Das Kapital

Winners and losers A capitalist society is based on the idea that you can’t get ahead in life without stepping on someone else’s back. In Ursula Le Guin’s story “The ones who walk away from Omelas”, written in 1973, show a society where everyone is happy and full of life. This town is an almost utopian society when the story begins. Children are running and playing, and the narrator talks about how great the city is. However, the city is not as good as it seems. This is because the source of their happiness is a child who is locked in a closet. Some people believe that this is the true source of happiness, however, some can’t stand this idea and leave Omelas. This is just like in a capitalist society where certain people are ahead in life because of the suffering of others. Where everything in capitalism may seem happy and free there are always winners and losers. Le Guin 's story depicts the pro’s and con’s of a capitalist society and says that in order for someone to get ahead in life others have to pay the price, and people who can’t stand this society walk away. Capitalism has proved to be a very effective form of society. The reason that it has worked for so long is because everyone is supposedly equal. Everyone has the same chance to succeed and do whatever they please. This happiness and freedom was seen in the setting of the story when the narrator is describing the “old people in long stiff robes of mauve and grey, grave master workmen, quiet, merry women carrying…

Karl Marx and Adam Smith are both economists with theories of capital accumulation. Karl Marx was a German doctor of Philosophy. Adam Smith who was a Scottish moral philosopher developed a similar theory. The theories differ in the way they perceive labor value. Smith’s theory has a clear argument on capital accumulation such as his explanation for unproductive/productive labor in comparison to Marx. Marx’s explanation of productive labor, critique of abstinence theory, exploitation, and the…

3. ANALYSIS Based on Marx’s concepts in Marxist criticisms written in the theoretical framework above, the Marxism of the necklace will be analyzed. 3.1 Economic Power in “The Necklace” “The Necklace” short story gives us clear image about society in which the distribution of goods are unfair. Mathilde described as a woman who has no skill or even commodity to sell for. She has only beautiful face and appearance that she uses to attract her husband who has similar status to her. She has no…

Caitlyn Jenner herself was quoted saying that “the hardest part about being a woman is figuring out what to wear.” Many consider it stunning progress that we have successfully integrated transgender women into the pages of our largest magazines and onto our television screens. However, an identity for transgender women was never established outside of the traditional female archetypes that support the perpetuation of Capitalism. Dozens of transgender women, especially transgender women of…

Karl Marx evaluated the capitalistic system through economic and social discourse. He evaluated the effects of the transition from a socially stratified society in feudalism to the capitalistic result that was the current trend in society. I will discuss how the minimum wage debate is viewed through a Marxist perspective Although the means of production was undergoing enormous leaps forward through the industrial revolution, the movement out of feudalism ceased to improve for those who lacked…

Why is responsibility such a significant theme in An Inspector Calls? In An Inspector Calls, the central theme is responsibility. Priestley uses the Inspector as a representative to voice his opinions on the main theme and the idea of socialism. Throughout the play, he presents each character with a role of responsibility and tries to make them aware, through the Inspector, that they are all guilty of Eva's death. The Inspector wants The Birlings to share their responsibility; Priestley's focus…

In today’s western capitalist societies individuals are consciously and subconsciously immersed into the constantly growing world of technology, with the internet, social media and global connectivity. This emergence of new media and technology has profound effects on society and individuals. Thus, bringing forth the theory of ‘the Culture Industry’ and its relevance today. The culture industry argument was developed by Adorno and Horkheimer and focuses on the effects of capitalist mass media…

While I sitting on the couch watching TV and grading, an advertisement for Uber popped across my TV. The advertisement was remarkable in a few ways. First rather than trying to encourage consumers to use their product, it was recruiting employees. Second, the campaign was built around the slogan “get your side hustle on.” I focus on two different ads for Uber. The first titled “It 's Time,” features a montage of clips of various individuals driving for Uber. The voice over tells the story of…

Disease and degeneracy has taken place of the progression promised by the Enlightenment, there is discomfort present within modern society and its streamlining that has led to the world despair and nihilism. Modern mechanical social structure stands responsible for the capacity depletion of humanity to find meaning, and the increased intellectual sophistication is in fact a manifestation of a vane sense of egoism, bound to erupt violently. What was deemed to become the age of information has…

In this reflection, I combine the content of the two classes last week. First, I will give my reply to several questions that posted by the discussion leaders. Secondly, I summarize and present my thoughts to several discussion topics in class. And finally, I would like to posit my questions to Marx, Marxists, or Post-Marxist. For the class on Tuesday, one question we discussed was about the differences between money as capital and money as mere money. My own answer to this is that Marx…