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Marx and Darwin

Marx and Darwin. August Comte (1798-1857). Positivism- the key to civilization is humanities understanding of the world. 3 Stages Theological Stage- humans interpreted everything in terms of gods who lived in nature

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Marx and Darwin

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  1. Marx and Darwin

  2. August Comte (1798-1857) • Positivism- the key to civilization is humanities understanding of the world. 3 Stages • Theological Stage- humans interpreted everything in terms of gods who lived in nature • Metaphysical Stage- people learned through Christianity, to think in more abstract terms • Positive Stage- human understanding becoming scientific.

  3. August Comte (1798-1857) • Sociology- a scientific study of human civilization • Established religion would be replaced by a a “religion of humanity” • Inspired rapid development of the social sciences: - economics, political science, anthropology, sociology and psychology

  4. Karl Marx (1818-1883) • Communist League - link far flung German Socialist living in exile • The Communist Manifesto (1848) written jointly with Fredrich Engels • Basic statement of ideals of the Communist League

  5. Karl Marx (1818-1883) Communism • Goal – Economic equity • The wealthy (bourgeoisie)would not voluntarily give up wealth • Called for a violent revolution, led by the working class - Proletariat • Identity based on class - No nationalism • No religion • Workers would own the factorsof production (land, factories, natural resources)

  6. Karl Marx (1818-1883) Theory of History • All of history from the beginnings of time consists of a class struggle • Society is structured based on the organization of its economy

  7. Karl Marx (1818-1883) Theory of History • Feudalism supplanted by development of bourgeoisie (Middle Class) • Capitalism led to creation of a new working class, the proletariat • Proletariat would arise and overthrow the capitalist • Government created by proletariat would be violent, but would wither away as the result of the elimination of all other classes

  8. Karl Marx (1818-1883) Das Kapital • Analysis of capitalism • Value of a product comes from the labor required to produce it - Capitalist makes a profit by keeping part of the value added by labor - Exploitive of the working class

  9. Karl Marx (1818-1883) • Competition forces lower prices, reduced profits - Lower wages to subsistence level • Small producers fail • concentration of capital among wealthy • fewer middle class, larger working class • deprives all but few of property

  10. Karl Marx (1818-1883) • Scientific Socialism – using scientific analysis of history and economy • as opposed to utopian socialism of Saint-Simon, Robert Owen and Charles Fourier

  11. Karl Marx (1818-1883) • Appeal • Provides a method for analyzing society • Accepts industrialization as ultimately beneficial while criticizing industrial society. • Creates moral judgments without a system of ethics • Scientific claim that the workers would ultimately “win”

  12. Charles Darwin • On the Origins of Species (1859) • Provided detailed evidence and explained the mechanism for evolution • “natural selection” • Over times, species that were well adapted would survive, those that were not would die out • Over time, “higher” forms of life emerged

  13. Social Darwinism • The application of Darwin’s ideas to social science. • Used “science” to justify that Europeans were superior to Asians and Africans - Therefore, Europeans should dominate them - Men should dominate women • “science” of Eugenics- Some races/nationalities superior to others. Unfit should be discouraged from breeding

  14. Social Darwinism Herbert Spencer • “survival of the fittest” • Progress was “not an accident, but a necessity” • All things evolved from simplicity to complexity

  15. Social Darwinism • Ideas of Darwin would be used to help justify European Imperialism • “White Man’s Burden”

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