How the economy system in brave new world relates to the theory of Marxian economic?

Marxian economic is a theory in the science of political economy which explains how the working

class (proletariat) are treated unfairly under capitalism (bourgeoisie) as long as providing a critical

analysis of capitalism. Marxian economic was established by Karl Mark who was a German

philosopher, Economist, historian, journalist and revolutionary socialist. He also published many

important books including The Communist Manifesto, Theories of surplus value and Scorpion and felix

( good reads, 2017);however, there was a person who used the theory of Marxian economic throughout

his book named Brave new world which was written in 1931 by Aldous Huxley, an English writer ,

novelist and philosopher (ENCYCLOPEADIA BRITANNICA,2017).The book was about dystopian

state in Huxleys mind that including the new society, economy, political system and belief in which

those ideas were inspired by the utopian novels of H.G. Wells including A Modern Utopian(1905)and

Men Like Gods(1923)().To this end, Huxley uses the ideas of consumerism, the mass production of

Henry Ford and the concept of class system to reflect the theory of Marxian economic in brave new

world.

Aldous Huxley shows the advantages and disadvantages of the ideas of consumerism. Consumerism

in brave new world is considered as a key to stabilize the economy of world state. As it say in the book

Ending is better than mending.Ending is better than mending.the more stitches, the less rich

(p.42).From this quote, it shows that people within the world state constantly consume due to the

condition that they received while they were young. Furthermore, they are taught that when a product

or good is need to repair, they must do away with it in which it is an idea that provide massive financial

benefit through all capitalists. In addition, there were some disadvantage facts most people did not

concern. Actually, in the long run, the ideas of consumerism does give the negative impact throughout

the economy system due to the increase of product quantity and consumer needs. According to

PAGGU.COM, First, in capitalistic market, it aims at selling. Even more, it is in the interest of producer

that the consumers needs and desire never be completely fulfilled, so the consumer can repeat the
consumption process and purchase more products. Second, most people with the idea of consumerism

begin to seek their money or goods as the greatest goods. Third, consumerism will damage the

ecosystem. Many lands and resources were being used to produce more goods in which it affects the

environment and animal habitats badly as well as health problems. As a result, it shows that the ideas

of consumerism provide some good facts for economy but only in a short term whereas in a long term,

it gives disastrous impacts that would destroy the entire world (Leontief, 1938)

Moreover, the mass production of Henry Ford affects the world state in variety ways especially in

economic. First, Henry Ford is a person who established the Ford Motor Company in 1903, and five

years later the Ford Motor Company introduced the first Model T in which it is a beginning of

introduction to the revolution of new mass production including large production and assembly line

(HISTORY, 2017). According to the Brave new world, the assembly line, caused by the mass

production, was operated by people in the lower castes that were conditioned to not realize they were

doing unskilled jobs. As a result of mass production associated with assembly line, it provided

opportunities of employment in which people will have more job as well as more earning. Mass

production will also give a financial stability, efficient in producing large amount of product faster and

motivate the economy (Economist, 2017). Those positive effects, however, will make a large profit to

the capitalist which improve the economy status (Economist, 2017). Last but not least, think in

psychological ways, mass production led the workers unrest. Even more, those workers did not have a

chance to improve or show their skill due to the assembly line works that controls the workers to focus

only a specific role. However, the special attention will be paid to work factor which affect the operation

of product positively (ENCYCLOPEADIA BRITANNICA, 2017).

In addition, Huxley not only used ideas of consumerism and mass production of Henry Ford, but also

he used the concept of class system to connect the theory of Marxian economic. According to Brave

new world, class system includes five different classes: Alphas, Betas, Gammas, Deltas and Epsilon,

respectively. Alphas and Betas are considered as a top class of class system which performed more

intellectual work than the rests. Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons, low class people which are conditioned
to serve the Alphas and Betas, do more standardized work. In other words, Alphas and Betas are

bourgeoisie and Gammas, Deltas and Epsilons are proletariat; however, class system is a major problem

that cause a contradiction between both bourgeoisie and proletariat. According to the Manifesto of the

Communists book, working class people are paid to produce goods and services for the upper class.

Furthermore, the work carried by the working class people created great profit for the upper class in

which the profit will be divided as a wage for the working class but those wages that the working class

received are somewhat unfair. For example: the factory workers may get paid for five dollars to produce

goods. The capitalist, then sells the product for ten dollars. To conclude, the capitalist, who controls the

process of production, makes a profit but the worker does not get benefit from this profit.

In conclusion, all ideas such as consumerism, mass production and class system are the causes that

created such problems especially the differences between working class and capitalist in which it is a

reason that Karl Marx introduced the theory of Marxian economic to solve the problem of exploitation

and defeat the capitalism. With this idea, the new classless society will be established in the way that

all society and wealth are shared equally between all people. This idea, however, still being an

argumentative statement whether it will work in positive ways or not since if the economy status is bad

then all the citizens will be suffered from this consequence as well.
References:

Leontief, W. (1938) THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MARXIAN ECONOMICS FOR PRESENT-DAY

ECONOMIC THEORY. Retrieved From: https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/1804482.pdf

The Economist. (2017). Mass production. Retrieved from: http://www.economist.com/node/14299820

Paggu.com. (2017).The effects of consumerism. Retrieved from:

http://www.paggu.com/business/world-economy/the-effects-of-consumerism/

ENCYCLOPEADIA BRITANNICA. (2017). Mass production. Retrieved from:

https://www.britannica.com/technology/mass-production

Good reads. (2017). Books by Karl Marx. Retrieved From:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/7084.Karl_Marx

History. (2017). Henry Ford. Retrieved from: http://www.history.com/topics/henry-ford

Good reads. (2017).Aldous Huxley. Retrieved From:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3487.Aldous_Huxley