Socialism Marxism And Anarchism Questions Medium
In Marxism, the proletariat plays a crucial role as the driving force for social change and the ultimate agent of revolution. The proletariat refers to the working class, those who do not own the means of production and are forced to sell their labor power to survive. According to Marxism, the capitalist system exploits the proletariat by extracting surplus value from their labor, leading to economic inequality and class struggle.
The role of the proletariat in Marxism is to recognize their collective power and unite against the bourgeoisie, the capitalist class that owns and controls the means of production. Marx believed that the proletariat, due to their sheer numbers and shared experiences of exploitation, would develop class consciousness and become aware of their common interests. This class consciousness would lead to the formation of a revolutionary class, capable of overthrowing the capitalist system and establishing a socialist society.
Marx argued that the proletariat's role in the revolution is not only to overthrow the bourgeoisie but also to establish a dictatorship of the proletariat. This dictatorship is a transitional phase where the working class holds political power and reorganizes society to eliminate class distinctions and establish a classless, communist society. The proletariat, as the majority class, would then collectively own and control the means of production, ensuring the equitable distribution of resources and the end of exploitation.
Overall, the role of the proletariat in Marxism is to serve as the catalyst for social change, leading the revolution against capitalism and ultimately establishing a classless society based on the principles of socialism and communism.