Leilani Merrill
Karl Marx’ theory proclaims that the alienation of labor manifests itself through various aspect of man’s existence. He divides alienation into four segments: estrangement from
1. product 2. productive activity 3. species being 4. other human beings.
The worker is alienated from the product, since he exercises his energy into a foreign product which remains unrecognized, and unvalued. The worker is alienated from his productive activity in the sense that his labor is not voluntary, but rather is forced in order to feed his family, hence work becomes
“ an activity which is turned against him, neither depends nor belongs to him.”
(Marx & Engles reader 75)
Thirdly, the worker soon becomes alienated from his species as a man, as he is estranged from his own human body.
Lastly, alienation equates to estrangement human to human. The exhausting nature of forced labor separates each man, from each man. Hence Marx’ theory of alienation still affects contemporary society.
Philosophy Forever 