The Socio-scientific Explanation of Human Life in 'The Communist Manifesto'

The age of enlightenment (1685-1815) brought about a new wave of thinkers who tried to explain the conditions of human life through scientific methods instead of religion and folklore which questioned traditional authority. Philosopher Karl Marx (1818-1883) attempted to develop a critical social science which has been praised for influencing the development of sociology as an academic discipline. It may even be argued that commonly theoretical perspectives within human science are forced to engage with Marxist ideas and there are many whom consider Marx as a founding father within Modern Sociology. Marx alongside Friedrich Engles (1820-1895) were members of a group who defined themselves as ‘young Hegelians’ which dedicated themselves to the cause of revolutionary socialism. In this essay the first chapter of the ‘The Communist Manifesto’ which was written by Karl Marx will be explored and themes of capitalism, social change and alienation will be throughout whilst seeking to explain what Marx meant by ‘all that is solid melts into air’ and the relevance that this still has in the contemporary world.

The Manifesto of the Communist Party was written by Marx and Engels in 1847, this formed the basis for the modern communist movement. The manifesto expressed ideas that capitalism would eventually self-destruct and would be replaced by communism that was already being acknowledged as a power. Communism refers to a society in which private property does not exist, instead property is owned mutually and divided between society based on who needed what. This would avoid a surplus of goods being produced, exploitation to a subject class though greed and power. This opposed the current capitalistic society in which there were tensions between Bourgeoisie and Proletariat groups, the bourgeoisie were the ruling class who owned the means of production therefore the employers of wage labour. The Proletariat were the subject class of modern wage labourers whom did not own the means of production so were forced to sell their labour in order to live. Marx looked at human history as being divisive thus creating conflict, Marx and Engels published the first edition of ‘The Communist Manifesto’ in 1848 it explains how the modern Bourgeoisie society was created off the back from feudal society which had been previously revolted in earlier history. Marx suggested that these groups were defined as epochs.

These epochs were created through the ideas of the ruling class thus led to the creation of new classes to promote oppression and struggles which replaced older forms while still creating conflict between opposing groups. If Marx’s ideas of communism were to succeed this would reinforce ‘all that is solid melts into air’ as It would have influenced past traditions including ever creating epochs and class antagonisms to disappear and be replaced by connected community.