Marxian Approach

• Marxian approach to international relations is based on Proletariat Internationalism, Anti-imperialism, Self-determination, and Peaceful Co-existence.
• Believes in the onward march of international relations toward its logical conclusion: the end of capitalism and imperialism, the unity of the proletariat as one nation, and true internationalism.
• Marxian view of international politics mirrors its view of politics within a state, where there is a struggle between two classes:
  • The rich (owners of the means of production, with control over production, distribution, and exchange).
  • The poor (workers, exploited by the rich).
• International politics is a struggle between capitalist states and the victims of capitalist exploitation (poor and backward states).
• Imperialism and war are the primary tools through which rich states exploit poor states.
• The end of this era is seen in the spread of socialism in all states.
• Workers’ revolutions against internal exploiters would convert states to socialism.
• Once socialism is established, socialist states would unite to eliminate capitalism globally.
• International relations would then be based on the socialist brotherhood of all.
• The workers of the world would live together as equals, free from exploitation.

Features of Marxian Approach

• Marxian approach to international politics is characterized by key features:

1. Class Struggle between the Rich and Poor States:

• International society is divided between capitalist (bourgeois) states (rich, developed, powerful) and poor, underdeveloped states (exploited).
• The capitalist states control economic and political power, while the poor states are the dominated part of the international society.
• In the contemporary stage, the division is between imperial-bourgeois states and socialist states.
• Non-socialist states of the Third World are also victims of exploitation by imperial-bourgeois states, aligning them with the socialist class.

2. Need to End Imperialistic Exploitation:

• Imperial-bourgeois states are in conflict among themselves but united in maintaining control over poor and developing states.
• They maintain a balance of power to preserve their system.
• The working class in capitalist states is not yet strong enough to overthrow capitalist rule through democratic or revolutionary means.
• However, they derive strength from socialist counterparts and improvements in their conditions, limiting exploitation.

3. Neo-Colonialism as the New Hard Reality:

• Capitalist-bourgeois states maintain control through neo-colonialism, exploiting the Third World countries.
• The working class (including industrial workers) is resisting exploitation, empowered by successes in socialist countries.
• Working people of all nations are uniting, following the Communist Manifesto‘s call.
• This unity is essential in understanding the true nature of contemporary internationalism.
• The Marxian approach analyzes international relations through the lens of the relations between capitalist-bourgeois states, socialist states, and Third World states.

Four Basic Elements of Marxian Approach

• Prof. Arun Bose outlines four key elements of the Marxian view of International Politics:

1. Proletarian Internationalism:

• Based on the unity of the working class at the international level.
• Objective is the International Socialist Order through proletarian internationalism against bourgeois nationalism.
• Elements of Proletarian Internationalism:
  • The world proletariat has a common interest, independent of nationality.
  • Working men have no country; the proletariat must first acquire political supremacy in each country.
  • Unit action by the proletariat is essential for emancipation.
  • As exploitation of individuals ends, exploitation of nations will also cease, and inter-nation hostility will end.

2. Anti-Imperialism:

• Believes the breakup of the bourgeois world order is inevitable as capitalism has reached its final stage—imperialism.
• Imperialism leads to wars, militarism, and armed conflict.
• Features of the current era:
  • Capitalism is international and monopolistic.
  • Uneven political-economic development is a law of capitalism.
  • Proletarian revolution is possible in one country, forming a nucleus for global socialist revolution.
• Overthrow of imperialism is inevitable, and the spread of socialism is the means to achieve this.

3. Self-Determination:

• Accepts self-determination as the principle for organizing international society.
• Advocates for freedom of all nations to determine their political destiny.
• Supports the end of the colonial system.

4. Peaceful Coexistence:

• Advocates for all nation-states to live peacefully without undermining each other’s social and political systems.
• Implies:
  • Proletarian revolution will first succeed in some countries or even in one country.
  • The revolution must survive through capitalistic encirclement by relying on anti-imperialist contradictions.
  • The best way to survive is through peaceful coexistence between socialist and capitalist states.
• Acceptance of peaceful coexistence does not mean the limits of socialism are achieved or that capitalism will persist indefinitely.
• The struggle between labor and capital will continue until the ideas of scientific socialism prevail.
• Marxian approach to international relations:
  • Believes in the onward march of international relations towards the end of capitalism-imperialism and the unity of the proletariat.
  • Supports the idea that international relations can be explained through proletarian internationalism, anti-imperialism, self-determination, and peaceful coexistence.
• Criticism:
  • Critics view the Marxian approach as utopian and incapable of realistically explaining international politics.
  • Issues like exploitation of workers in socialist countries, nationalism in socialist states, acceptance of peaceful coexistence, and the strength of nationalism challenge the Marxist explanation.
  • In the 1990s, non-communist regimes replaced Marxism in many former socialist states, further diminishing the popularity of the Marxian approach.
• Decline of Marxian approach:
  • The decline doesn’t mean the approach is totally rejected.
  • It can still explain several aspects of international relations, particularly the economic relations between developed and developing countries.

Dhurjati Prasad Mukerji

• Dhurjati Prasad Mukerji (1894-1961) was one of the founding fathers of sociology in India, born in a middle-class Bengali family with intellectual traditions.
• Initially, he wanted to study sciences, but later chose economics, history, and political science. He completed MAs in economics and history.
• Due to the First World War, his plans to study further in England were delayed.
• DP began his career at Bangabasi College, Calcutta, and in 1922, he joined Lucknow University as a lecturer in economics and sociology.
• He served at Lucknow University for 32 years, retiring as Professor and Head of the Department in 1954.
• In 1953, he served as a Visiting Professor of Sociology at the International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague.
• After retirement, he was appointed to the Chair of Economics at Aligarh University for his last five years of academic life.
• DP was the first President of the Indian Sociological Conference and also served as Vice-President of the International Sociological Association.
• Apart from sociology, DP had diverse interests in economics, literature, music, and art.
• His most significant contributions were in sociology, where he combined profound scholarship with a well-developed critical faculty.
• DP was a Marxist but preferred to call himself a Marxiologist, focusing on analyzing Indian society from a Marxianperspective of dialectical materialism.
• His lectures, discussions, and conversations were more important than his written works, as he shaped the minds of youth and encouraged independent thinking.
• He had an extraordinary command over multiple fields, including philosophy, history of economic thought, sociological theories, and art.
• His intellectual brilliance and critical acumen allowed him to relate scholarly ideas to contemporary problems.
• DP was a pioneer in the sociology of culture, and his work aimed to highlight this field, although it acknowledged some deficiencies.
• In Indian History: A Study in Method, DP explored the relevance of Marxist method and the need for a philosophical and historical matrix to understand society, but he did not examine the philosophical differences between dialectical materialism and other approaches.
• DP’s influence as a teacher was profound. He preferred spoken dialogue over written words and was known for encouraging the interchange of ideas with students.
• He believed in continuous learning and was highly popular among his students, leaving a lasting influence on their lives and thoughts.