On Communism

It is hard to think that a system like communism could accept some of what capitalism has done, but Marx does give capitalism some merit. He says that capitalism has established a highly developed means of trade for a worldwide market, which in turn has made industry bigger and better. Marx also acknowledges how well capitalism is able to spread to developing countries, and how easy it is for developing countries to get into capitalism.

But that is the extent of Marx's praise. Past that, he is quite unhappy with the system as a whole. Although Marx acknowledges this advancement, he identifies the problem with it: the exploitation of the working class. Through time, the working class is constantly sunk into lower positions by machinery, and in turn are also paid lower wages. But this exploitation is not taken idly, for the working class will band into unions and try to fight for rights of decent wages. And although capitalist may hold initial power over the working class, it is not before long that the working class bands together and works to bring down the capitalist. And in this conflict, it is the capitalist who loses, for capitalist require workers to function. Exploiting the very basis of fortune cannot last forever, and in the end, capitalist dig their own grave by exploiting those beneath them. Marx thinks that this is an ugly conflict: having men on top exploit those on the bottom, and at the same time have those on the bottom be motivated by having to take out those on top.