The German Ideology: A Marxist Analysis

Education gives people the knowledge and understanding to see that they are being oppressed and to work against that. From a Marxist perspective; however, education is seen as a social construct used to keep the lower classes suppressed and under control of the upper class. In The German Ideology, Karl Marx states “The ruling class will give its ideas the form of universality and represent them as the only rational universally valid ones.” In this quotation Karl Marx is stating that the ruling class comes up with its own ideologies and teaches those to the lower class as fact. This is very significant to the Marxist ideology because if the lower class is learning from the upper class then the lower class would not have the knowledge to see …show more content…
The search for power through private property, in terms of wealth or land can negatively affect those that the wealth or land is being taken from. The bourgeoisie class with their capitalist ideology, are willing to enslave the proletarians for their own greedy intentions. In The principles of Communism, Frederick Engels states “The slave frees himself when, of all the relations of private property, he abolishes only the relation of slavery and thereby becomes a proletarian; the proletarian can free himself only by abolishing private property in general.” Frederick Engels states the concept of owning private property, such as wealth or land, leads to slavery and abolishing this concept will stop the enslavement of the proletarian. This quotation is important in understanding the Marxist ideology and the Marxist perspective on capitalism because it shows the bourgeoisie enslave and use the proletarians for their own selfish needs. Frederick Engels statement shows how the bourgeoisie have all the power and wealth but it is due to the enslavement of the poorer proletarian class. The capitalist ideology of the bourgeoisie has caused them to become greedier and enslave the proletarian class to make a profit. The concept of enslaving the poorer proletarian class by the bourgeoisie in order to make a profit is apparent throughout Heart of …show more content…
The enslavement of the proletarians is shown in four distinct Marxist forms. Firstly, the introduction of capitalistic ideologies will lead to a conflict that will enslave the lower class. Secondly, Imperialism will introduce a new religion which will enslave the society’s social beliefs. Thirdly, education being controlled by the bourgeoisie will lead to the proletarian being confined and not being able to rise up. Lastly, the greed of the bourgeoisie will lead to the proletarians being physically be enslaved. Marxist theories see Heart of Darkness as a work in which class relations are truthfully and realistically portrayed. Thus the novel displays the evils of capitalism and how the stark class division between the rich and the poor is created by imperialism, and how that is capable to destroy a