Free Essay Comprising a Critical Review of Terry Eagleton's Book, Why Marx Is Right

Published: 2022-09-08
Free Essay Comprising a Critical Review of Terry Eagleton's Book, Why Marx Is Right
Type of paper:  Essay
Categories:  Karl Marx
Pages: 6
Wordcount: 1490 words
13 min read
143 views

Those familiar with Terry Eagleton's work can account for his unorthodox approach to defending Karl Marx's work and theory of Marxism. According to Marx's opinion, he dismisses his perceptions as irrelevant in an era where most of the economic platforms exist alongside the reduction of industrial development. Additionally, Terry Eagleton supports Marx's critique perception of the existence of capitalism structure of production. First, it is a shock and surprise by the title of Eagleton's work, a scholar known as one of the Marxism critics for generation defending Marxism (Baldvinsson, 2012). According to Eagleton, capitalism is a theme that is not protected from guaranteed criticism due to various reasons. With that in mind, the esteemed professor used his book and divided its context into ten sections with each part containing opposing information on Marxism (Hunt, 2011). With that in mind, the paper focuses on to enhance a critique review of Terry Eagleton's book, Why Marx is Right.

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According to Terry Eagleton, Marx was right in almost his entire perception of Marxism. To enhance and illustrate on the importance, Eagleton assembled a book to support his claim and why some of the anti-Marxism philosophers were wrong (Baldvinsson, 2012). The is composed of over less than three hundred pages and structured in his belief often standard criticisms of Marx, and the doctrine of Marxism and tries to disapprove them in a systematic order. Additionally, Eagleton's critique depends on facts, perception and far-fetched research that have no direct connection on Marx work (Hunt, 2011). For example, the esteemed author uses claims and understanding such as adhering to the element on the issues with the historical materialism doctrine to support his perception and refute Marx and Marxism.

Majorly, the book is composed in an orthodox manner of attack on some of the fundamental Marxism expressions, for example, he denotes that the doctrine of Marxism might have been essential during the 19th century, but its importance in the 21st century is no more. Next, the theory is devastating and deterministic in practice but ideal in theory; thus, it is destructive, deterministic, and converts all elements into the commercial property (Hunt, 2011). Furthermore, the approach ignored the spiritual context of life, and the perception of the class is outweighed. Lastly, the argument omits reformation for evolution and revolution, and it places more emphasis on global power nations and current radical approaches dismally rely on it.

According to Eagleton, Marxism is an approach can only outdo itself and not for any external or internal reasons. For example, he claims that Marxism will exist if there is something left for it to fight for and in case the element is absent then the theory will seize to function. In other words, he points out that if Marxism is present in the current era since it has many options left to fight for. Eagleton's perception might be accurate, but there are different philosophers understand and interpret his idea (Baldvinsson, 2012). For example, some might reject Eagleton's judgment since it is directly linked to human attitude and way of life. In other words, it might be the perception and ideology of a human being to fight a good fight due to its outcome and feeling as opposed to its impacts on the human soul. The debate between normal way of human life and existence of Marxism has brought much confusion since it undermines the role of communism, liberty, and the influence of Post-Industrial Western societies; thus, making his argument a disappointment due to lack of precision (Hunt, 2011).

Additionally, Eagleton opposes that Marxism was a doctrine created under the Utopian norms. He continues to refute Marx as a Utopian dreamer, whose beliefs and works were false. Unfortunately, Marx could not foretell or predict the future of his theory since he claimed that socialism and barbarism were inevitable after the self-destruction of capitalism (Baldvinsson, 2012). Next, Marx had little facts to aid his reasoning towards winning over the opponents during discussions through the use of hypothetical power and well-established reasons. According to Eagleton's claims, Marx understood and perceived that the battle of better-reformed ideas would be in constant competition with material interests; thus, making him dispute Utopian perception and stating that the ideal reason for establishing and pinpointing a problem is to enhance a possible solution (Hunt, 2011). In other words, Eagleton acknowledges Marxism as a system that analyzed issues and issues to provide acute future solutions; thus, making the theory a reality and not a dream.

Also, the esteemed professor exercises criticism on the element of Marxism as an economic determinism and reduction of all aspects to meet the needs of the commercial. It is a fact and also an opinion that portrays truth and false compliments (Hunt, 2011). First, Marxism is an element of economic determinism since it is not the only introduced perspective discussion that enhances the reduction. To support the fact, the human being requires physical properties when placed in a place with scarce or minimal resources. Due to the intensity of the needs, any property present in that space can be converted into an economic element (Baldvinsson, 2012). With such a claim, it is acceptable to enhance the conclusion of the unfairness towards attack such an aspect of Marxism. Additionally, the doctrine confirms that labor is a fundamental property of culture; thus, civilization is directly linked to material production as a labor fruit.

A different angle of analysis is by understanding Marx perception of labor. According to Eagleton, employment exists as a coercive form for leisure; therefore, it is ideal to support the element since a good life is one that humans utilized maximum amounts of leisure time to enhance on self-selected interests on alternative material lifestyle (Hunt, 2011). With such an undeniable and supported fact, Eagleton adheres to Marx perception of labor since it is a unifying norm that has existed in the community for generations. Moreover, he states that the means of production in organized societies and social growth reinforce the ideal definition of an organization (Hunt, 2011). Additionally, he went beyond the scope of Marxism saying that humans need to exercise freedom of labor, especially when getting involved in unnecessary tasks.

Also, he examined work as an economic determinism since work has become an expression of enhancing new surplus that enriches. Additionally, it is false since Eagleton denotes Marx work on capitalism as a limiting factor towards realizing and reaching full human potentiality (Baldvinsson, 2012). Marx formed an image of understanding human beings as material driven; thus, material properties determined the livelihoods of the people. Unfortunately, such a claim is not realistic since the social environment has empowered individuals to reach their full potential through creativity and enhanced labor. Currently, globalization has intensified better ways of producing innovative products with the minimum workforce (Hunt, 2011). Due to such elements it the fact that capitalism and economic determinism are still up on debate because of the inconclusive facts supporting it.

Eagleton denotes that capitalism has enhanced the birth of power and numerous possibilities concurrently. With such a perception and support the esteemed professor states that Marx is a champion since he recognized power as a determinant factor in the socio-economic and political worlds. Moreover, Marx's perception did not only focus on the harmful elements of authority but extended his understanding towards production approach of capitalism (Hunt, 2011). Basically, on eying the labor force, especially on the working class, to date, there are numerous findings and debates on how capitalism is impacting these individuals. It is based on the theory of revolution; therefore, Eagleton states that dynamic and stagnant approaches on solving an issue will bring more harm than good to a specified social group since change enhances capitalism that initiates the competition for better consumption of material staff (Baldvinsson, 2012).

To sum up, Terry Eagleton one of the few authors with the ability to criticize philosophy approaches wrote a book composed of essays to support Marxism and Max. Many analysts have criticized his work, but unfortunately, his moral grounds bring light to some of the Marxism features. First, he uses the perception of Utopia as a means of supporting Marx. He states that Marxism was right to initiate utopia to help people understand that with evolution; there will be completed between materialism and human rights. With that he indicates that capitalism and human spiritual nature are not in line; thus, creating a conflict towards change.

Additionally, the esteemed professor states that human labor is directly linked to materialism. Indeed he is right since currently the working class is affected by the notorious element of competition. Therefore, materialism determines the livelihood of a human being.

Work Cited

Baldvinsson, H. (2012, June 10). Books | Review: 'Why Marx Was Right' by Terry Eagleton. Retrieved October 9, 2018, from The Ceasefire magazine Corporation United Kingdom Website: https://ceasefiremagazine.co.uk/review-why-marx-was-right-eagleton

Hunt, T. (2011, May 29). Why Marx Was Right by Terry Eagleton - review: Marx is more diminished than enhanced by Terry Eagleton's defence of him. Retrieved October 9, 2018, from The Guardian Commercial Website: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/may/29/why-marx-was-right-eagleton-review

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