MARXIST CRITICISM

What  do you understand by Marxist Criticism?

Analysis of human behavior in relation to struggle for economic power is known as Marxist criticism. Karl Marx propounded this theory. It is related to social realism. According to this theory every human activities is made for economic power. Power is with those who have economic control. 

According Marxism, the society has been divided into two classes. The bourgeoisie and proletariat. Bourgeoisie are called haves (they have property) and the proletariats are called have-nots (they are labors) as well. The rich (bourgeoisie) are powerful and they exploit the poor (proletariat). The rich control all the economy while the proletariats have to struggle to get their rights from the bourgeoisie. History of human civilization is history of class struggle. 

Economic motive is behind all the human activities like political, social, educational Economy is the base and political and social systems are superstructures. Economy determines the social or political control. Therefore, the base determines the superstructures. Economy is called material condition. Social and political conditions are called historical conditions. Both of them combined together makes objective reality. Marxists believe in Marxist praxis, which means one day the proletariats, will understand that they have to fight for their rights. All the proletariats of the world will unite and get the political and economic control and establish a communist government.

In Marxist analysis ideologies have important role. Ideologies are two types: repressive ideologies and liberating ideologies. Capitalistic ideologies are negative and repressive ideologies. They are used by the rich bourgeoisie to exploit the working class people. Religion, consumerism, classicism, rugged individualism are false ideologies. O Marxism is liberating ideology. It is good because it gives consciousness to the oppressed people to unite and fight. It makes them understand that human value is killed in capitalism. Human beings are valued with money. They a treated as objects by the rich. They are objectified/coʻmodified by the haves in capitalism. Marxism give awareness about exploitation, therefore, it is called a liberating ideology.

In literature also we can analyze Marxism. Marxist criticism opposes structuralisms who focus on formal structure of literary text only. Marxism focuses on content. A good literature should oppose the exploitation of poor by the rich. Frankfurt school of critics like Lukas, Bakhtin and Adorno combined the idea of form, content and realism differently to bring social revolution. Literature should be written to change the society by encouraging social revolution against capitalism.