Karl Marx’s solution to the population problem in capitalist society is
options:
a) technological breakthroughs
b) reducing surplus value
c) family planning
d) a revolution to overthrow the system
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is d) a revolution to overthrow the system.
Karl Marx believed that capitalist societies inherently create problems for the working class, including issues related to population growth and its relation to labor markets. In his analysis, the problem of overpopulation in a capitalist system is linked to the way capitalism exploits labor. Marx argued that under capitalism, the production of goods and services is driven by profit motives rather than social need, leading to economic inequality, underemployment, and poverty. As a result, the surplus population (the unemployed or underemployed) grows because capitalists do not provide sufficient wages or job security, despite having the capacity for greater production through technological advancements.
Marx viewed this as part of the contradictions within capitalism that lead to social unrest and crises. The solution he proposed was not about adjusting the population or technological advancements in isolation, but rather transforming the system itself. Marx argued that a revolution to overthrow the capitalist system and replace it with a socialist or communist structure would address these fundamental inequalities. In a society based on collective ownership and democratic control of production, the needs of the population would be met in a way that benefits all, rather than just the capitalists. This would lead to a more sustainable relationship between population growth and the availability of work and resources.
Marx’s theory highlights that social problems, including those related to population, are not natural or inevitable but are the product of economic systems that prioritize profit over people’s well-being. He believed that true change would come only through collective action and the dismantling of the capitalist structure.