Marx and Morris Notes

MARX:

Machinery cheapens commodities; means for producing surplus-value

Machines vs tools vs simple machines; Marx sees differences b/w them

• Tools: man is the motive power
• Machine: motive power is something other than a man (ex: water, wind, animal etc)

Fully developed machines consist of 3 diff parts: the motor mechanism, transmitting mech, and the tool or working machine

• Tool/working machine is the part of the machinery with which the industrial rev of the 18th cent was started

Machine proper=mechanism that performs w/ its tools similar things that workmen did w/ tools too

Once tools had been converted from manual implements of man into mechanical apparatus of a machine, the motive mech also acquired and independent form entirely freed from the restrictions/restraints of human strength

• Drive many machines at once

Series of operations now can be made by one machine (ex: envelopes)

Many machines working side by side (ex: sewing factories) but there is still a sense of one-ness with that

• Working together for the same goal; "a number of machines of one kind constitute the organs of the motive mechanism"

Co-operation by division of labor=characteristic of Manufacture

• Now, combo of detailed machines

Subjective principle of the division of labor no longer exists in production by machinery

• Now, it is objective

"...how machinery, by annexing the labour of women and children, augments the number of human beings who form the material for capitalistic exploitation, how it confiscates the whole of the workman's disposable time, by immoderate extension of the hours of labour, and how finally its progress, which allows of enormous increase of production in shorter and shorter periods, serves as a means of systematically getting more work done in a shorter time, or of exploiting labour-power more intensely."

• Negative view on machines, factory, etc.

Modern factory system (characteristic of its use by capital): the automaton itself is the subject, the workmen are merely conscious organs....(p. 74)

Marx sees all of man's responsibilities and work being passed to a machine

Classes among factory workers:

1. those who are actually employed on the machine
2. attendants (almost always children)
3. those who look after the machines (engineers, mechanics, etc.) --> superior class

Humans aren't vital to the production of anything anymore "Since the motion of the whole system does not proceed from the workman, but from the machinery, a change of persons can take place at any time without an interruption of the work..." (pg. 75)

Old system of division of labor is gone (bc of machinery), it still hangs on in the factory as a traditional habit handed down from Manufacture---> reformed and estb in a more "hideous form by capital, as a means of exploiting labor-power"

"In handicrafts and manufacture, the workman makes use of a tool, in the factory, the machine makes use of him" (75).

• This is why this matters to Marx. Besides the fact that machines and factories are putting people into various classes, which Socialists don't like, the machines are making use out of a human. The machines are "beating" people in the cases that Marx highlights. Consequences of these problems are huge. First , factories could become so advanced that factory workers aren't needed, which is a loss of job and obviously would still effect people today, especially with the recession. Also, Marx is getting at the fact that humans are simply an "appendage" of a machine. No interest, creativity, or thinking goes into production now like it used to.

Refers to machines as "master" ---implies that humans are slaves to machines

Didn't see any solutions to the problem that Marx highlighted

MORRIS:

Art what it should be: "a help and solace to the daily life of all men"

• Closely bound w/ the general condition of society, esp. w/ the working class

Problem Morris wishes to highlight: people don't see art as what he thinks it should be (defintion above)

Non-obvious ex's of art: shapes/colors of household goods, arrangement of the fields for pasture, management of towns/highways

• Beautiful or ugly, elevating or degrading, pleasure or solace to the maker, etc -->Morris wants us to view art that way

Two types of art: intellectual and decorative

• Int: addresses itself to our mental needs; the only purpose of it is to feed the mind, there may be no materials involved
• Dec: also appeals to the mind, part of it is intended primarily for the service of the body

When arts are in a healthy condition there should be a connection b/w the two types of art

• Overlapped almost
• "the best artist was a workman still, the humblest workman was an artist."

Now, dec and int art are very seperated; by both the producers and the work produced

Those who follow int art are put into two sections

1. composed of men who have held a high place in their craft
2. hold their position of gentleman-artist either by accident of their birth or by possessing industry, business habits, or such-like qualities, out of all proportion to their artistic gifts

The work that these ppl produce is of little value to the world even if there is a thriving market for it; don't have a high position either (second type)--Morris sees them negatively

Very few type one's; they produce things of value-incredible amt of toil, pains, and anxiety to master their craft---Morris sees them very positively

Morris also sees a problem with society (ignorant of real art)

When art was healthy all men were basically artists

• inborn instinct for beauty which they put into their work habitually and made beautiful things

"But in these days, I have said and repeat, the whole people is careless and ignorant of art; the inborn instinct for beauty is checked and thwarted at every turn; and the result on the less int or dec art is that as a spontaneous and popular expression of the instinct for beauty it does not exist at all"

• ^thats the main problem Morris has. He's concerned about this bc he wants a healthy state of art instead of the way art is right now.

Morris thinks that dec. art is extinct--only exists int he conscious efforts of men of genius and talent

Civilization=the loss of romanticism (nature, etc.)

• This beauty of nature in our world (compensation for the loss of the instinct for beauty) is lost
• Ugly cities and ugly suburbs--no art

Morris doesn't believe that this loss of beauty in nature is necessary for civilization

"As long as the system of competition in the production and exchange of the means of life goes on, the degradation of the arts will go on"

• Similar to Marx

Talks about class as well (feudal systems)--he's a socialist like Marx

Art is influenced by the conditions of labor of the mass of mankind

• Art is man's expression of his joy in labor.

Three elements handicraft: variety, hope of creation, self-respect which comes of a sense of usefulness

If the lack of pleasure in handiwork is gone, the workmen becomes a slave/machine conscious of their own unhappiness

During this time period (gild) there was no great time pressure put on handiwork--could go at it leisurely/thoughtfully

• it did not submit the hand/soul of the workman to the necessities of the competitive market, but allowed them freedom for due human dvlpment

Markets/commerce/capitalism add to the loss of healthy art

• Ingenuity produced machines
• Basically the exact opposite of popular art that led to the Renaissance, etc

Machines were not replacing just painful work

Essential aim of manufacture is making a profit

Morris insists that no one is content with the loss of beauty from cities, etc.

Solution:

• large class of industrious people not too much refined (with a kind of comfort and education); basis of society
• from this class comes the captains of labor, directors of ppl's consciences religious and literary, and the directors of art

Basically Morris wants to change the class system in order to get healthy art back

Both of these articles had points that made it still relevant today, but I think that both of them want the classes in this country/other civilized countries to change in order to get back the way art and handicraft used to be. However, I don't know if that will ever actually happen. I think it's somewhat of a reach to try to change a country that has been based on capitalism since it's first days. Obviously this country is trying to make changes, but I don't know if many of the people that live in this particular country are willing to change in order to get art back.