Resul Kaan ONAÇ

20200782

Mini Essay 3 - Revise

13.05.2003

UTOPIA IN MARX’S MANIFESTO?

In my opinion, utopia is the style of life that can never happen, however it means to create the best and perfect life conditions for human being at the same time. The meaning of utopia is already the idea of perfect society. In utopia everyone lives under perfect conditions and works well with each other. As a result, people are extremely happy.

Utopia is an imaginary concept, if we think from this standpoint. Many writers and philosophers wanted to write their own ideal place in their works. Thomas More and Campanella also tried to create an ideal and perfect society as called utopia in their works. In Marx’s The Communist Manifesto he suggests using all the things about life in a common way. He even says that women can also be used commonly. They believed and wrote according to their own ideas how an ideal society should be. I think utopia means living in the best way as I said but Marx’s theory is not appropriate for human life. Because he does not give importance to women and he offers using them commonly. In my opinion, this is impossible to live in that way in today’s world, although Marx’s socialism is based on dialectic materialism and historical determinism on its own.

            Using all the things in common is not favorable for human beings and especially for Muslim culture. There is another that wrote a book called City of the Sun who was Tommaso Campanella; he supported the ideas of Marx in a way he also offered to use women in common. In my opinion this is not a good thing for us. He thought in this way to create his own utopia but this is not the best for human life so I do not agree with these ideas. Using all the things in common and not having private property is not suitable for human nature.

I think giving no private property to people is not acceptable. It may have some advantages like there would no trouble when it is wanted to rebuild or rearrange somewhere in the country. It is easy to demolish buildings and build another buildings instead of it. For instance it was done by Soviet Russia in the past. During the wars they were able to demolish apartments or other buildings and construct roads instead of them. On the other hand, it is easy to say that why don’t people have private property. It is basic and important desire and, requirement for them. Marx’s ideas are utopian from this standpoint of view and they can’t be used in the real societies.

The other conflict is common usage of women. Marx thinks to prevent prostitution by the common usage of women, however it is not enough to explain it. Since, we are human beings and we have some values to evaluate events, ourselves, and other people. These values are shaped by the culture and religion. We have innate values too. Nobody wants to share his wife with someone but Marx thinks that it is the best way for the societies.

Marx’s Manifesto is a historical thesis and it doesn’t say things, which are required, it says things that are should be. So, it is not a utopia and it is utopian at the same time. If we start from the very beginning, Marx’s sayings should be considered well. Marx says that societies pass through the stages that are determined by the type of means of production. For example, there was primitive capitalism at primitive societies. Then it was passed to feudalism and then capitalism. The next stage is socialism as a result of revolutions and the final stage is communism in which there is no government.

There are two classes, which are in struggle each other in every stage. For instance, feudal landlords and peasants in feudalism, workers (proletariats) and bourgeois capitalists who are owner of the means of production are these classes. Then Marxism foresees the collapse of the capitalism and rising of the socialism and at the end communist state will be established.

Communism looks like utopian, because it is difficult that people live in happiness and out of murders and crimes without the existence of the government. However there is also another view that taking progress is possible. For instance people were barbarian and killed other people at the medieval age. We are more developed and advanced too much in proportion to last ages. There are big differences between today and past. Despite of the fact that human beings have improved skills and peculiarities, it is not so possible to say that all people are benevolent and ready to share. We are all members of the society and such a society can’t be perfect when its members are selfish, cruel and sloping to crimes.

As a consequence socialism may not be utopian, because it is applied in many countries and it was successful during some parts of this period. In today’s world socialism is applied in China, North Korea and Vietnam. But Marx’s theory is utopian and not like Marx says. Since it doesn’t seem to create a perfect place without pain, murders and crimes.

Resul Kaan ONAÇ

20200782

Mini Essay-2 Second Draft

04.03.2003

MILITARY IN UTOPIA-IDEAL OR NOT-

In More’s Utopia, he suggests Utopians are not interested in war except for extraordinary cases. If any country attacks their land or there is an injustice, they will fight for the rights of human being. It doesn’t make any difference that whether this injustice has applied their people or not. They are against injustice, so they can also fight for rights of other people. In fact, they don’t want to shed blood under any certain circumstances. They believe it is better to win a victory by using their intelligence than killing men although some countries prefer using physical power to intelligence. Utopians hire mercenaries in wars. They avoid taking part in wars, but if they are needed, they will participate in the wars willingly and bravely. Because they can do everything for their country, the most important thing is latter generations must be safe and in good life conditions.

It is very likely that military is this much important than imagine. More was also aware of this fact and his thoughts about military are developed and good enough for an ideal society like called Utopia. Although there are some negative aspects such as taking part in wars with all family members, in general Utopia’s military system has a good impression.

First of all while Utopians are hiring mercenaries, they prove they care about their people. Because hiring mercenaries is a good way instead of lose your people in war. Utopians fight against injustice, so they may fight for other people. In these cases they don’t lose their people while fighting by hiring mercenaries. Excessive important part is also that you cannot entrust your country to people who comes from different countries and cannot have your national sensation. In wars people fight for their nation with full of faithfulness to their country. Moreover the people that they hire called Zapolets are also doing it as a hobby. War is a routine event for them. Besides if there are people from Zapolets at enemies’ side, they can kill them easily. They act very different from normal soldiers. Mercenaries never fight as a member of your society. More also knows this fact and he doesn’t want to Utopians hire mercenaries while they are defending their country. “If any prince that engages in war with them is making preparations for invading their country, they prevent him, and make his country the set a of the war; for they do not willingly suffer any war to break in upon their island; and if that should happen, they would only defend themselves by their own people; but would not call for auxiliary troops to their assistance” (32). There are lots of examples using this method that result in tragic fate. For instance Lydians, Sumerians, and other Mesopotamian countries hired mercenaries. Their countries were occupied many times because mercenaries were escaping during the war. It is about nationalism. Other people can’t have your nationalist ideas like a country’s own citizens. It can’t be expected that soldiers who are hired only to fight behave, as the way of that country’s citizens would do.

One of the basic concepts of Utopia, military system is a well thought aspect. It is very developed and well fitted. It has also some small and not so important mistakes; but More’s military system is appropriate and adequate for an ideal society. It is likely that how it should be for an ideal society.

Resul Kaan ONAÇ

20200782

Mini Essay-1

18.02.2003

UTOPIA - BUT HOW? -

I will try to determine that there are two basic aspects of a utopia, which means in my opinion these are the most significant two factors that should be included for an ideal society. Despite of the fact that, there are few important factors such as military, education, government system, and social stratification, religion and economic system are the most important ones according to me. I think religion and economic system are also necessary for able to access other factors. As we can understand from the researches, which were made in the past, there was no society that doesn’t have any religion or economic system. The societies also had military system or a government system, but if they didn’t have a religion and an economic system, they wouldn’t have a military or government system.

Religion has important effects on moral values and normally people’s life, because beliefs are important concepts for human beings. They worship different things thanks to their visions of world. Christians, Muslims, and Jews worship same God but in different ways. Other people who are not atheists worship different things like fire, effigies or cow etc. As a result they believe a God in their opinions and worship for him or her. If we take out these parts from their life, it will probably be not sensible for any people. As Spinoza said “ Man does not live by bread alone.”(Fromm, 40)  Since having religious beliefs are necessary for the continuouty of their normal life. Because it is a kind of essential product and a way for freedom of the spirit. “Even if man’s hunger and thirst and his sexual strivings are completely satisfied, he is not satisfied.”(Fromm, 40). This sentence also a impressive illustration of the necessity of religion for men.

It is also related with people’s behaviors in their lives and by this way, because person is the root of the society. Since religion has an intensive power for shaping the personalities and behaviors, people’s religious beliefs comply with how they can behave towards daily problems and affect their reactions. Therefore religions are commonly regulations of societies and their ethical values. Utopias are based on ideal society and general rules for the regulation of the society and because the religion is one of the core factors for society, religion is an inevitable part of utopias.

 On the other hand, economy is another backbone of the utopias. When we hold the subject of utopia, it is impossible to take economy apart from it. For the provision of a good education or a well-based military system, powerful economy is an inevitable necessity. Every facility is based on a strong economy due to this a utopia cannot be isolated from economy. A dramatic example is Soviet Russia that strived for the expansion this system. They were seeking for the utopia of Communism, but they failed because of the economic problems. They were once struggling for the leadership of the world against America; they were in a good condition: army was powerful, education was provided for every citizen… but they collapsed thanks to breaking of economy. So, this example is a proof of that economy is an obligation of utopias.

As to conclude, the religion and the economy that are two basic concepts, which are found ultimately necessary from other concepts. Because without economic power or religion that has an intensive regulation power on societies, no utopia can stand against the criticisms, because the main needs for an utopia are these two concepts.

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