Western Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Western Civilization - Essay Example Karl Marx was known for his theories on the following: economic interest; class struggle; industrial capitalism, and; socialist society. According to Marx, it is economic interest which is the universal motivator and dictates political, religious and cultural trends. Everything will eventually end up in a class struggle between the haves and the have-nots. The former dictates how the state is run and what ideas circulate around society. On industrial capitalism, Marx believed that capitalists are locked in competition with one another, and newer and bigger machineries are being built everyday to outdo each other. Eventually, everything will spin out of control and the periodic crises and competition will diminish the bourgeoisie while the working class grows, who would then institute a revolt and take over all machineries of capitalism. This will result into a classless society and the abolition of the state and a totally free society. After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1814, conservatism became predominant in France, the German states, Italy, Russia, and Great Britain. In France, the successive rules of Louis XVIII and Charles X saw the predominance of conservative policies; the former imposing a mild militaristic style and the latter favoring the old aristocracy. In the German states, which included Austria and Prussia, conservative policies likewise prevailed.