Marx and Technology

Abstract

Karl Marx had spent more than three decades (1849-1883) in England, the land of the Industrial Revolution. Steeped in philosophy and political economy, Marx became more and more aware of the exploitative nature of capitalism. He was committed to the discovery of an alternative to capitalism which would be in keeping with the worth and dignity of human persons. Marx’s attention was drawn to technology as technology in the hands of capitalists led to greater exploitation of workers. Marx was certainly a pioneer in the philosophy of technology. His painstaking analysis of the relation between the machinery and the worker and a host of other revelations concerning the use of machinery in the capitalist system are impressive. This article is an attempt to understand Marx’s philosophy of technology.