Can We Learn Positively from Karl Marx?

by Q Ideas

Karl Marx (1818-1883) is one of the most despised figures among conservative Christians in America—indeed, among conservatives in general. The German philosopher and author of The Communist Manifesto, his ideas significantly shaped modern socialism and communism. If you love freedom and cherish capitalism, it seems you’re almost obligated to scorn Marx.

But can one still learn from a person they might fundamentally disagree with as much as this man? Carl Trueman, a professor at the conservative Westminster Theological Seminary who “relishes the writings of Karl Marx,” says we can. In fact, he credits Marx with his love for church history. “I think Karl Marx put it nicely: men make history, but they do not make the history that they choose,” Trueman says. “We are, individually and corporately, determined to an extent by the past; learning about that past liberates us.”

[Read the First Things article, "What is Left of Socialism?"]

With such an intriguing viewpoint, we asked Dr. Trueman, “What can Christians learn from Karl Marx, both positively and negatively?” He responded with the following:

Positively, Marx understood the creative, exciting power of capitalism. If you read Weber, capitalism sounds so boring that you are left wondering why on earth the idea ever took hold; read Marx, and you see that phenomenon represents the incredible unleashing of human potential. Marx also understood the almost magical power that buying and possessing things holds for us. Indeed, his discussion of money, and the power we ascribe to this intrinsically worthless thing, is remarkable for the way it captures biblical insights into how human beings ascribe power to idols.

Finally, he saw a connection between economic practices and moral and metaphysical beliefs, whereby the former exert a profound impact upon the latter, not necessarily the other way around. In other words, he was one of the founding fathers of the sociology of knowledge.

Negatively, his philosophy is ultimately metaphysically deterministic and politically totalitarian. Methodologically, as Karl Popper pointed out, it is also non-falsifiable and is thus, in a sense, an elaborate and sophisticated conspiracy theory, when any counter-evidence to its central tenets simply becomes more evidence of how clever its capitalist opponents are.

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What’s your view of Marx? Do you agree with Marx that economic practices are connected to moral and metaphysical beliefs?

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Editor’s Note: The picture above appeared on the cover of the February 23, 1948 issue of TIME Magazine.

Comments

TLF614

I've never been a Marx fan. Can't stand the man's ideas. But then again, I've never read a single book he's written and I only know about him what others who don't like him say. Marx is at least right in saying that economic practices are connected to moral and metaphysical beliefs. But I believe a capitalistic system can provide moral economic practices if we're mindful.

Gawain de Leeuw

Marx was right in a very basic way: capitalism changes everything. Clearly he was no prophet; nor was he a moralist. He was a journalist who had some ideas about where Capitalism was going.

His early essays on alienation and civil society (On the Jewish Question), for example, continue to have some merit. They were more explorations into social problems, early descriptions of cultural challenges.

Kolakowski, however, does a good job of unpacking Marx's thought and exposing its limits.

For rivalry and envy, Girard is a better thinker; and for politics, Arthur Bentley (all politics and government is the result of actions between groups).

Marx should be read as literature and history, rather than as politics or economics. Perhaps now we need not make him a caricature of all that is evil, but as what he was - a journalist of deep thought who understood Capital's power, but misunderstood it's direction.

There are also myths about the market, of course. That may be for another time.

Pat H

Perhaps it would be better to say we can learn much from thinking *about* Marx. He was a man who recognized some things are dreadfully wrong about this world (domination, exploitation, alienation) and who longed for something better. He misunderstood a lot (the role of the state in the regulation of the economy, for example), but I also think he has been ever more misunderstood by followers and haters.

Rick Bonetti

Watched a movie last night with a reference to a book by Karl Marx - The Fever by Wally Shawn. No pat answers, but very interesting in light of the modern revolution we are seeing in Egypt.

Sean

I like this thinking. I'm so tired of the smaller-than-life caricatures of people. Rand: Good. Marx: Bad. Barth: Good. Deridot: Bad. We can learn much when we stop reducing everything.

Tim Dunfield

I TA a class in theory and methods at a large secular University. Marx is one of the theorist I teach. When I read Marx I am always amazed at how much he understood about the negative attraction to wealth that we all have, and how wealth seldom unites people: it always divides us. Greed and poverty are two of the biggest factors at play in our world today, whether we are talking about the economic situtaion in the US, famine and poverty in Africa, corporate greed...the list goes on.

I am also drawn to Marx's ideal utopian world where everyone lives equally. It wasn't Marx who made the communist state - it was Lenin and others. Sadly, this often reminds me of Jesus. Jesus preached an idea utopian world where everyone lives equally. Sadly, it has been his followers who have turned Christianity into something he never intended.

So - I like Marx. I'm not a Marxist, not even a neo-Marxist, perhaps a post-Marxist - but one who sees the value in what Marx says. It is sad when people refuse to read him or listen to him because of his name and how others have distorted him. Hey--that reminds me of Jesus too.

ces0132

I just finished graduate studies in Sustainable Systems, where we looked a lot at the worldwide economy. I believe there is a direct correlation between how we spend our money and what that says about our moral values.

jon

In a sense, we can learn from everyone. We can learn about lying and "human potential" from the serpent, but I wouldn't encourage it. Much of this sort of praise, I believe, is driven by the desire to be different, to be the "third way", which seems popular in clever Reformed/Evangelical circles. Karl Marx's ideas are responsible for the death of millions. For all the Communists lament of religion (Communism, as laid out by Marx, is inherently atheistic) and our broader cultures lament about religion and killing, the 20th Century showed us the beauty and human potential that Marx gave us.

I say no thanks and to put him in the dustbin of history.

Steven Turner

I often wonder, what if the ideals of Marx had not been co-opted by such dictatorial regimes. Could it have been possible for democracy to have evolved hand-in-hand with Communist economics or were capitalism and democracy bound from the start?

We have confused the two, and consider the right to have choices in the supermarket freedom and democracy when freedom and democracy are the result of informed, engaged exercises of civic responsibilities.

Divorce Marx from the regimes that made a mockery of government by, for, and of the people; understand that he had some serious critiques of organized religion; and remember that his philosophy is just that-- a philosophy of man, and we can then move on and learn from what he had to offer without being threatened by it.

Jeff Nelson

Should we study the life and times of Jeffrey Dalmer? Well, I guess some people should but I wouldn't recommend it for a bible study or a Sunday school class. In Philippians we are instructed to think about things that are just, not to explore the unjust to see what we can glean from them because they were smart or made history. Philippians 4:8 says "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

That is some pretty good direction for a wholesome life. I am glad that there are some that will study Karl Marx for the historical benefit but He is an example of anti christian thinking and is not someone that I would encourage others to spend a lot of time trying to glean some positive from. Look, if I were to do what Philippians 4:8 says I would find enough examples to think about for a life time.

Roberta

@Tim Dunfield -- Karl Marx reminds you of Jesus? Jesus is divine. Maybe evangelicals do not believe He is divine. Jesus is God made flesh.

"Communism begins from the outset with atheism. Communism, as fully developed naturalism, equals humanism."----Karl Marx.

Communism has brought us abortion on demand, institutionalized sex education programs, etc.

Humanism has brought us Planned Parenthood the largest abortion provider in the world.

Philip

The negatives of Karl Marx is quite clear to many of us with even a very elementary history knowledge. Karl Marx denied the existence of God yet he was still and incredible thinker/ philosopher on human thought, motives, and attitudes.

Socialism should be recognized as a superior economic system over capitialism without reguard to the fallen human nature--namely sin. Because of mans sinful nature, mindset, motives, attitudes, and pride. C.S. Lewis recognized Pride as one of the primary downfalls of humanity. Pride is perhaps the impetus more many other more recognizable sins of mankind.

Capitalism should be recognized for its ability to harness mankinds pride and lustful desire for more and more. Because capitalism depends and functions on a marketplace where buying and selling products is based upon a form of suply and depend--which in many aspects in based upon reality of scarcity.

Karl Marx's philosophy of human nature in a economic system is flawed because Marx refuses to acknowledge the sinful nature of mankind. No government official or person is exempt from sin (Rom. 6:23).

Christians can admire socialism in one aspect: A Christian can admire Marx's utopian economic vison because it gives us a glimps at eternity where all sin is ereased.

The horrible social, economic, and politial disasters of Marx's philosophy carried out have been a devistated sore in the history of mankind in the 20th century.

Christians have rightfully stood firm to the capitialistic system not because it is perfect--not by any measures; but because it harneses mankindsbent nature on sin. However, Christians should desire to live with a socialistic mindset in regards to equality, Christian charity, and willingness to provide for the poor.

Socialism should be a mindset not a forced mindset. Because the force is what destroys the whole philosphy of socialism when carried out in reality.

Victoria Taft

A commenter said:

"Christians should desire to live with a socialistic mindset in regards to equality, Christian charity, and willingness to provide for the poor. "

Under Marxism everyone would be equally poor (except for the government apparatchiks, of course). Under capitalism you can at least work hard, get something in return and have satisfaction that you gave of your own volition among other obvious advantages. With Christ there's a 'choice' to give, with Marxism there is no choice except to obey--at the point of a gun. That's why in communism there can be no higher power than the state. With the first scenario it's between you and God, in the second scenario it's between you and the state.

Someone explain how to reconcile desire to

Victoria Taft

want to be more like communism with Christianity.

Sorry about the split comment.