I. Adam Smith and Karl Marx
Contemporary economics are best explained by comparing two foundational thinkers that have contributed to the better understanding of liberalism, one being its proponent Adam Smith and the other being its most significant critic, Karl Marx. Both thinkers are profoundly important in locating and investigating the roots of neoliberalism as well as exploring alternatives ways to challenge neoliberal economics in the face of its post-cold war expansion as the inevitable and only alternative to redistribution and economic justice. This essay traces the emerging ideas of classical liberalism as articulated by Smith and their subsequent deployment in the debates that produced neoliberalism. In this context, Marx and Marxism are utilized to expose and deconstruct the shortcomings of both liberalism and neoliberalism and their limits in providing solutions to the structural symptoms of liberal and neoliberal capitalism.
Adam Smith was key in articulating early Enlightenment liberalism as an alternative to the increasing state powers and their subsequent involvement in regulating not only markets but also individual liberties. For Adam Smith, the free flow of goods and services was part and parcel of the early notions of individual liberties. In other words, Smith understood that the rising specialization of businesses, which would increase with industrialization, would render individuals mere machines in the process of labor and production while
18th century French philosophes debated and studied many topics. Some of the main ideas or topics studied by these well educated people were government, religion, economy, and gender roles. Famous philosophes such as John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith and Mary Wollstonecraft, discussed different ideals and roles the government should play in the lives of the common people. Each philosophe had a different main idea and opinion on society. While they all had different focuses, they all shared a similar belief, that individual freedom was a key element in a stable and peaceful society.
Adam Smith born 1723-1790 a Scottish philosopher and Economist. Defending the morals of acceptability of pursuing one's self- interest quoted in Document C “Every man is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest in his own way.” Smith gains into the general utility of society knowns as the the invisible hand argument. In the Wealth of Nations smith reveals the interests of merchants and manufacturers were opposed to those of society and had a tendency of pursuing their own interest. Smith wasn’t one to let religious attitude stop his thinking. He believed that more wealth to common people would benefit a nation's economy and society as a whole, stated in the The Wealth of Nation. Smith’s main
Modern economic society can be described as a combination of certain points from several theories combined into one. Changing dynamics and economic needs of nations has spawned a development of various, and contrasting, economic systems throughout the world. Perhaps the two most contrasting philosophies seen in existence today are that of capitalism and communism. The two philosophers most notably recognized for their views on these economic systems are Adam Smith and Karl Marx. This paper will identify several fundamental aspects of economic philosophy as described by Smith and Marx, and will compare and contrast the views of these
Adam Smith and Karl Marx are both famous for their philosophies on economics, more specifically the division of labor. For each of them the division of labor is rather similar in its definition, but the outcome of the division of labor differs drastically from Smith to Marx. For Smith the division of labor leads to mass production and allows large amounts of people to get things that were once available only to the rich. Smith believes that small specialized tasks leads to the invention of new technologies, and that individuals working selfishly to better themselves in the capitalistic world is beneficial to everyone. For Marx the division of labor is more about the relationship between the employee and the employer. He believes that
Karl Marx and Adam Smith wrote in the same time period – during the industrial revolution, where the bourgeois had risen to power by oppressing and exploiting the proletariat. The term bourgeois refers to the people in the class of modern capitalists, owners of the means of social production and employers of wage labor. The proletarians are the people in the class of modern wage laborers who, having no means of production of their own, are reduced to selling their labor power in order to live. While Smith, in his Wealth of Nations, wrote in favor of capitalism, Marx, in his Communist Manifesto, was a harsh critic of the system and declared its inevitable destruction and consequent rise of the working class.
Adam Smith and Karl Marx both came from very different worlds, however they saw the world in similar ways. Both had thoughts derived from different views. Smith had a very capitalistic view on things, while Marx was socialist in many ways. They expressed their thoughts in ways that were surprisingly similar while other ideas were dissimilar. Ultimately socialism and capitalism can go hand in hand. One main idea that both works addressed was the productivity of work and the ability to accumulate property, stock and capital. They both wanted a wealthy nation but Marx believed that redistribution of wealth was the way to go. Smith believed in a free economic system that gave capitalists rights to accumulate their wealth.
There is perhaps not a more famous ongoing dialectic argument in the field of political economy than the one between Adam Smith and Karl Marx in regards to capitalism. The two thinkers, although coming to radically different conclusions about the outcomes of the capitalist system for all parties involved, agree on a surprising number of ideas such as labor being the source of commodities’ value, as well as the fact that the division of labor increases productivity. However, their different conceptions of what determines the price of a commodity, the driving force behind and the effects of the division of labor, and the purpose of the capitalist system have widespread implications that cause their holistic arguments to diverge considerably.
As the rich and privileged prospered through mercantilism, the rest of the population struggled to make a living. Without Adam Smith's brilliance, key ideas and concepts the world today as we know it would have never adopted the free market and capitalism as a whole. Adam Smith was born June 16th, 1723. He obtained his formal education at the University of Glasgow at the young age of fourteen. During his time at university, he developed his passion for liberty as he attended his moral philosophy courses. It was this new found love of liberty that created the Smith’s views which entailed freedom for all to prosper from an ever-changing and evolving marketplace.
The Age of Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th century was a time period in which cultural and social changes occurred emphasizing reason, analysis and individualism rather than traditional ways of thinking. Thinkers of the Enlightenment were known for their revolutionary ways of thinking and their willpower to go against the common beliefs and publish their findings. One of these such thinkers was Adam Smith. Adam Smith was known for his opinions on financial matters and his new form of economy known as capitalism. I believe that a contemporary song that sums up Adam Smith’s ideas is “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy Ft.
This developing liberal trend within the middle class produced conditions that allowed for the exploring of social thinkers such as John Locke, a philosopher of the 17th century, who theorised on politics and liberty and the individual. Then there was the Magna-Carta adding further to the liberal maelstrom of the political debate at this time. There was Adam Smith, who promoted a laissez-fare approach to economics, which was a further expression of liberal thinking. Smith’s book, ‘The wealth of a Nation’ heralded new thoughts about trade and the market. He suggested that the market should be left to regulate itself, reducing governmental control. This gave the enterprise class further opportunity to break with the old restricted practices of
On the other hand, in complete opposition, and with a philosophy that coincides with my own, is that of Smith. According to Smith’s socio-economic views a “free society” is entirely able to coexist with Capitalism. Smith believes that essentially free, lassez-faires market equates into a free unrestricted society, wherein individual desire and drive is allowed to prosper and flourish. Unlike Marx, Smith does not view the capitalist mode of production, as a restricting process. Smith incorporates a “Trickle down” notion into his socio-economical philosophy. This “Trickle down” notion is effectively the acceptance that despite private owners of industry, capitalising on low labor wages and maximising a surplus value, there will be a general
Karl Marx and Max Weber were influential sociologists that paved the way for modern sociological school of thought. Both, Karl Marx and Max Weber contributed a lot to the study and foundation of sociology. Without their contributions sociology would not be as prominent as it is today. From the contribution of how sociology should be studied, to how they applied their theories to everyday life has influenced many sociologists. Predominantly, both of these theorists’ discussed the effects of capitalism, how it has developed, shaped and changed society into what it is today. Specifically, Karl Marx’s contribution of the bourgeoisie vs. the proletariat class and Max Weber’s social stratification has helped individuals to understand how modern day society has transformed into what it is today. Particularly, this paper will lie out Weber’s theory of social stratification and Marx’s theory of the bourgeoisie vs. the proletariat class; additionally this essay will also compare and contrast the ideas of these two influential sociologists. Finally this essay will criticize both of these sociologists’ theories and display that Marx and Weber do not explain how modern day society and classes have been formed.
In economics, some classical liberals believe that ‘’an unfettered market’’ is the most efficient mechanism to satisfy human needs and channel resources to their most productive uses. The minimal government advocacy of an ‘’unregulated free market’’ is founded on an ‘’assumption about individuals being rational, self-interested and methodical in the pursuit of their goals. Adam Smith was not an advocate of pure capitalism. Adam Smith allowed for many exceptions to a strictly free-market economy. The classical liberals advocated policies to increase liberty and prosperity. They sought to empower the commercial class politically. They abolish royal charters, monopolies and the protectionist policies of mercantilism to encourage
Both Karl Marx and Max Weber assert that capitalism is the dominion of abstractions and the irrational accumulation of abstract wealth for the sake of wealth. For Marx, the state of capitalism is entrenched in the social classes to which people have bben assigned. Capitalism, according to Marx, is a result of the bourgeoisie 's ascent to economic and political power. This fuels the manifestation of a system that exploits the labour power of the lower socioeconomic classes for the gain of the higher socioeconomic classes. Weber understands the state of capitalism to be the end product of the work ethic of the Protestant branches of Christianity and the secularization of Protestant puritanism, which helped fuel rationalism. Capitalism, according to Weber, is to be understood as the relations and methods of production and commodities, now rationalized. Ultimately, Marx ascribes the ascent of capitalism to the exploitation of people and power, while stressing that such a system can be overcome by a communist revolution, whereas Weber states that such a system is the result of cultural choices and is not as convinced that capitalism can be overcome.
Adam Smith, like his colleague and friend David Hume one of the greatest Scottish philosophers, was a member of the English Enlightenment. Smith is popularly known as the Father of Economics and his ideas and theories are believed to have laid the foundation for economic thought and thereafter the emergence of schools of economic thought. Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations, at his time as a lecturer at the University of Glasgow. In fact, the book is believed to have laid the above-said foundation on economic thoughts and the emergence of schools on economic thought. Smith’s concern as a lecturer was based on ethics and morality and he was a believer in the idea of a free market economy that preceded the modern day capitalism, Smith, therefore, is also referred to as the father of modern-day capitalism. His works, views, and suggestions brought him a fortune and great fame across the British Empire and as far as the American Colonies. Perhaps more importantly, it would only be fair to suggest that Smith’s ideas and views not only impacted the Europeans, but also the Founding Fathers of the United States of America thus greatly influenced the trading patterns in both the European countries and in the formation of the structure of the American government in the 18th century.