One response: > Do you agree or disagree with the following proposition: >> Production and economic classes are the starting point of Marxist analysis> of human society, including in the Manifesto, because human life, like all> plant and animal life must fulfill biological needs to exist as life at > all.> Marx and Engels are looking for _necessity_ to put historical materialism > on a scientific basis. In human biology there is necessity, things that > must> be done. >
In essence, yes, whilst wishing to rewrite the first phrase as 'Production and economic relations between human beings are the starting point of Marxist analysis of human society'. 'Class' is a category that Marxists use to explain the division of people according to their economic positions, in various ways. To make it an a priori norm risks fetishisation, making class somehow about immutable identity and the like (and thus to hopeless romanticisations of those things perceived to be most 'proletarian' in nature, on the basis of empirical observation). Class in capitalism is a by-product of an unequal and exploitative economic system; the division of society into economic classes is something that socialists wish to abolish. Solidarity, _______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list [email protected] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
