Write short note: Class struggle a conceived by Karl Marx.(200 Words)

Karl Marx idea of class struggle is deeply influenced by Hegel’s dialectic process. Hegel believed in thesis and antithesis both appearing as true comes in conflict which after resolution gives rise to new thesis. Based on this hypothesis, Karl Marx views the evolution of human society based on the internal contradiction between forces and relations of production. When new forces of production comes in conflict with existing relations of production a class struggle develops. Marx sees the uproot of existing relations of production with new relations of production as a social revolution. For e.g. in capitalist societies the age of developing new technology with big factories, plants, mills were on peak. The bourgeoisie class could produce in bulk and have enormous profit but the same income is not uniformly distributed among the proletariat classes. The bourgeoisie class which were in minority acquired enormous wealth whereas the proletariat class which were in majority were considerably living in poverty and misery. The feeling of social consciousness developed among working class which resulted in working class movement. Struggle between capitalist and working class resulted in overthrew of capitalist. Marx viewed overthrew of capitalist as the one where society shifts from capitalism to communism or socialism. So class struggle is main driving force in evolution of human societies.

By me:

Karl Marx's idea of class struggle was influenced by Hegel's idea of dialectics. Marx declared that history of all hitherto societies is history of class struggle. According to Marx, major identifying feature of a society at any given stage of development is its mode of production. It includes forces of production such as land, labor etc and relationships of production i.e. laborer(proletariats) to production process and capitalists(bourgeoisies) to laborers and land etc. To Marx, changes in mode of production i.e. change in instruments of production like new technology or change in relationship of production gives rise to new mode of production thus brings about social change. But this change could not happen if bourgeoisie ideology is not challenged. This ideology promotes false consciousness among workers and they remain class-in-itself. But when proletariats develops consciousness about their relationship to the mode of production as well as sense of belonging to their class, it gives rise to class-for-itself through this subjective criteria. Poliarization of classes leads to revolution against bourgeoisies. Proleetarits finally throw out the prevailing system and seize the power. Gradually, this establishes new forces and relationship of production which over the time develops its own contradictions and leads to another revolution and this goes on until the establishment of communist state where there is no class so no class struggle.