Abolition Of Classes Research Articles

The Limits of Recognition

This essay critiques Rita Felski’s employment of Axel Honneth’s theorisation of “recognition” for a postcritical literary theory and, in turn, Honneth’s own appropriation of recognition from Hegel. In her article “Recognizing Class,” Felski uses Honneth’s concept of recognition to read Didier Eribon’s memoir Returning to Reims, and to argue for the importance of lived experience in analyses of class and its literary representation. This leads her to indict Marxism for its ideal of a classless society. Why should we will the abolition of class when many workers experience their class as a source of pride and belonging? What workers need is not emancipation from their class, but adequate recognition. By drawing upon Gillian Rose’s Hegelian account of recognition, this essay contends that by assuming recognition in advance as an ideal, Felski and Honneth overlook that without emancipation from bourgeois property and class relations, the recognition they presuppose remains an impossibility.

Catholics and Communists in Twentieth-Century Italy: Between Conflict and Dialogue

Catholics and Communists in Twentieth-Century Italy: Between Conflict and Dialogue

Unfinished Trials and Sentences

Unfinished Trials and Sentences

Honorary citizenship in Moscow history

There was no accident in appearing of honorary citizenship class in Russian empire in the end of 18 century. It helped to solve several problems: removal of social tensions, integration problem of other worship and new ethnic groups, choosing people and giving them special privileges for the benefit of Russian state. Advantages of eminent citizens written by Katherine the 2nd in letters patent were: exemption from corporal punishment, conscription, ability in owning country yards and gardens (except for populated estates), moving around city in a carriage pulled by 2 or 4 horses. Titles of eminent citizens were inheritable. Grand children of eminent citizens who were bearing the title blamelessly could ask for nobility on reaching 30 years old. In 1832 Emperor Nikolay the 1st established manifest about class of honorary citizens. Honorary citizens were divided in personal and hereditary. Morozovy, Ryabushkinky, Guchkovy families were the famous representatives of this class. The title of honorary citizen was removed by VCIK and CNK decree from November 11 (24) 1917 about abolition of classes and civil officials. Soon it was decided (on the similar principals) to reward honored citizens with “honorary citizen” title for the benefit of the city. New title establishment not only helped to solve the problem of national scale but also encouraged the development of patronage, culture, science and municipal administration system in the whole Russian economics.

Unconditional Communist Equality among Individuals: Beyond the Marxist Equality Limited to the Abolition of Classes

The article explores the perceptions of Marx on equality and its interpretation by the classics of Marxism, and highlights limitations in its egalitarian content. It then attempts to define an unconditional communist equality compatible with biological human nature and with the basic principles of Marxism. In doing so, it offers biological scientific arguments, based on the recent developments of biological sciences, to the critical question for the socialist ideology on whether we are the products of genes or culture, or something in between, in order to investigate whether an unconditional equality can exist. It also attempts to show that the limitations of Marxist equality to the abolition of classes are a main causative factor both of the past unsuccessful political implementation of socialism, and of the ideological fragmentation of the Left movement. By redefining in undisputed scientific terms and, thus, converging on a commonly accepted notion of equality, the article aims to contribute to the ideological rejuvenation, internationalist unification, consolidation and establishment of socialism.

Capitalism: In search of alternatives

In the post-Soviet phase, the question of path of development and alternatives to capitalism is wide open. This article seeks to examine the Marxian theory regarding abolition of classes. It examines the conditions under which abolition of classes and rule of the working class becomes possible in Marxian theory. The analysis shows that abolition of classes is possible only under conditions of abundance and if abundance is not plausible, then in the Marxian framework working class rule is also not plausible. An attempt has also been made to sketch an alternative to capitalism. A tentative list of objectives that could form the strategic goal is discussed and it is argued that economic structure has to have a mix of market and non-market regulation, regulated private property and state/community ownership, etc. While this thesis has wide acceptance as the pragmatic goal for many critics of capitalism, usually the theoretical goal continues to be abolition of private property and rule of the working class. The thrust of this paper is to make a case for change in the ‘theoretical’ goal.