Workers unite: Karl Marx’s 198th birthday observed

Speakers pay homage to philosopher, relate political thought to Pakistan today

KARACHI: Karl Marx explored society’s problems and unlike other philosophers, also proposed a way to solve them. He is the only man whose writing and teachings were adopted by labourers across the world and paved the way for a world-wide political movement.

This was observed by speakers at a seminar on Sunday paying tribute to the German philosopher who founded Marxism on his 198th birthday.

“He is criticised a lot but no one can give an alternative to what he said, wrote and struggled for,” observed Nasir Mansoor, deputy general secretary of the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) of Pakistan.

Marx struggled against the class-based system and theorised that there was no capital or investment but human labour, according to Mansoor. Much before it happened, he had figured out that capitalism will ruin moralities in search of markets, the NTUF leader said, referring to the invasion of under-developed countries by powerful ones.

Citing an example of Swedish clothing store H&M, he said that the company operates around 70 factories in Karachi and has an annual profit of $60 billion, which is much more than the total exports of Pakistan. “But what was it giving the workers who created its products? They still get Rs13,000 per month - just enough to keep them alive.” Comrade Saqib of the Democratic Students Federation said Marx’s teachings are relevant today, as the class-based system continues, adding that Pakistan still struggles between the feudal and capitalist systems.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2016.