Twain vs. Marx

In Twain's book A CONNECTICUT YANKEE AT KING ARTHUR'S COURT and Marx quote they both refer to the machines. They both talked of these machines in different respect. Twain expresses the machine in term of Men while Marx approaches the idea form and industrial perspective.

Twain’s novel expresses the classification and social injustices that existed within King Arthur’s courts. The king was the factory, and the slaves his workers. They did work for menial pay while they were stripped of their basic living amenities. “…you soon saw that brains were not needed in a society like that and indeed would have marred it, hindered it, spoiled its symmetry -perhaps rendered its existence impossible.” (Twain 22) This quote explains the oppression the people had to endure. It also conveys the fact that the masters were aware of the dangers enlightenment of the slaves posses to their existence.

The Yankee was the key to civilization after his near death escape. He hoped to use his brilliance to improve humanity. He felt civilization was the way to close the ever widening gap of social inequality. However, he also realizes the obstacles he faces with the church and the king in achieving this goal. He believed that if he could break down the iron grips of theses institutions he can free the people, and possibly improve their lives.

In understanding the relationship between Marx’s quote and Twains' book it is necessary to examine the fundamentals of Marx’s theory. He believed that men with some day be replace by machines, becoming appendages that pick up their slack.

Marx’s believes that industrialization is an entrapment that looms over humans through civilization. “One basis of Marxism and Communism is the idea, as detailed above, that industrial workers under capitalism become little more than cogs in the machine themselves.” Marx explains that the growing industrialization with eventually replace men. This will in turn create a class; the bourgeoisie and the proletariat which will eventually eliminate the middle class.

Twain poses a possible solution to the problem of machine vs. men in his book, in this context the machine being the institutions and men the slaves, with civilization. However, Marx will argue that he was replacing a machine with another- factory (industry) machine. I strong believe that although industrialization may come with a price, but if handle appropriately it not as costly to man.

Twain, Mark. A CONNECTICUT YANKEE AT KING ARTHUR'S COURT. London: Penguin Books, 1971.

Modern times

Chaplin's movie “Modern Times" is tinged with sarcasm. The word "modern" expresses a new age, a wave of change, leaving the old for the better, instead the movie portrayed quite the opposite. Chaplin expressed the hardship of the masses resulting from the elimination of the middle class, the wave of industrialization and their fight for survival.

Modern times is a movie about strife during the birth of industrialization, coupled with the economic crisis faced by the masses. It expresses the hardships of the early 20th century, a period of depression.

Finding employment was difficult and retaining it was an even more daunting task. This was a result of the wave of industrialization as the workers gradually lost their jobs to the machines. A common thread throughout the movie is that of the struggle to survive. Chaplin illustrates this in the characters of Gamin stealing a loaf of bread, the thieves robbing for food and even Chaplin himself who would prefer jail to life outside.

There was also the stratification of classes that occurred during this time as seen in the scene with the boss sitting comfortably in his office while overworking his employees. Also attempting to maximize the input of his workers by minimizing their time off the assembly line, Chaplin reinforces the Marxist idea that in an industrialized society people become less valued than machines.

“Modern times, a story of industry, of individual enterprise –humanity crusading in the pursuit of happiness.” This statement epitomizes the sarcasm.