from the own-use of the worker as for heavy consequence to alienate the worker. Thus, the worker is just one part of the whole production process and cannot identify herself in her work because it is not her’s. Time and effort spent in work becomes her life, and she perceives it as her reality so that by finally working for a result which will be taken away from her makes it hostile and alien.

Thus, Marx qualifies capitalism as irrational and opposed to the Human nature. According to him, capitalism is at the origin of a society which institutionalized economic compulsion which has for consequence to establish inequality in capitalist-worker relation. Indeed, in the modern society, needs are basically endless and continuously unsatisfied. This unsatisfaction leads to a mass production, which implies more work, more pressure and more inequalities. If work remains mandatory and keeps its function of raising the Human-beings, it ends to alienate individuals. However, Marx is convinced that we can limit this alienation by initiating a production equivalent to the “right quantity”, to avoid wasting and overproduction and one the other hand, by initiating equality relationship among Human-beings.

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