Michael Boehringer mboehrin@asu.edu Topic #5 Dr.

Graff HON 274 March 22, 2013

Evolution and human progression are essential components to the success of the human race as a whole. With such advancement comes the need for social change, specifically the change in the very structure that govern humans. Karl Marx suggests that capitalism is no different from any other historically time period and is in need to alteration. The change necessary to move forward is the annulment of social classes which will both reestablish humans ties with one another, as well as reconnect humans with themselves. The restoration of humanness to humans is essential, according to Marx, to advance society. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, on the other hand, believes, that in order to promote such evolution, society must evolve to embrace a more feminist (togetherness) culture. This can be done by overcoming the preestablished androcentric culture where competition is everything. Marx and Gilman both assert that in order to achieve a well functioning society it is necessary to reframe the social structure and evolve society; Marx believes this can be done by eliminating private property, whereas, Gilman contends it is necessary to identify and overcome society's masculine programming to evolve as a whole rather than individuals. Marx asserts that the first step towards achieving a society free from private property society must engage in a form of crude communism. This initial step would allow for the recovery from the alienating effects of private property on the relationship amongst peopleto mend the estrangement felt by humans towards other humans. This is done by replacing the idea

Boehringer 2 of private property with the idea of communal property: "Finally, this movement of counterposing universal private property to private property finds expression in the bestial form of counterposing to marriage...the community of women..." (Marx and Engels1978: 82). Marx demonstrates this idea of transferring the property of one to the property of all through the idea of replacing marriage with communal living. In this demonstration the woman no longer belongs to one man but rather to the community where men and women share the benefits of all members, rather than limiting their gains to only one relationship. By redefining the notion of private property to that of the community it also allows for the redefining of avarice. Greed now must find its place through the general envy of society; society must envy that of the wealthy and seek equality amongst property: "The thoughts of every piece of private propertyinherent in each piece as suchare at least turned against all wealthier private property in the form of envy and the urge to reduce to a common level..." (Marx and Engels 1978: 83). People, in this economic state, are no longer fighting to become the superior capitalist or worker but rather begin the initial stages of leveling down to what is the truer standard of living, free from any determined level set by the capitalist. Freeing society from some of the weights of private property and the insatiable urge for wealth finally allows for the progression of the relationship between people. Humans can once again establish their relationship with nature and ultimately with fellow humans: "In this relationship is revealed, too, the extent to which man's need has become a human need; the extent to which, therefore, the other person as a person has become for him a need..." (Marx and Engels 1978: 84). By establishing the idea of communal property it forces people to need help from other people. Previously, a worker spent all one's time mindlessly working away one's life in a factory striving for enough money to sustain life. Now, the worker still must work, however, more so for the community rather than the capitalist.

Boehringer 3 Humans once again find the need to depend on one anotherto seek human interaction and brotherhood. By reestablishing the need for other humans it begins to break down the social structure. By initiating the first step towards complete abolishment of private property, crude communism, allows for humans to establish what is in fact human to begin withreliance and need for fellow humans. After the initial step of crude communism and the following developmental years where the pieces, more-or-less, fall into place, social evolution to a better state is possible with the full annulment of private property. Once society can fully reject private property it can once return to a state of sensuous human living. This is where the transcendence of private property occurs, where humans regain their sense of being human: "The transcendence of private property is therefore the complete emancipation of all human senses and attributes; but it is this emancipation precisely because these senses and attributes have become, subjectively and objectively, human." (Marx and Engels 1978: 87). Marx argues that by overcoming private property, objects no longer belong to the individual but instead, belong to society. Humans no longer identify themselves by what they own but who they are. Objects now lose their monetary value and are perceived only by their usefulness to humans: "Need or enjoyment have consequently lost their egotistical nature, and nature has lost its mere utility by use becoming human use." (Marx and Engels 1978: 88). This new relationship between human and object (now human objects or, furthermore, social objects) allows one to grasp the idea that humans have become social. Objects are no longer individualistic, now they are social; humans are no longer estranged, now they are social. This is the key relationship required to fully break down the social structure. If humans are now codependent and intertwined with one another, property does not aid in the advancement of society. Instead it holds society back from fully becoming

Boehringer 4 socialfrom fully becoming human. Marx (1978: 484) argues that by erasing private property from the minds of society, people will realize the flaw contained in capitalism and can emerge from the capitalistic stage in history and evolve to a new, better, social structure. Just as the French revolution abolished feudal property, social change and revolution through the elimination of private property is merely necessary catalyst to communism. According to Gilman, just as Marx, society must evolve; however, Gilman argues that the for a better social structure to exist, society must evolve past a state dominated by androcentrism. She claims that very premise of masculine competition dominating society is in fact impeding social advancement: "The real development of people...is hindered and not helped by this artificially maintained 'struggle for existence,' this constant endeavor to eliminate what, from a masculine standard, is 'unfit.'" (Gilman 2009: 5). The constant clashing of heads between humans in attempt to dominate one another does not promote an environment for efficient progression. Gilman does not believe that economics, or society for that matter, should be approached with the same mentality as warseeking to overcome ones adversary: "The predacious instinct and the combative instinct weigh down and disfigure our economic development." (Gilman 2009: 3). Instead, she suggests a culture more in-tune with feminine culture, one that promotes serving and helping one another: "...the desire to get, of the hunter; interfering with the desire to give, of the mother; the desire to overcome an antagonistoriginally masculine, interfering with the desire to serve and benefitoriginally feminine." (Gilman 2009: 3). The current social structure, synonymous with combat, must be overcome through evolution. Society must advance towards a more feminine social structure where the aim is similar to motherhoodgiving and providing for otherselevating society's urge to advance together, rather than individually. By recognizing the

Boehringer 5 flaws embedded in androcentric culture, humans can propel evolution towards a superior social structure. Gilman sustains that true human growth, despite the shortcomings of the endrocentric social structure, occurs when growth promotes an advantage for allsuch growth is the next stage in human evolution. She believes that society constantly undergoes evolution. Furthermore, such evolution is accelerated when the social structure is pertinent to the advancement of all: "...the overwhelming power of humanness is now developing...with no purpose but mutual advantage. This is true human growth, and as such will inevitably take the place of the sexprejudiced earlier processes." (Gilman 2009: 5). It is human nature to progress and Gilman believes the next step in its evolutionary path is one that is free from sexual preference. She contends that society is moving towards social advancement that is equal for everyone, rather than pervious evolution favoring men: "We are beginning to see the world...not a place for one man to get ahead of others, for a price; but as an establishment belonging to us, the proceeds of which are to be applied, as a matter of course, to human advantage." (Gilman 2009: 5). The social structure that does not favor one gender over the other is crucial to fully encompass the evolutionary powers granted to the human race. Society will progress without such equality, but cannot embody all the benefits to the human race if it were embrace this notion. Human growth is an evolutionary concept that will overcome gender inequality through restructure, ultimately stimulating the advancement of the human race. Progression of social structures is key to the advancement of society according to both Marx and Gilman. Marx takes the position that for such advancement to occur society must eliminate private property, however, Gilman argues that it is not private property that must be removed, but the war-like culture of man.