Karl Marx

“We proceed from an actual economic fact. The worker becomes all the poorer the wealth he produces, the more his production increase in power and range. The worker becomes an ever cheaper commodity, the more commodities he creates. With the increasing value of the world of things proceed in direct proportion to the direct devaluation of the world of men”.

The passage is themed on the economic effect of a capitalist state. The writer is known for his strong stance on socialism. Socialism is the direct opposite of a capitalist form of government. This type of system supports the principles of working together so as to distribute the wealth of the overall society. The passage talks against the social ills that come with the adaptation for a capitalist state. Karl Marx thus forms an argument that showcases the impact of this form of government.

A capitalist state allows for an individual to accumulate as much assets as they so desire. The passage mentions the way productivity affects the economic state of a worker. A worker is responsible for meeting deadlines in any kind of work environment. This means that they have to maximize on their productivity so that they can fulfill the output requirement. An ordinary man works for the benefit of the more elite and powerful in the society. They have to work harder every day to maintain their jobs in the workplace. Despite the fact that they work extremely hard, they are faced with the fact that their economic condition depreciates in value.

This creates a system whereby the majority of the population continues to embrace poverty in the society. This leaves the wealthy minority with complete control of the economic development. One of the repercussions of this situation is the increase in prices of all the basic amenities. The increase of the prices makes the general population a slave to the economy in that they cannot afford the basic needs. This in turn, reduces the value of man in relation to all aspects of life. In conclusion, there is a direct relationship between the increased hard work and the economic gains. This relationship is not ideal because the increased labor works against the improvement of the social status.