Marxism, a political ideology created by Karl Marx, has influenced the world in major ways. It proposed a new way of political organization of society and its economy, popularizing the existing ideas of socialism and communism and critiquing the capitalistic structures. Marxism remains a topic of fierce debate and re-interpretation to this day. Its influence can be observed even in subtle ways through the news stories.
ABC News Network. (2022). Explainer: What’s behind difficult Taiwan-China relations? ABC News. Web.
This article reports the recent attack on the church in southern California by David Chou, a member of the China-backed organization that supports the idea of annexing Taiwan. It argues that this incident is fueled by hate and attempts to place it in the context of China-Taiwan relations and the reach of Chinese state propaganda. The article mentions this propaganda as one of the attributes of Marxist regimes.
The view of propaganda is consistent with the idea of Marxism as a worldview by Myers and Noebel (2015). The Marxist theory explains everything for the supporters of Chinese communism, fueling their intense emotions against any opposition to their worldview. Through this method of propaganda, the Chinese government coerces people from other countries to support its actions.
Applebaum, A. (2021). Democracies don’t try to make everyone agree. The Atlantic. Web.
This article proposes that the main difference between democracies and states based on Marxism is the diversity of the opposing opinions. From the observation of communist states, the lack of opposing ideologies is clear. The main issue of Marxism is that it tries to cover not only economic structure but the society overall, which leads to it becoming a worldview rather than just economic theory.
Myers and Noebel (2015) would further argue for the idea of Marxism being a worldview. It first stems from the certainty of the fatal downfall of capitalism and the emergence of communism, not leaving any other options open. The latter supporters take it to the extreme by incorporating Marxism into everything in their lives, including religion, philosophy, family structure, and others.
Hancock, T. (2022). Marxism makes a comeback in China’s crackdown on ‘disorderly capital’ – BNN Bloomberg. The Japan Times. Web.
This article reports on the speech of Chinese President Xi Jinping at Beijing’s Renmin University of China. In his speech, Xi Jinping refers to the recent political crackdowns in Beijing and cites Karl Marx, surprising the media. Over the several decades, the Chinese Communist Party tried to avoid the reference to Marxism, as it promoted the vision of a free-market economy. This development, however, just reaffirms the roots of Chinese state ideology.
The main issue with Marx’s work is that he does not provide the exact pathways to achieve his political structure, only referring to capitalism’s downfall and communism as inevitable in developed capitalistic countries. Myers and Noebel (2015) would also agree with the fatalism in Marx’s work. Therefore, Lenin created the idea of vanguards to fulfill this void and adapt the ideology to Russian feudal conditions at that time. This vanguard permits the easy exploitation of the system and consequent corruption and dictatorship or cronyism, as Myers and Noebel (2015) refer to it. It was the basic idea behind the Chinese reformation, consistent with the recent crackdowns in China.
Jeffries, S. (2012). Why marxism is on the rise again. The Guardian. Web.
This article outlines the instances showing the surge of Marxist ideology’s popularity. The paper argues that it is connected to the recent decrease in favor of capitalism in Western countries. This decline stems from the frustrations of the working class because of the growing inequality and increasing poverty in the light of the rising fortunes of the richest one percent. Even though many scholars do not agree with the fatal collapse of capitalism or the idea of communism, they argue that Kral Marx provided the most comprehensive critique of capitalism. Therefore, it is obvious how the working class finds it appealing to see their struggles being described relatively precisely.
As Jeffries becomes doubtful of the future of the state guided by Marxism, in response, Myers and Noebel (2015) would argue that Marxist ideology would only lead to corruption and dictatorship. They would claim that instead of fighting against the class division for the betterment of the working class condition, Marx removed the competition and, in its vacuum, established cronyism.
Rai, A. (2021). Marx and Lenin gather at ‘Communist’ Indian wedding. The Independent. Web.
This article recounts the wedding in India’s southern Kerala state, which was visited by the communist party members named after Marx, Lenin, and Ho Chi Minh. Rai claims that this is quite common across India, especially in the town of Athirapilly, known for the dominant majority of the communist party representation. The same phenomenon could also be observed in the Soviet Union in the past.
Naming children in the memory of famous people is nothing new. However, if Myers and Noebel’s (2015) claim of Marxism as a worldview is taken into account, it can be interpreted as signs in support of this argument. In the example of the Soviet Union, it can be seen how the state ideology overtook every aspect of the people’s lives, including the economy, philosophy, religion, family, workplace, and others. It did not permit any opposing or alternative views, which is now practiced by modern-day Marxist thinkers, who pass on their ideology to their children.
References
ABC News Network. (2022). Explainer: What’s behind difficult Taiwan-China relations? ABC News. Web.
Applebaum, A. (2021). Democracies don’t try to make everyone agree. The Atlantic. Web.
Hancock, T. (2022). Marxism makes a comeback in China’s crackdown on ‘disorderly capital’ – BNN Bloomberg. The Japan Times. Web.
Jeffries, S. (2012). Why marxism is on the rise again. The Guardian. Web.
Myers, J., & Noebel, D. A. (2015). Understanding the times: A survey of competing worldviews. David C Cook.
Rai, A. (2021). Marx and Lenin gather at ‘Communist’ Indian wedding. The Independent. Web.