Communist Manifesto On Women and Marriage

Communist Manifesto On Women and Marriage 

Explain the following statement - Bourgeois marriage is, in reality, a system of wives in common and thus, at the most, what the Communists might possibly be reproached with is that they desire to introduce, in substitution for a hypocritically concealed, an openly legalised community of women. For the rest, it is self-evident that the abolition of the present system of production must bring with it the abolition of the community of women springing from that system, i.e., of prostitution both public and private.

This statement is taken from the Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It addresses the institution of marriage within bourgeois (capitalist) society and its relationship to the economic system. Let's break it down:

Bourgeois Marriage as a System of Wives in Common: Marx and Engels argue that bourgeois marriage, despite its appearance of being based on monogamy and individual ownership, is, in reality, a system that perpetuates certain aspects resembling shared ownership or access to women. They suggest that within the framework of capitalism, marriage is intertwined with property relations and serves as a mechanism for maintaining and passing on property and wealth. In this sense, they characterize it as a form of "wives in common" because it upholds the rights of men to own and control property, including their wives.

Desire for Openly Legalized Community of Women: The Communists, according to Marx and Engels, are accused of seeking to replace the hypocritically concealed system of shared access to women, prevalent within bourgeois marriages, with an openly legalized community of women. They imply that the Communist goal is to eliminate the hypocrisy of the existing system and acknowledge the shared communal nature of relationships instead of concealing it under the guise of monogamous marriage.

Abolition of the Present System of Production and Its Effects: Marx and Engels assert that the abolition of the current economic system (capitalism) will naturally lead to the abolition of the institution of bourgeois marriage and the associated problems stemming from it. They argue that as the capitalist mode of production is replaced by a new social order, wherein private property and the capitalist class cease to exist, the social relationships and structures based on the exploitation of labor and property will also be transformed.

Impact on Prostitution: The statement further emphasizes that the abolition of the current system will eradicate the economic and social conditions that give rise to both public and private forms of prostitution. They suggest that the economic and social changes brought about by the transformation of the system of production will eliminate the exploitation and necessity that lead to the existence of prostitution.

Overall, this passage highlights Marx and Engels' view that the institution of marriage under capitalism is intertwined with the economic system and that the transformation of society's economic foundation will bring about significant changes in social institutions, including marriage and the eradication of associated social issues like prostitution.