By Charu Sharma:
There has been an on-going creation of theoretical framework and ideological discussions on the historical relevance of human existence, both in revolutionary and evolution terms of social phenomena. Karl Marx gave the simplest frame of the society which is being carried out, knowingly or unknowingly even in the countries like India, where Marxian concept has its place beneath the walls.
It has been and will ever be the endurance of negotiating roles between the haves and the haves not. Marx’s words of wisdom, convincing enough to exemplify the ultimate Marxian concept suggesting that the needs which are material in every sense will eventually lead to the construction of production process, businesses ventures, hence practically declaring for even major establishments in future. Simplicity of material needs leading to the production process is nothing but humans working for their own survival, but with the helping hand of infrastructure and superstructure of society- Capital, Economy, Social Values and Culture. Ultimately, these structures affect each other in every minute way.
Ideology of Historical Materialism does differentiate between needs and wants, two opposite connotations yet can give birth and be the reason for the major expansion.
The fight of negotiating roles isn’t only the matter for the west, because Marx did his research on European countries yet it had a universal implication. Actuality of the working of Homo sapiens since decades has given rise to inevitability of Marx’s observation of class struggle and class structure. It is the historical tendency in all societies to divide themselves into two unequal social classes and hence these classes’ proceeds with social relationship based on uninterrupted fight between the contending classes in support of prevailing economic conditions and needs.
In Marxian terms, the two classes are essentially expounded as- the one on top-Bourgeois and the oppressed ones, the labour- Proletariats. This portrays the two shades of society, one class thriving for money, material craving, status; class with economic count initiates the production process. On the contrary, one shade of the class indicates the frame who strives for mere survival, working and slogging for their own being. Ironically, both surviving with the help of each other with unequal reciprocation. It shows the distorted picture of society in every sense. And this brings up a question and the base for the discussion- In a society so rich, how could so many be poor?
It was in the era of 19thcentury; Marx observed the societal paradigm shift. Marx gave a special importance to conflict, which is even psychological driven. He saw the continuance of commercial crisis and economic contradictions in the form class struggle in Germany, Belgium and France. Following the historical trend and glancing at current scenario, the oppressed will always emerge out with loud voice for radical change but due to Feudal restrictions, sticking to contemporary term- political leaders put restrictions on the civil society, unconsciously with different issues repeating the history itself.
In India the situation is prevailing more in terms of Congress vs. Indian Citizens. The difference is only that the economic and political crisis has become synonym of each other. Capitalist is based on exchange system yet forgetting the value added by the labour class, and exploiting them for being oppressed. Demon and corruption had a different meaning attached to it yet aiming toward same goal.
In the country like India, capitalist system exists in the form of disguised picture of socialist system. A social structure where in the democracy market is formed on global terms, democratic lift in economy, where the objective reality lies among political leaders, constitution along with the help of developed counties manipulating and negotiating with the value addition efforts by third world countries, economic-literacy deprived countries by cheap labour, assistance, space and infrastructure in the name hypocritical promise of return. Here domestic relations blindly follow the fetishism in an absolute form.
It is not the economy in today’s time but socio-political civil society, and cold war between the leaders for invested interests controlling and predicting every action of future for the people and named it rather by the people. In this belief, actors exploit yet diplomatically harmonize the class who are entirely responsible for the creation of their existence and living. To some extent in non-cynical terms, leap of betterment has been there but on contrary the illusionary clarity fades away with the equal and quite visible factuality of a belief system carried out only in theory but the literal actions are only controlled by the people sitting with power.
On contemporary terms, the current crisis has pretty much proven that Marx’s was correct when he explained birth of periodical cyclical crisis which rejects the idea of abolishment of class society even after the consciousness emergence and ultimate revolution oppressed class.
It has been in the past, may well be in the future, globalisation making world as one village , multinational culture and development towards better and higher economy , controlled by the leaders in the power.
Capitalist interest in countries like India is managed by political, secular yet religious thinking without shackling the socialist system, creativity at its peak. Nonetheless, the crudest way of defining society is believed to be ideally defined by Marx, there are his followers, not pessimist in nature; after all we do live in class based society.
Louder, stronger and rigid consciousness has to take its place. It is a road to heaven, giving heaven a chance and not backing off until it secures its position. This country needs a revolution. Anna Hazare retaliation may have made an example of raising voice, keeping apart his take on political ground. He and many others can be called as followers of Marxism because they have been exploited and abused, they will speak out and attain a society of not poor and rich but well-being based on equity. Marx’s belief lied not in an absolute utopian society, and not an ultimate ideal state but a classless state emerging after class oriented society; it calls for a revolution and leap of a million feet high.