Karl Marx's Glorification Of Capitalism

Karl Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, journalist, historian and revolutionary socialist who died in 1883; thus, leaving behind his legacy through his theories. Contemporarily known as Marxism, it is understood that “Marx holds production to be both the most fundamental and the most encompassing of human activities” (Wood, 1981, p.32). Marxism exploits sociological and economic development through his theological approach to capitalism; this is not “an explanatory concept” but rather one to describe and diagnose the ramifications of capitalism by examining its ethical parameters (Wood, 1981, p.44). A capitalist society defines a ruling class which sells the labour power of the working classes in return for a working wage. Further …show more content…
Commodity fetishism continues to be something humans rely on for social relationship to production and for social capital. For example, the production of a tangible good is heavily relies on consumerism, as the ideology of spending to work, and working to spend is glorified. Marxist critique of social relationships to market trade, money and commodity exchange puts a higher value on acquiring labour wage than the means of production. This initially puts humanity in a state of circumvoluted society, in that “humans rely on commodities, therefore must work towards achieving these by means of productions of other commodities for a working wage in order to attain these commodities” (Kamenka, 1972, p.70). It is important to acknowledge the agency of individuals involved within the sociological sphere of commodity fetishism, because in order for it to exist there must be a following to support the system. Today, commodity fetishism can be examined using shopping, for example the winter holiday season is a serious deal in the realm of sociological approach to how celebration takes place for