Socialism

I.

WORKERS UNITE!

Karl Marx: radical, atheist
academic

Saw economic forces as
scientific laws of history

Communist Manifesto
(1848), Das Kapital

I.

WORKERS UNITE!

All history is class struggle:
oppressors v. oppressed

Bourgeois (owners) v. Proletariat
(workers)

Industrial revolution (machines)
accelerated process and conflict

I.

WORKERS UNITE!

Proletariat:

Live only for work, mere
commodities, “instruments of
labor”

Lost all individual character

Exploited by bosses and
owners for profit

I.

WORKERS UNITE!

GOALS:
• Violent overthrow of the

bourgeois

• Elimination of classes
• Abolition of private property

II. THE STATE: A NEW
GOD-KING

•Proletariat to use democracy to
become ruling class

•Concentrate all production and
power in the the hands of the
State

•Overthrow all culture, religion,
morality and law

II. THE STATE: A NEW
GOD-KING

•No universal truth
(God), only power

•Men’s natures change
with every material
change

•Values (law, morality,
property) only used by
ruling class to control
masses

II. THE STATE: A NEW
GOD-KING

Conclusion:

• Man alone is god

• Man only exists as part of

State

• State is god, determines all

values and purpose

III. STUDY OF
CONTRASTS

Capitalism

• created the greatest amount of

goods/services for the largest amount of
people

• Channels individual good to social good

Socialism

• Loss of individual freedoms in name of

equality

• Creates shortages, high prices (ignores

supply and demand)

• Loss of motivation

III.

III.

III. CAPITALIST
CRITIQUE

●Alienation

●Unstable work

●Workers are exploited
by owners

●Capitalism is unstable

●Commodity fetishism

III. STUDY OF
CONTRASTS

Capitalism

• Built upon private property
• Values individual, ultimate private property
• Relies on “invisible hand” (reason & revelation)

Socialism

• Abolishes private property
• Values state, erases individual
• Requires total man-made control (abolish revelation & reason)

III.

III.

III. STUDY OF
CONTRASTS

Capitalism

• Spiritually founded, but secular in

practice – complementary to moral,
spiritual, legal, cultural values

Socialism

• Secularly founded, but religious in

practice – destroys all other values,
dictates all aspects of life (god-King)

III. SOCIALIST GOD-KINGS

SO WHAT?

Socialism – a seemingly good idea that practically creates
limited economic growth, permanent poverty, & oppressive
government controlling all aspects of life

Capitalism – a seemingly selfish idea that practically
unleashes the greatest, widest prosperity world has ever
seen.

●More moral due to its respect for individual = Private
property – foundation of all freedom & rights