From the Paper
" Differing views of human nature are found in the theories of Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud. The two writers address diverse aspects of human life, with Marx centering on the economic and political and Freud on the inner life of the mind and the ways in which that manifests itself in human behavior. The two men have as their starting point a conception of human nature which shows why human beings behave as they do, and for both men the reasons for human behavior are hidden from view, hidden from the understanding of the majority of people responding to them. For Marx, the hidden force is economic and involves the relationship of the human being to labor, while for Freud the hidden force is found in theoretical constructs of the mind which govern different aspects of thought and behavior and whose interaction produces the behavior we can see..."

Tags:SOCIOLOGY: MARX

Abstract
The paper explains that Durkheim believed religion, originating from the society or the needs of the society rather than from the human mind, is essentially a moral force that determines and codifies what is good and bad for a society. The author points out Karl Marx's statement that "religion is the opium of the common people" and his opinion that it is not a necessary factor in the development of the society. The paper states that Max Weber's views on religion are more sociological than an analysis of religion itself; however, he acknowledged that religion has a strong social effect that helps in the development of the society.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Analysis
Comparison

From the Paper
"Marx on the other hand did not believe that religion was a necessary force. While he did not negate the view the religion had a unifying quality, he believed that religion was a force that unified people only to exploit them. In his views, religion deepened the social division between the rich and the poor by enforcing deviant interpretation of morality on the public. He believed that the economic forces in a society are far more powerful than the religious forces of a society because religion is in turn dependent on the economic status of the society. Marx believed that religion is just an illusion that ensured that the society operated in a manner that was beneficial to the society."

Tags:society, moral, codify, opium, development

Abstract
This paper explains why the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The explanations range from Russian history and faults in Marxist theory, to Stalin, Gorbachev, and others. It explains why the collapse was inevitable, stating that, from the beginning, Russia was isolated and backwards and that Marx never had Russia in mind for reformation. It also examines the role the U.S. played in the collapse and what the Soviet Union's leaders did wrong.

From the Paper
"Even though the Soviet Union survived events such as a civil war, the Russo-Japanese war, and both world wars, it finally collapsed in 1991. This happened despite the benefits communism gave it. The failure of the USSR to remain a world superpower was attributed to many factors. Some factors include faults in Marxist theory and those of the Soviet Union's leaders. Others include Russia not being suited for communism, and external forces determined to bring down the Soviet Union."

Tags:communism, gorbachev, marx, russia, soviet, stalin, states, union, united

Abstract
In this essay the author goes head to head with Karl Marx's view of alienation. The contradictions which Marx makes on alienation of labor are pointed out and used to figure out what conception of the human essence Marx uses to rest his theory on. The author points out flaws in Marx's essay and offers alternative solutions.

From the Paper
"Karl Marks who lived between 1818 and 1883 wrote the Estrange Labor manuscript in 1844. Being only 26 years of age he challenges the works of the great philosopher Hegel. In his manuscript he considered himself to be a young Hegelian philosopher. Marx explains his beliefs on what he believes to be the key elements of estranged labor, mainly alienation from nature, alienation from product of labor, alienation from the activity of labor, and alienation from species. Hegel believed that trough the use of labor to create objects we could satisfy our bodily needs. He believed that our reason allowed for criticism to improve upon the objects, which allowed the mind to evolve toward pure reason and ultimately freedom. Hegel also noted that freedom was the essence of freedom. Marx does not completely agree with Hegel because he felt his theory was too abstract and ignored important concepts of social organization for production. Marx believes that philosophy in the past had mystified the real contradictions of human existence."

Tags:estranged, labour, metaphsics, society

From the Paper
"Karl Marx, born in Germany in 1818, had tremendous influence throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The communist and socialist ideologies, the communist revolution in Russia, and the spread of communism throughout the world were all a result of Marx's social and economic theories. These theories were developed as a result of the situation of the working class in Europe during Marx's lifetime. .."

Tags:19th, century, conditions, engels, european, history, labor, marxism, russia, soviet, union, unions, working

Abstract
This paper examines how Sigmund Freud, Karl Marx and Michel Foucault are three of the most important philosophical minds to influence the 20th century and how their influence on the arts has been particularly significant. It evaluates this influence, as well as comparing and contrasting each of their views on art (specifically theater) in the 20th century, by the analysis of three different plays. The plays are "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde, "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller and "Polaroid Stories" by Naomi Iizuka. It shows how all three plays from different times are very different both thematically and in form and how by viewing these three works through the eyes of Foucault, Marx, and Freud it becomes possible to see the specific differences in their doctrines.

From the Paper
"Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939) has changed modern culture, probably, as much as any other man in history according to The United States Library of Congress' Freud exhibition entitled Sigmund Freud: Conflict and Culture. Freud's discourses on the nature of sexuality, fantasies, and the significance of dreams have enthralled artists for over a century now. The Importance of Being Earnest, being a comedy of manners, involves sex only in a very discreet way, however the element of fantasy and dream are woven throughout Wilde's text. Gwendolyn spends the majority of her stage time in a reality separate from the rest of the characters. And both Jack and Algernon invent characters of their own so they can fantasize about better lives. Freud argues that all art comes from the subconscious of the artist (Freud, Creative Writers and Daydreaming)."

Tags:art, drama, history, psychology, salesman, earnest, polaroid, stories

Abstract
This essay is an excellent introduction to the basic social theories underpinning Marxist and Weberian thought. Discussion of economic production, surplus value, infrastructure, class, stratification, verstehen, class consciousness, and basic communism is included.

From the Paper
"Karl Marx believed that all societies are based on the organization of economic activity and that each society is determined by its individual mode of production (Jones, 1985: 43). Marx theorized that in capitalist-based modes of production, economic activity centers around two distinct groups of people those who own the means of production and those who do not (Jones, 1985: 44). Those who own and control the means of production, the bourgeoisie, pay those who do not own the means of production, the proletariat, only a percentage of the market-value of their productive effort and therefore profit more than the workers from the workers' own labor (Jones, 1985: 47). This "surplus value" (in the form of property/ money/ time) generated by the proletariat but appropriated by the bourgeoisie is what Marx believed created a dialectically exploitative relationship between the two groups and thus established economic classes within society (Jones, 1985: 44, 47)."

Tags:class, communism, verstehen

Abstract
An essay detailing Marx's and Weber's differing theories regarding the economy and the social structures within society. It provides a history of their theories with explanations of such concepts as the proletariat, bourgeoisie, and class struggle. A large part of the essay deals with an examination of whether their theories are still relevant to today's society. The general tone of the essay leans toward the affirmative . Marx and Weber have been founding figures in capitalist theory, and their ideas still have relevance today.

From the Paper
"Karl Marx and Max Weber are considered to be two of the earliest and most influential scholars on the sociology of capitalism. Both men concentrated on the role of modern man in a capitalist society however, their ideological stances concerning human interaction with the economy differed. Marx (1818-1883) believed that a capitalist society is based on human labor and is subsequently divided into a class structure based on the economic factors underlying who controls this labor (Abercrombie et. al., 1994:251-252). Weber (1864?1920) however believed that although economic factors were integral, they were not alone sufficient for a complete understanding of the nature of Capitalism (Bharadwaj and Kaviras, 1989:188). In an attempt to refute Marx's theories, Weber concentrated on the structure of status groups within society, rather than the class structure, endeavoring to demonstrate that not all divisions within society are based on the economy (Ashcraft, 1972:138)."

Tags:bourgeoisie, capitalism, class, communism, proletariat

Abstract
This essay examines two aspects of Marx's philosophy; firstly, his view of human nature and, secondly, why he is critical of the ideas of human rights and political rights and emancipation. The paper argues that Marx?s view of human nature underpins his thought and work and shows that Marx is critical of human rights and political rights and emancipation because he believes there to be a greater goal.

Tags:nature, human, rights

Abstract
This paper argues that any text is a source of endless speculation, argument and debate in relation to three poems by William Butler Yeats: "Sailing to Byzantium", "Easter 1916" and "Wild Swans at Coole". Each poem is analysed through two critical approaches, namely New Critical, which focuses on the specific devices used by the poet in the actual poems and Marxist, which looks at the context of the poet and poem to extract meaning.

From the Paper
""Sailing to Byzantium" is not an exception to the fact that any text is a source of endless speculation, argument and debate. The debate in this poem arises over the interpretation of the golden bird that is "set upon a bough to sing". A New Critical reading of the golden bird holds that it is a symbol of the "artifice of eternity" and the ideal world of art. The golden bird defies all change and, as apart of art, comments on life and the natural world which is subject to mutability and transformation. A Marxism, however, argues that the golden bird along with the "holy city of Byzantium" represent aristocratic values, and the stability and immutability of the aristocracy is what Yeats yearns for. To a Marxist, nature symbolizes a society that changes."

Tags:new, critical, marxist