Marxist Theory of rights
Marxist Theory of Rights
Rights of liberal State welcomed-Marx and Engles welcomes the existence of civil rights in the contemporary bourgeoisie-democratic state because they represented an advance from the feudal state where no such rights existed.Moreover,though from these rights the capitalist benefitted most, these rights also enabled the workers to organise easily against the capitalist and start agitations.
Freedom of the Press defended-As the editor of Rheinixhe Zeitung, Marx wrote many articles defending the freedom of the press but criticised the law of censorship imposed by the state. According to Marx,censorship entirely destroyed the freedom of the Press and various rights conferred upon the people by the constitution.
Adult Suffrage-Marx admitted that the capitalist were the major beneficiaries of the civil liberties or the rights guaranteed by the Constitution,since they could invest huge money to own and control the Press. In spite of that thing,he admitted that the freedom of the press was essential since he could also advocate freely the cause of the proletariat (workers). In this regard he greatly appreciated the Chartist Movement for demanding adult suffrage in England,.
Rights to work not guaranteed to workers by the liberal constitution- Marx said that the rights guaranteed by a liberal Constitution safeguard the interests of the bourgeois class only because it protected the rights of the capitalist to acquire and accumulate unlimited property. Marx held the opinion that Paris Commune of 1871was the first model of workers 'State since full liberty was granted in it. It was also based on adult franchise. Therefore Lenin proclaimed all these rights to the proletariat when first Constitution of the socialist state was framed in Russia.
Belief of Marx in the self-creative nature of mean-Marx viewed man "as a self-creative being,that is to say,a being who develops the capacities peculiar to his species as he lives and works with his fellows and who in this process acquires his ideas of the world and of himself."Thus Marx believed in man's unique power of self-fulfilment.
Marx views man as a social being-Marx does not consider rights for man cut off from the society. He views man as a social beings. Society confers rights to a social beings only. Society can only guarantee these rights and creates conditions for their fulfilment. In a Marxist society,rights are not acquired but only the conditions for self-fulfilment are needed. There is no exploitation in such a society.
No rights without duties-Marx did not consider any rights without duty and no duty without right. The Marxian dictum is that who does not work,shall not eat. It proves clearly that every right has got some social responsibilities attached to it.
Rights associated with classes-Marxism has associated rights with a particular class. The right are enjoyed only by the class who possesses the means of production. For the other class the rights will be illusory. The right to equality remains merely a dream for the working class in a capitalist society.
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