KARACHI: Several red salutes were presented to Karl Marx during ‘Understanding Marxism’, a seminar looking at some aspects of Marxism, organised by theProgressive Writers Association at the Irtiqa Institute of Social Sciences on Sunday.

Starting with a Marxist world view, Dr Taimur Rahman joined through Skype from Lahore to explain Marx’s interpretation or concept of materialism. He said that when it was thought that the universe was all that existed and all that ever would exist there was also the idealist philosophy of the Greeks which presented that concept of thought. “Thought is reflection, a process,” he said. “The brain, too, is a material which exists and produces thought, ideas,” he said.

Taking the discussion from primitive communism to socialism, he added that production and reproduction are two reasons which make one work and carry on. “It is the process of life which makes us create links and relations because both production and reproduction cannot be done alone,” he said. “Every economic system has a life but also a limitation. Then when it stops working social revolution presents a new economic system. This is the philosophical synthesis of Karl Marx, the struggle between the haves and the have-nots,” he said.

Talking on state and Marxism, Ayaz Mallick brought up the Paris Commune and how when the state takes on an independent role it is time for the dismantling of the state. “Even Lenin said at the time of the Russian Revolution that they were completing what was started in 1871 in the form of the Paris Commune,” he said.

Dr Fahad Ali spoke on the ‘Marxist view of the political economy paradigm of capitalism’. He said the sale and purchase of commodities had created relations and links though Marx saw them as alienation. “Supply and demand establish the cost and value of commodities and Marx said that there is a difference between cost and value,” he said. “And to understand their real value look beyond them at the process of their production, said Marx,” he added.

He said that labour had significance in the production process but the surplus value of hard work or labour was being thwarted by the business class by keeping with themselves the profits which came through sheer hard work. “Labourers have nothing to sell but their hard work and they don’t get what they deserve for their hard work,” he said.

Speaking on the subject of ‘Marxism and social dynamics’, Bakhshal Thallo, who came from Hyderabad, said that Marx had taught Marxists to look at history critically. “To look at truth in society to move towards a classless society,” he said. “He looked at the basis of essential differences for conscious effort and activity. And he saw how the person also changes in a changing society despite his or her limitations,” he explained.

Tackling ‘Marxism and literature’, Manzoor Thahim said that Marxism was a way of life. “The Russian Revolution changed the principles of history. Life is priceless and so is knowledge and enlightenment. Literature is consciousness. We all need to step away from the mechanical existence to step into and explore the world of literature,” he said. “Marx was a great poet and philosopher just like Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai or Sachal Sarmast here,” he added.

Other aspects of Marxism discussed at the seminar included ‘Marxism and trade unions’, ‘Marxism and science’, ‘Marxism and Ethics’, Marxism and women’ and ‘Marxism and aesthetics’.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2018