The primary purpose of this journal is to address some of the issues that are currently present in the United States, and I decided to discuss them from the perspective of Karl Marx’s economic critique. The philosopher has focused on such aspects of capitalism as class issues, exploitation, and others. It needs to be said that some of the principles that are stated by Marx can be applied to most problems in modern society. The sociologist’s views were often controversial, but it is imperative to note that some of his works were extremely innovative at that time. He noted that class segregation is something that has developed historically and discussed the reasoning behind conflicts between the classes.
One of the biggest issues that I have noticed and observed is racism that is still present in our society and affects all areas and workplace environments. Marx is known for his bias towards some races and questionable remarks, but he has viewed discrimination as something that has developed because capitalists wanted to abuse cheap labor. He thought that it was used as one of the ways to promote the separation of the classes. The problem of class segregation is worsened by the fact that racial issues are still present in the country, and it is especially easy to notice in the workplace. A recent study has shown that the wage gap between white people and black people is approximately 33% (Fryer, Pager, & Spenkuch 2013).
Such a percentage is quite significant and should not be disregarded. However, it needs to be said that there are such factors as differences in education that should be considered. Nevertheless, such significant dissimilarities in income should not be acceptable, and the government needs to address this issue. It is much harder for persons of color to find a well-paying job because of some stereotypes that are not true at all. Discrimination of workers based on their race should not be allowed, and employers that demonstrate such behavior should be monitored by the government. Marx viewed racism as something that was artificially created to promote capitalist ideologies.
He also believed that the lack of unity between the working class is seen as beneficial by capitalists. The fact that wage gaps are presently created another issue of differences in education. Many people of color simply cannot afford to go to college, and many cannot graduate because of numerous factors. Individuals that received a degree have a significant family debt that is not easy to pay off, and the situation may be complicated by economic crises.
Another aspect that needs to be addressed is that females are much more likely to attend college and successfully graduate, and the difference in numbers is truly astounding. Marx has noted that class conflicts have an enormous impact in all areas, including learning, and he believed that every individual deserves to receive an equal education.
It also needs to be noted that the index of economic segregation in the Los Angeles metro is one of the biggest in the whole country, and it is 0,893 (Badger 2015). Such numbers are not surprising because it is evident that there is a significant income gap that can be seen between the social classes. The issue is worsened by the fact that people of color are often forced to live in neighborhoods with other individuals of the same race.
It leads to significant tension between the races that should not be disregarded. Social classes live in different areas of the city, and most do not think that it should be acceptable. Some regions have quite diverse populations, but the fact that some of them are mostly populated by persons of color and are associated with increased crime rates is an enormous issue. The way they are treated by police officers also should be noted because it is obvious that warranted law employees often overstep their boundaries and prejudice is also a remarkable problem. Individuals that are non-white are often perceived as guilty without any significant evidence, and it is not something that should be happening in modern society. Numerous examples of unfair sentencing and brutality may also be noted.
In conclusion, it is paramount to say that the situation is getting better each year, and some of the issues are addressed by the government. However, some problems are still present, and it will not be an easy task to solve all of them because the current economic system has been formed throughout history. It is necessary to say that some of the points in Karl Marx’s works are questionable, but he was able to predict few problems that may occur because of the popularization of capitalism such as globalization of this economic system, false needs, and others. Overall, it needs to be a slow and steady process, and small progress already can be noticed because people are willing to express their opinions about the most significant issues in modern society.
References
Badger, Emily. 2015. “The Wealthy are Walling Themselves off in Cities Increasingly Segregated by Class.” Web.
Fryer, Roland G., Devah Pager, and Jörg L. Spenkuch. 2013. “Racial Disparities in Job Finding and Offered Wages.” Journal of Law and Economics 56(3): 633-89.