Marx in Soho Essay Example

Marx in Soho Essay Example Marx in Soho Essay Marx in Soho Essay Marx in Soho is written by Howard Zinn, a historian, about the life of Karl Marx. Zinn wrote the play to show a rare perspective of Marx as a husband and father to his wife and children (Welchel 2009). The play portrays Marx as defending the principles of communism. The play reminds the audience that capitalism without a conscience will always bring about a revolution. Communism is a system of political and economic organization in which property is owned by the members of the community and all share in the common resources and wealth acquired (Ebrey et. l. , 2005). It is a socioeconomic structure that promotes a society that has no class and state. Communism was also said to be the bloodiest form of regime since the people are ruled by fear. If they try to oppose the communist government, death awaits them. The government keeps the people in line by murdering those who dare question its leaders. The people were forced to work hard and they were intimidated to do so. Karl Marx was re garded as the father of communism. He criticized the dominant form of government during his time which was capitalism. Capitalism encourages competition among the people and gives rewards unequally. He argued that capitalist nations allowed the few wealthy people to amass a great fortune while the masses seemed to work harder with little reward for their efforts (Ebrey et. al. , 2005). The rich kept the resources for themselves, often denying the poor of an equal opportunity. In his Communist Manifesto, he spoke of a new social order that would eradicate the inequality of wealth among the people. He theorized that no one would possess anything more than the other. The rich would be forced to yield everything they had in excess to the poor. Poverty and starvation would no longer exist under this new social order. Karl Marx founded the ideal that after a revolutionary struggle, it would be a victory for the working class or the proletariat and a communist society could be established wherein everything produced by the people belongs to the whole community. Karl Marx and his ideologies of communism spread in the Soviet Union. One of the economic policies of Stalin is collectivisation. It is a bloody and violent battle between two cultural groups that are radically different from the other. Collectivisation was nothing more than just a campaign of destruction and violence with the objective of dominion over the peasants. Stalin imposed a tribute for the peasants to pay for the exported grains of the state, buy food for the Red army and the cities. Collectivisation involved the gathering of important resources such as labor and grains (Viola 1996). This also allowed the state to subject the peasants with their endless demands for political and administrative control. For the accomplishment of state goals, the state saw to it that the culture and freedom of the peasants will be eliminated. Acculturation was forced upon the peasants (Boobbyer 45). For the peasants, the imposition of collectivization as an economic policy was the end of their freedom and their world as they know it. The peasants tried to resist the policy and the repression that they felt. They spread a rumor throughout the countryside and invented an ideology of their own. This would help in weakening the legitimacy of the Communists. The peasants called the Soviet Union as the Antichrist (Viola 1996). The revolution of the peasants against collectivization was one of the most serious events in the history of the Soviet Union after the end of the Civil War in Russia. The resistance of the peasants has shown that they are separate and different from the state during collectivization. The peasants united and joined forces to defend themselves and their culture. They were a community that works for their survival. Their economy, culture and lifestyle were being threatened by the state. The women of the peasantry proved themselves to be capable of leading the revolution. This is the result of the effect that collectivization had on women. Their economic interests were being threatened especially their livestock and their backyard farm. It also affected the way they take care of the family and children. The peasants were united in their political goal during the implementation of collectivization. The solidarity born out of shared oppression and assault on the peasant economy became the foundation for the resistance. The Revolution in 1917 resulted in the reinforcement of the peasant culture. It also further strengthened the bond within the community. The peasants suffered tremendous losses during the civil war but it also brought the revitalization of their community. They were involved in a massive social leveling wherein the percentage of the poor decreased to 25% from a high percentage of 65% in the middle the 1920s (Viola 1996). Marx in Soho is an analysis of Karl Marx’s ideas and how they are relevant in today’s society. The play presents the ideals of communism with a brilliant touch by Howard Zinn. Communism is a big part of the history of society and letting the people of today learn what it is becomes an important learning experience. References Boobbyer, P. (2000) ‘The Stalin Era’, Routledge Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, Walthall, Anne and Palais, James. (2005) Pre-modern East Asia: to 1800: a cultural, social, and political history, Houghton Mifflin Viola, P. (1996) ‘Peasant Rebels Under Stalin: Collectivization and the Peasant’, Oxford University Press Welchel, E. (2009) ‘Reading, learning, teaching Howard Zinn’, Peter Lang