Hegel and Marx: The Moral Basis of Capitalist System

Abstract:     
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831) and Karl Marx (1818-1883) showed future generations the principles to understand industrialization as the birth of cultural and social phenomena connected to the division of labour. Furthermore, these authors combined contrasting elements such as corporations and society or state. Thanks to the contribution these two authors made, we can find out relevant reflections on the relation between Ethics and Economics.

Hegel's theories on the moral subject are more reflections than a legislative proposal. In order to consider Hegelian ethics as a whole, it is important to include it in a broader context, including the law, state and society. Therefore, in this ethical context, ethics become “ethicality”.

In Marx’s opinion, intellectual life is part of moral life. For this reason, it has to correspond to a given economic structure and consequently to relations of production. Having said that, it is clear that ethics comes from the above-mentioned relations. In addition, human activity is a consequence of social and historical conditions, too.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 6

Keywords: Marx, Hegel, Capitalist System

JEL Classification: A12, A14

working papers series