Simone Lawson
Karl Marx is often thought of as an economist, but he was also a committed democrat who wrote extensively about liberalism and law. Marx's critique of constitutional liberal democracy stems from his belief that the ruling class—both reactionaries and liberals—seek to minimise the expansion of rights and political participation, while the working class needs an unlimited expansion of these rights. Marx criticised liberalism as undemocratic, and his writings offer remedies for democratising political systems, such as holding representatives accountable and legislative supremacy over the executive. Marx's ideas were inspired by his experience of the Paris Commune, a working-class uprising that briefly controlled the city in 1871, where he praised the commune council's self-government and radical opposition to bureaucracy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Liberal freedoms in a world of vast inequalities in property and power | Hypocritical |
| Liberal property rights | Meaningless |
| Directly elected president with excessive powers | Dangerous |
| Constitutional liberal democracy not democratic enough | Criticized |
| Representative government | Criticized |
| Liberal rights | Realized through socialist transformation |
| Liberalism | Not democratic enough |
| Liberal defense of status quo | Opposed to mass expressions of democracy |
| Liberals and reactionaries | Want minimum possible expansion of rights and political participation |
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What You'll Learn
Marx criticised liberalism as undemocratic
Marx's critique of liberalism is also evident in his exposure of the contradictions and hypocrisies of rights discourse. He demonstrated how liberal property rights could lead to unequal outcomes, with the wealthy and powerful having more opportunities and privileges than the working class. In his view, the unequal social situation of workers during the Industrial Revolution further undermined the democratic agency of citizens.
Marx's alternative vision, inspired by ancient Athens, involved citizens rotating between being rulers and ruled through lotteries that selected administrative positions. He praised the Paris Commune for assigning ministerial-like posts to members of the commune council, rather than creating a separate president and cabinet.
Marx's republicanism, or critique of politics, was central to his thought. He recognised the need to propose a constitutional alternative to the capitalist state regime, arguing that social transformation requires a constitutional setup that provides truly democratic institutions. While he never produced a fully fleshed-out constitutional theory, his ideas continue to influence socialist thought and democratic theory and practice.
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Marx rejected the unequal social situation of workers
Karl Marx is one of the most controversial figures in the Western world, even more than a century after his death. His relentless criticism of capitalism and his corresponding promise of a harmonious socialist future inspired a revolution of global proportions.
In a capitalist society, Marx observed that workers are alienated from their labour, lacking the autonomy to determine their productive activities or own the fruits of their labour. They become mechanistic parts of a social class, directed by the bourgeoisie, who own the means of production. This alienation takes two primary forms: wage compulsion and imposed production content. Workers are coerced into accepting unwanted labour to ensure their survival, and their labour power is reduced to wages, creating a psychological estrangement from their productive capabilities.
Marx's emphasis on class conflict as the driving force of social change further underscores his rejection of the unequal social situation of workers. He recognized that conflict arises from the antagonistic interests of different classes, with capitalists tending to be wealthy, powerful, and prestigious, while workers are often deprived and marginalized. Marx envisioned a classless society, achieved through a proletarian revolution that eliminates the basis of class division by establishing public ownership of the means of production.
Marxists propose replacing the bourgeois state with a proletarian semi-state through revolution, ultimately aiming for a stateless communal society. While some Marxists advocate for a democratic dictatorship of the proletariat, anarchists within the Marxist tradition argue for the immediate abolition of the state alongside capitalism. Despite differing strategies, Marxists share a commitment to empowering the working class and addressing the inequalities inherent in the capitalist system.
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Marx exposed the contradictions in rights discourse
Karl Marx is known for his critique of liberal constitutionalism and representative government, exposing the contradictions in rights discourse. In his essay "On the Jewish Question", Marx revealed the meaninglessness of liberal freedoms in a world of vast inequalities in property and power. He argued that the bourgeoisie was willing to compromise on the promise of democracy, such as through expanded suffrage and freedom of the press, but left loopholes that protected their own interests. For example, the constitution of the short-lived French Republic stated that freedom of association and opinion could not be limited except to protect "the equal rights of others and the public safety". Marx saw this conflict between the expansion and limitation of democracy as an essential part of the class struggle.
Marx's critique extended to the 1848 French Constitution, which established the Second French Republic. He condemned the constitution for setting up a directly elected president with excessive powers, including the right to pardon criminals, dismiss local and municipal councils, initiate foreign treaties, and appoint and fire ministers without consulting the National Assembly. Marx's republicanism, focused on how regimes create domination and arbitrary power, remains essential to any socialism that seeks to go beyond the endless repetitions of far-left groups and short-lived left-wing attempts.
While Marx never produced a fully fleshed-out constitutional theory, his writings contain a nuanced critique of liberal constitutionalism and a sketch of alternative popular institutions. He praised the Paris Commune for assigning ministerial-like posts to members of the commune council itself, rather than creating a separate president and cabinet. Marx's vision seemed to approximate ancient Athens, where citizens rotated between being rulers and ruled through lotteries that selected administrative positions. This element of ancient democracy has re-emerged in discussions of Citizen Assemblies, which are randomly selected groups tasked with deliberating and making recommendations on policies or constitutional reforms.
Marx's commitment to democracy is evident in his belief that the first step of the revolution by the working class is to raise the proletariat to the position of the ruling class and win the battle of democracy. Universal suffrage is seen as one of the most important tasks of the militant proletariat. Marxists propose replacing the bourgeois state with a proletarian semi-state through revolution (dictatorship of the proletariat), which would eventually wither away, resulting in a stateless communal society. However, anarchists warn that the state must be abolished along with capitalism to achieve this end goal.
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Marx opposed the ruling class's minimum expansion of rights
Marx's critique of liberal constitutionalism and representative government is well-known. He opposed the ruling class's minimum expansion of rights, which was at odds with the working-class movement's desire for a maximum and unlimited expansion. Marx and Engels' writings, such as "The Principles of Communism" (1847) and "The Communist Manifesto" (1848), reveal their commitment to democracy and the belief that the first step in the revolution was to raise the proletariat to the position of the ruling class. Marx's republicanism is also highlighted, showing his belief in the need for a constitutional alternative to the capitalist state.
Marx's critique of the ruling class's minimum expansion of rights can be understood in the context of his broader commitment to democracy and his belief in the importance of the struggle for democracy. He saw the ruling class, including both reactionaries and liberals, as wanting to limit the expansion of rights and political participation to maintain their power. In contrast, the working-class movement sought to maximise their rights and political participation to challenge the ruling class.
Marx's opposition to the ruling class's minimum expansion of rights is also evident in his critique of the 1848 French Constitution, which established the Second French Republic. He criticised this document for granting excessive executive power to the president, including the right to pardon criminals, dismiss local and municipal councils, initiate foreign treaties, and appoint and fire ministers without consulting the National Assembly. This critique is consistent with his view that excessive executive power was more dangerous than distant representatives.
Furthermore, Marx exposed the contradictions and hypocrisies of rights discourse in his essay "On the Jewish Question". He argued that liberal freedoms were meaningless in a world of vast inequalities in property and power. This critique extended to the idea of liberal property rights, which allowed for the wealthy to accumulate more wealth and power while beggars struggled to survive.
Finally, Marx's opposition to the ruling class's limited expansion of rights is also reflected in his analysis of the new constitutions proclaimed during the revolutionary wave of 1848. He criticised the bourgeoisie for compromising on the promise of democracy and leaving loopholes in their concessions, such as expanded suffrage and freedom of the press. Despite achieving some progress, Marx believed that the bourgeoisie ultimately wanted to maintain their dominant position and prevent a true democracy that threatened their interests.
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Marx critiqued the French Constitution's excessive executive power
Karl Marx is known for his critique of constitutional liberal democracy, which he believed was not democratic enough and failed to address the unequal social situation of workers during the Industrial Revolution. Marx's critique of liberal democracy is closely tied to his ideas on republicanism and socialism, which he saw as a way to fight for "workers' democracy" and transform society beyond capitalism.
In the context of the French Revolution, Marx critiqued the French Constitution of 1848 for its excessive executive power. He observed a contradiction in the constitution, where the National Assembly could remove the President constitutionally (as per Articles 45-70), but the President could remove the National Assembly only by setting aside the constitution. Marx noted the vast powers of the executive, including the authority to appoint and dismiss ministers independently, control over the armed forces, and the ability to pardon criminals and suspend National Guards. This concentration of power in the executive branch was seen as a challenge to the division of powers and a potential threat to democracy.
The French Constitution of 1848 was drafted by a group of delegates, including Alexis de Tocqueville, who debated the structure of legislative power. They discussed the advantages and disadvantages of unicameral and bicameral legislatures, with most arguments favoring a single legislative body to prevent delays in political progress and potential benefits to the aristocracy. Tocqueville, however, argued for two houses to prevent abuses by the executive and to temper political passions in law-making.
Marx's critique of the French Constitution's excessive executive power reflects his broader concerns about the limitations of liberal democracy in addressing social inequalities and his belief in the need for a constitutional setup that provides "the Republic with the basis of really democratic institutions." Marx and his collaborator Friedrich Engels envisioned a revolution led by the working class, raising the proletariat to the position of the ruling class and achieving universal suffrage.
Marx's ideas on democracy and socialism have had a significant influence on political movements and regimes, including the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, which established a soviet democracy led by Vladimir Lenin. However, Marx's legacy regarding democracy remains ambiguous, with varying interpretations among Marxists, anarchists, and other leftist groups.
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Frequently asked questions
Marx rejects the idea that constitutional liberal democracy is the most democratic form of government. He believes that the working class will need to overthrow the ruling class through revolution to establish a true democracy, which he calls the "dictatorship of the proletariat".
Marx is critical of liberal rights, believing that they are meaningless in a world of vast inequalities in property and power. He argues that the capitalist rights that enable exploitation and class domination would wither away in a communist society, where resources would be distributed according to individual needs.
Marx is sceptical of representative government, believing that it often fails to represent the interests of the people. He argues for the necessity of holding representatives accountable and ensuring legislative supremacy over the executive.
Marx proposes a form of self-government, inspired by the Paris Commune of 1871, which involved a radical opposition to bureaucracy. He suggests that a sovereign elected body and a militia are essential features of a democratic society.
