Quote:
Originally Posted by hairymarx
"The bourgeoisie has through its exploitation of the world market given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country...In place of old wants, satisfied by the production of the country, we find new wants, requiring for their satisfaction the products of distant lands."
"The bourgeoisie has stripped of its halo every occupation hitherto honoured and looked up to with reverent awe. It has converted the physician, the lawyer, the priest, the poet, the man of science into its paid wage labourers."
"In proportion as the repulsiveness of the work increases, the wage decreases. Nay more, in proportion as the use of machinary and division of labour increases, in the same proportion the burden of toil also increases, whether by prolongation of the working hours, by increase of the work exacted in a given time or by increased speed of the machinary, etc."
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Well, reading these makes me feel as though he was right, though these passages are the only knowledge I have of him. As crazy as this sounds, these seem to reflect the religion of Buddhism - suffering is universal, and we will always desire things. Buddhism, I find, is the polar opposite of capitalism. Both deal with how to satisfy wants. Buddhism says that we should suppress the feelings and urges; capitalism that we should pursue them, eternally. Communism, and this Karl Marx guy, seems to understand that we desire things, but denies the pursuit of them - which is why it reflects Buddhism.
Now the real question is whether or not this is right. I think communism will naturally resist change and progress. If we do not achieve our desires, we will never desire new desires, thus progress will never be achieved.