Classical Theory Marx & Current Affairs

Essay by hommiehodsCollege, UndergraduateA+, December 2012

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Marx and Current Social Movements

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Marx and World Social Movements

The first decade of the 21st century brought major changes to the world's stability through an increase of globalization and social unrest. French philosopher Frederic Gros explains in States of Violence: An Essay on the End of the War that traditional notions of war and peace are being replaced by concepts of intervention and security. However, the end of war does not imply the end to violence. In fact, it is precisely the opposite, new forms of violence are appearing. Most notable is the threat of global terrorism. The 9/11 attacks and the omnipresent threat of global terrorism have placed fear at the heart of international relations and everyone's daily life. War used to be conducted to increase the power of an empire, state, or city. Now conflict is directed toward the fragility of the individual. Absolute guilt is being replaced by less tangible suspicion.

Globalization has a significant impact on social movements. The organ- izational power of information technology and social networking has allowed civil unrest to reach a transnational status. One can say that trans-nationalism is the contemporary shape of Marxist internationalism; that transnational social movements are the contemporary incarnations of the Marxist proletarian revolution.

Current anti-government, unrest in North Africa, and uproars throughout the Middle East started on December 18th 2010, in Tunisia, and provoked an unforeseen domino effect throughout the entire region. Perhaps we are on the edge of a widespread revolutionary movement. Although the insurgents do not literally want a communist economy, their fight for democracy can be considered a model for a future world revolution. Marx and Engel's explain in the Communist Manifesto, "We have seen above, that the first step in the revolution by the working class is to raise...