-
The Significance Of The Alienation Of Labour In Karl Marx
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 5]
Page 2 of 5
-
-
-
1.1 Statement of Problem
The philosophy of Karl Marx revolves around
one fact this is that matter is the basis of reality. In connection with
the economy and thought, Marx posits “economy is based on labour, which
specifically is the human activity that puts us in touch with realityâ€.
Therefore, when human being is alienated from labour, the necessary
implications include extinction of life, nature, self, relationship and
the conception of human being as tool, which in every extent remain
unjust and unnatural.
It is incontestable that the foregoing
situations abound in the existential world. In Nigeria, the situation is
heart-rending. The relationship between the Capitalists and the
Labourers is anything but cordial. There is no or at most very low
appreciation of labour. This view is substantiated by the ill-treatment
of workers, poor payment of salaries or total non-payment, inadequate
remuneration, et cetera. Taken the other way round, we see
dehumanization of workers in Nigeria both in the private and public
sector through the lenses of egoism occasioned by capitalism. The effect
of such egoism is not far-fetched.
Just consider the cases of
unemployment! Is it not infuriating to see millions of Nigerians,
graduates and trained citizens, of course, denied employment
opportunities? Why? Because, those already in office want more fat
salaries and better treatment. Hence, there is no need to bring in more
workers. The worst of it all is that such selfish individuals do not
contribute anything substantial to the growth of the economy. The
situation is serious really.
Ideologically, money takes priority, and
man serves labour instead of labour serving man. The value system of
both private and government entrepreneur gives no hope at all. Things
have fallen apart and the center of the Nigerian economy cannot hold
anymore. But what remedy could one proffer to ameliorate this problem?
This is the aim of this work.
1.2 Aim of Study
Having exposed the
problems in Nigeria, especially in relation to labour and capital, the
researcher wants to exploit the contents of the Marxian theory of the
alienation of labour in redressing the situation. Marx anxiously sought
for a balance in the economic benefits of the capitalists and the
labourers. Hopefull, this equilibrium will be realized in the Nigerian
situation.
1.3 Scope of Study
The Marxian historical materialism
“assigned to the substructure, to the material order, the supreme
significance in the dialectic process of historyâ€4. As such the
researcher, thereby, restricts himself to the relationship between the
labour and capital. This relationship is not one of cordiality. It is
rather a relation of alienation, the alienation of labour. He will also
extend his research to the meaning of work, obligations of the workers
and the implications of the alienation of labour in the Nigerian
context. There will be a cursory look into the existing classes, its
cause and attendant effects on the economy, then followed by a
suggestion of a seemingly workable solution to the situation of workers
in Nigeria.
1.4 Methodology
Method is next nature of any research
work. Hence, this work combines expository, deductive, review and
evaluative methods. The researcher employs exclusive constructions and
use of words that are peculiar to Marx, such as cost value, exchange
value, surplus value, et cetera, which describe the relationship between
the labour, the wage and the alienation.
CHAPTER ONE -- [Total Page(s) 5]
Page 2 of 5
-
