On Marx’s Criticism Of Proudhon’s Theory Of Division Of Labor And Its Significance

Social division of labor is the epitome of the whole human history and civilization.The thought of division of labor plays an important role in the study of the whole history of human civilization.Since the 1940 s,the social reform plan put forward by Proudhon not only had a great negative impact on the workers’ movement,but also hindered the dissemination of the new world outlook created by Marx and Engels among workers.Marx made a profound criticism of Proudhon,and the theory of division of labor is an important part of his criticism.Taking the division of labor as the starting point,Marx criticized Prudhon’s idealistic historical view and metaphysical methodology,and explained the new world view of historical materialism in the process of criticism.Therefore,it is necessary to make an overall and rational analysis and interpretation of Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor.Taking Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor as the research object,this paper expounds the content of Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor according to the logic of why to criticize,how to criticize and the significance of criticism,analyzes the deep reasons why Marx surpasses Proudhon’s theory of division of labor,and reveals the significance of Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor in its ideological development.Firstly,in the first chapter,it discusses the reason why Marx criticized Proudhon’s theory of division of labor.Proudhon’s economic theory always focuses on the value of equality and freedom.Thus,Proudhon fabricated the theory of economic evolution and regarded the division of labor as the starting point of his theory of economic evolution.Proudhon explained the antinomy of division of labor,affirmed the role of division of labor and exchange,and attempted to return to the small-scale peasant society.However,Proudhon’s "wonderful movement in his mind" divorced from the economic and historical reality,and his wrong ideas hindered workers from correctly understanding the operating laws of capitalist society.Marx expounded the new world outlook of historical materialism by criticizing Proudhon’s wrong theory of division of labor.The second and third chapters analyze the main contents of Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor from the two dimensions of history and values,that is,first trace the historical origin of division of labor,then analyze the division of labor in capitalist society,and finally look forward to the future of division of labor,vividly showing the social historicity of division of labor.In the second chapter,based on historical materialism,this paper expounds Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor,discusses Marx’s correction of Proudhon’s wrong comments on classical economists,points out Proudhon’s non-historical understanding of the alienation of division of labor,and then deeply analyzes Marx’s research on division of labor under capitalist relations of production.In the third chapter,based on human liberation,this paper expounds Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor,points out that Marx criticizes Proudhon’s concept of freedom,exposes Proudhon’s fallacy of overcoming the disadvantages of division of labor with machines,expounds Marx’s theoretical proposition of realizing freedom by overcoming the malpractice of division of labor.The fourth chapter analyzes the essence of Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor.First of all,understanding different dimensions of division of labor is the key to criticism.Proudhon talked about division of labor in a general sense,while Marx talked about division of labor in social production relations.Secondly,the fundamental reason why Marx critique Proudhon’s theory of division of labor is that Marx realized the transformation from humanistic alienation historical view to materialistic historical view,and investigated the division of labor based on the actual individual and material production activities;Proudhon did not walk out of the maze of idealistic historical view,and investigated the division of labor based on the universal rationality of "social genius".Finally,the breakthrough of methodology is an important content of Marx’s criticism of Proudhon’s theory of division of labor.Proudon fabricated a series of dialectics,while Marx insisted on historical dialectics.In the fifth chapter,Marx’s investigation of division of labor based on historical materialism and human liberation is objectively positioned in the process of ideological history and the prospect of contemporary social practice.