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Marx and Engels are hugely influential and popular philosophers. The idea of "wage slavery" is a pretty common and legitimate one. Just because you think it is

by comrh 12y ago

Marx and Engels are hugely influential and popular philosophers. The idea of "wage slavery" is a pretty common and legitimate one. Just because you think it is "over the top" doesn't make it not a legitimate view.

SiVal 12y ago
Without a doubt, Marx and Engels have been hugely influential in the deaths and enslavement of countless millions over the past century. They have indeed been among the most popular philosophers for several of the most murderous tyrants in human history. A member of my immediate family learned about the evils of "wage slavery" in "classes" taught by Marxists at the Chinese work camp where he was a slave without wages. I don't know that the term "legitimate" has any real meaning, but when it comes to making a useful contribution, I suspect that Marxist theory will make about the same contribution to employment that it has made to agriculture, industrial production, journalism, civil liberties....
- comrh 12y ago
  That is guilt by association and not really a meaningful argument though. Marx and Engels are used all the time in literary criticism, gender studies, sociology. You just seem to have a really big bone to pick with Marxists.
  - SiVal 12y ago
    Actually yes, I do consider the horrific, mass atrocities committed by Marxists in the name of Marxism to be relevant to the credibility of Marxism in just the same way that I consider similar consequences when Nazis came to power to discredit their political theories. And, you make a good point about additional fields of Marxist influence: Marxist agriculture's contribution to the food supply, Marxist industry's contribution to national productivity, Marxist political officers on staff at State newspapers and their contribution to journalism, AND literary criticism and gender studies' contribution to academics and free speech on campus. Marxism has influenced so many fields wherever it has gone, and if you like what it has done to these fields, it's reasonable to assume that it could have a similar impact on paid employment arrangements. For me, though, that's not an encouraging thought. I've seen enough of the destruction that results when Marxist theory is applied to real people to conclude that whatever the problems with paid employment, good answers will not come from Marxism.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]

by comrh 12y ago

SiVal 12y ago

Without a doubt, Marx and Engels have been hugely influential in the deaths and enslavement of countless millions over the past century. They have indeed been among the most popular philosophers for several of the most murderous tyrants in human history. A member of my immediate family learned about the evils of "wage slavery" in "classes" taught by Marxists at the Chinese work camp where he was a slave without wages. I don't know that the term "legitimate" has any real meaning, but when it comes to making a useful contribution, I suspect that Marxist theory will make about the same contribution to employment that it has made to agriculture, industrial production, journalism, civil liberties....

comrh 12y ago
That is guilt by association and not really a meaningful argument though. Marx and Engels are used all the time in literary criticism, gender studies, sociology. You just seem to have a really big bone to pick with Marxists.
- SiVal 12y ago
  Actually yes, I do consider the horrific, mass atrocities committed by Marxists in the name of Marxism to be relevant to the credibility of Marxism in just the same way that I consider similar consequences when Nazis came to power to discredit their political theories. And, you make a good point about additional fields of Marxist influence: Marxist agriculture's contribution to the food supply, Marxist industry's contribution to national productivity, Marxist political officers on staff at State newspapers and their contribution to journalism, AND literary criticism and gender studies' contribution to academics and free speech on campus. Marxism has influenced so many fields wherever it has gone, and if you like what it has done to these fields, it's reasonable to assume that it could have a similar impact on paid employment arrangements. For me, though, that's not an encouraging thought. I've seen enough of the destruction that results when Marxist theory is applied to real people to conclude that whatever the problems with paid employment, good answers will not come from Marxism.
- deleted 12y ago
  [deleted]