Geoffrey Goodman says the original prophet of capitalist collapse remains highly relevant if we are to understand the system’s present crisis and contradictions
GRIPPED as I am by the sensational events of recent days, weeks and months. I felt impelled to plod across to Highgate Cemetery to interview someone who has been in that cloistered silence, mostly undisturbed, for 125 years: Karl Marx – the original prophet of our current global disaster.
It seemed clear that this had to be the moment to disturb the old fellow and tap on his gravestone, hoping he might be receptive to fielding a few questions.
Naturally, I recognised the communication problem. I decided the best bet would be to prepare myself with some answers to my own questions while assiduously watching the old boy’s features for flickers of reaction. I readily accept it was a touch arrogant to assume I could answer for him; yet I decided to risk this charge by applying as much humility as is feasible and by reflecting that, after all, I have spent many years brooding over much of the great man’s observations. My rationale, quite simply, was that my answers were inescapably a reflection of what he had taught me. So into battle I went and found Marx in excellent form with that famed massive biblical head wearing just a faint smile. There was also a clear glint in his eye, as much as to say: “I told you so”.
“Dr Marx”, I began, “may I offer apologies for disturbing your peace. Let me go straight to the big question. Surely even you did not anticipate this particular crisis of capitalism?”
There was a slight pause before the reply came. “Of course not – certainly not in this precise form. However, I must remind you of one of my fundamental arguments back in the days of the 19th century, which was when the system of capitalism was still in its infancy. Today you have a very different animal, driven by technologies in global communication and financial scheming that no one a century ago ever envisaged.
“In my day, when I was working on Das Kapital, we inhabited a world of powerful sovereign governments run by an elite with a banking system geared to sustaining rule by that elite. There was a slowly rising tide of social unrest from working families drawn into the new industrial towns and cities from an impoverished rural life where, in general, they were mere slaves to an agricultural land-owning class. It is true that trade unions were being formed, but often they were divided over tactics and ideas and frequently outlawed – some, I recall, to Australia.
“Radical political parties were being drawn into life – some of them building their views on my writings, as well as the work of my critics. There was widespread social turmoil and various revolts against the state machine and the then ruling class. Yet that combination remained very powerful before the world began to be transformed by two world wars, a variety of revolutions and many new inventions. That was when modern capitalism was effectively developing in much the way I had predicted. Even so, I must confess, not in quite the form and manner I thought it would.”
“Perhaps, Dr Marx”, I pressed on, “but you prophesied that a socialist system would arise from capitalism collapsing under the pressures of its own internal contradictions and being replaced by a new system run by the working class whom you saw as the inheritors of the future. Surely you were quite wrong about all that?”
He glowered down at me. “Up to a point, young man, you are correct. But remember, I never at any time set down a blueprint about what a future socialist system would be like. I always argued that it would develop out of the crisis of capitalism and, as we now see, to some extent this is happening – albeit not in the form I then anticipated.
“I think my major error – perhaps an error drawn from my excited and youthful early 19th century imagination– was in assuming that great changes in capitalism would come from an emerging power of working people. It is true that workers and their organisations have had great influence in re-shaping the system, but the real changes have taken place primarily as a result of amazing advances in technology. This, rather than workers’ power, has been the principal driving force behind the exceptionally rapid development of modern super-charged capitalism.
“It is also the case that much of this has been influenced by human frailties, such as greed, financial trickery, incompetence, political and financial corruption, human stupidity and gullibility. A combination of all these elements has been marching, often at different speeds, blindly steered on by highly intelligent, if corrupt, financial masters, themselves prisoners of their own amorality. Together, these impulses have produced the present crisis of capitalism. And remember, many of these global financial powers are now greater than the old sovereign powers of my time. That old ruling elite has gone – and whether you liked it or not, at least it possessed a certain style. Today the world has a new elite – the global power of the money market.
“Those who seek to control this power are often technically sophisticated and also very clever – albeit incapable of self-restraint and social discipline and driven by a climate of lethal, unregulated capitalism. This is what is now exploding, as your generation experiences a disaster far greater than anything that happened under the older capitalism of my time. With each cycle, the challenge intensifies.”
‘That be may so”, I interrupted again, “but let me remind you that none of this has transpired because of any development in the kind of socialist ideas you were advocating when you were writing your magnum opus.”
“Quite correct, but please have some regard to another of my propositions: that the old capitalism would inescapably produce new political, social and cultural forces by the very nature of its internal contradictions. I realise I may have used some phrases in my description of these inevitable forces that some people found confusing.”
“Such as what, Dr Marx?”
“Well, I suppose my assumption that the masses would suffer profound immiseration – although, let’s be frank about this, there is a great deal of social immiseration across the globe. I also accept that I under-estimated the capacity of capitalism to re-invent itself constantly and, of course, I was over optimistic about the capacity of workers’ organisations to take political power. But something along the lines of my analysis has been happening – more gradually than I then believed, notably the equalising of class war. In your modern world, you now have a much broader mixed-class of people, with workers merging with the middle classes, traditional along with a new-style middle class. You even have some of the former elite beginning to merge, sometimes imperceptibly, into a cauldron of social change thrust forward by all the amazing technological and scientific advances I have mentioned – but, I fear, in my time did not adequately predict.
“I have no glib phrase for this new ‘ism’. Perhaps I could describe it as ‘people-ism’ – a curious amalgam of socialism, liberalism, populism, even some conservatism. Some might even use that old Greek word ‘democracy’, although I am not sure precisely what that means. Anyway, there is now a widespread uprising everywhere against the brutal inequalities of the new super-charged capitalism and those who are responsible for it. Some people, wrongly, describe it as ‘globalisation’. It is simply an advanced form of capitalism. All this is now in the melting pot and I cannot predict where it will end.”
“So, Dr Marx, does this mean that you have finally abandoned your dream of socialism or communism, – or whatever you used to call it?”
“No, no young man. I will not abandon that dream anymore than you and your contemporaries would abandon Christianity, Islam, Judaism or any other form of hope for the future of humanity. All I can say is that the world now faces unprecedented challenges far beyond what were assumed in my day. Moreover, there can be no final stopping point for all this.”
There can be no precise point at which one might say: ‘We have now arrived at socialism or whatever.’ I never claimed there would be. Yet I remain convinced something of that kind will eventually emerge – not in the form originally envisaged, I will grant you, but some form of global social co-operation guided by a new rationale for human survival will develop eventually. The alternative would be self-destruction.”
“One final point, Dr Marx. It is that old cliché: are you an optimist or a pessimist?”
“ I will not and cannot answer such a question. It has no philosophical basis, in my opinion. I am a realist. In that sense, nothing fundamental has changed. Our species remains in a constant battle with itself – between the forces of self-enlightenment and self-destruction. What I do perceive is that humanity has entered a new cycle of development, involving the very future of the planet in which astonishing new issues such as global environmental change has moved to the forefront.
“I will not offer any prescriptive ‘ism’ as a formula to cope with these momentous challenges, except to remind you and your world that you have the most extraordinary facilities and opportunities to manage these problems. You have great intelligence out there – some wisdom, but equally some powerfully negative impulses and contradictions. It will require new political formulae to influence, if not control, these paradoxes.
“If I were alive today, I would re-shape much of my original text and update it to take account of the technological, scientific and cultural transformation, as well as the economics of all this. However, I would not amend my fundamental view that capitalism is incapable of solving the problems facing the human race. Something different must emerge to take its place, but I cannot offer any specific ‘ism’ as a single formula.
“I will make one final observation: look how global power and influence has shifted toward China and the Far East and reflect on the extraordinary phenomenon of a so-called communist government in China running a highly successful, if old fashioned, capitalism –all of which has thrown your world into confusion. To be sure, that development is both remarkable and also full of contradictions. The extraordinary Chinese experiment is still in its infancy, yet it may well carry an important signal for the future – with a kind of socialist-style and even democratic control to discipline the global market. We shall see.”
“Finally, what is your reaction to the proposals and the politics of Alastair Darling’s emergency Budget in the British Parliament this week? Do you think it will help to correct the great financial crisis and the collapse of the modern banking system?”
“That is a most interesting question. I am not fully up to date with all the fine detail of your contemporary and infinitely contradictory financial practices. What I recognise in your Chancellor’s statement this week is a clear political move back toward re-distribution of wealth in terms of taxing the richest section of society more heavily. That will upset the ruling elite – and your Conservative political figures. Many of Darling’s proposals look sensible to me. But my criticism would be mainly about the political style of your Labour leaders. They should have greater courage and present the British people with a more damning analysis of why your country is in this crisis. It has its roots in the very nature of capitalism as I have already explained – the corruption in the banking system and the financial greed of those in control along with human frailties I have outlined – among the public as well as politicians: of stupidity, gullibility, an assumption that all this consumer madness can be absorbed without paying the price for having accumulated record heights of debt when your people were encouraged to live beyond their productive capacity and means by mortgaging their own future and the future of their children. All that goes back many years, certainly to your former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher whose de-regulation of the banking system has led to this capitalist crisis.
“My advice to your Government is to explain all this to your voters who must be very confused as well as facing an economic crisis. I can only repeat: much of this is also due to the global impact of a capitalist system in great crisis and the influence of breathtaking technological developments which has helped to enhance financial corruption.”
“Thank you, Dr Marx, for your co-operation. I apologise again for disturbing your rest. And just a final thought – aren’t you a touch confused, like the rest of us?”
“Ah, yes, young man, I am.”
