Marx' and Engels' Internationalism

Paper Summary:

The paper defines internationalism in general and revolutionary internationalism in particular. The paper explores the key characteristics of revolutionary internationalism according to the views of Marx and Engels. This includes the international system, the role of the state, the idea of capitalism, dependency and uneven development and the notion of crisis.

From the Paper:

"First of all, it is necessary to define internationalism in general and revolutionary internationalism in particular. Internationalism is the rejection of state-centric (Realist) view of international order. It is a belief that there is movement of ideas across the world - for example, French Revolution in 1789 resulted in the spread of ideas about republicanism and nationalism, as well as man's rights. These movements make states and societies more and more interrelated, which increases potentiality for cooperation across boarders in terms of economics, and communications, and this is a desirable trend. Moreover, internationalism recognises that there is a need for some reform, i.e. it is politically active not simply a discussion of theory. This is why academics often view internationalism as a mechanism of putting cosmopolitanism in practice."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Boucher, David, 'Marx and the Capitalist World System', Ch. 15, Political theories of international relations: from Thucydides to the present, (Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 1998)
• Burnham, Peter, 'The Communist Manifesto as International Relations Theory', Ch. 14 of M. Cowling (ed) The Communist Manifesto: new interpretations (Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 1998)
• Gilbert, Alan, 'Marx on Internationalism and War', Philosophy and Public Affairs, vol.7, No. 4, (Summer 1978), pp.346-369
• Halliday, Fred, 'Three Concepts of Internationalism', International Affairs, Vol.64, No.2, (Spring 1986), pp.187-198
• Marx, Karl and Engels, Frederick, Manifesto of the Communist Party, http://www.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/classics/manifesto.html#Proletarian

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