The Capitalist Society
Karl Marx has had a major influence in sociology. Around the nineteenth century Marx coined the term “capitalist”. Under the capitalist government Marx felt that a small group of people controlled the larger portion of the money. In Marx' terms the bourgeoisie (the wealthier class) sits at the top of the hierarchy while the proletarians (the lower class) does all the work yet remain in the bottom. Commodities are the fruit of the laborers, and the manufacturers are the ones who make the surplus. Marx writes that commodities have taken up this “mystical” identity not because of their use/value, but based on its exchange-value.
Comparing the capitalist poster and Marx writing, the class struggle rooted in capitalism is easily noticeable. Merchandise has lost it sense of social relationship that Marx explains, slowly deteriorating and segregating people into classes. This idea of society losing touch with its roots is still very present to this day. Manufacturers making large profits from workers who are sometimes paid at less than minimum wage is a problem we are still fighting. It’s a problem that we see tax payers face on a daily basis as people fight towards fixing” solutions” that the government has placed.
The Pyramid of Capitalism seems to be an idea that is still relatable today. Money is still what makes our world go round. It is what separates our social classes, what divides our neighborhoods, and affects how we see people. Our social ladder accurately mimics that of the Pyramid of Capitalism.
The government still creates laws that society must follow. They tax the people who are most vulnerable to support ideas that at the end of the day are making them more income not idea ideas that will benefit the public. The government makes people believe that they are working for you. At the end of the day people feel the hit, they feel the frustration as they back and believe the government is doing the right thing, only to realize the bigger picture that the governments best interest lie within themselves and the one percent of people who hold this nation’s wealth. They do not take into consideration the hard work, the long hours, or the safety of the society that at the bottom of the pyramid actually hold them up. Instead, they sit there and exploit those people who work so hard to provide for families and live with the bare necessities. This is easily seen in a system that was made to protect society from criminals, the prison system.
The prison system today is not only hurting the people who pay to keep criminals imprisoned but also the people who are being jailed. As is minorities are the ones who occupy the most residency in prisons here in the US. Many people are in there for petty crimes while the real criminals are still running around terrorizing the streets. This is a reality that many anti-prison activists have been fighting for. Citizens know this, but what can be done to make this wrong a right? Nothing, it is out of the hands of any one person who is not politically involved. Yet the workers, the people who pay taxes are the ones who support prisoners while industries work along with the government and make profit.
The Prison industrial complex is the common term used to describe the growing population of prisoners in for profit prisons, minorities as the main target. A system that was supposed to be used as a corrective measure is now just being used as another means of income for companies and businesses. Can you see the connection that has been lost between the people, the workers and the fact that companies don’t care to spend tax dollars on criminals convicted of petty crimes as long as they are making surplus? The people at the bottom do not have any political power.
Looking back into the picture presented many other concerns can be presented. But it can be seen that the political system in place now really has not changed. Although Marx' arguments may seem complicated and sometimes discombobulated, it can be seen that he hits the root of the problem. The starting point where the connection and the control was lost and given to those who now run our country. As the government continues to rule this country, the other social classes in between still fool, shoot, and eat for the workers who live to work and feed those sitting at the top the pyramid.