The Bicycle Thief Analysis

THE MARXIAN THEORY OF CLASS AND ITS RELEVANCE IN THE POST INDUSTRIALIZED SOCIETY.

This essay examines the Marxian theory of class struggle and alienation with specific emphasis on the concepts of bourgeoisie and proletariat. The concept is illustrated on the basis of the movie ‘The bicycle thief’. Karl Marx’s theory of class was mainly based on the materialistic representation of history. His ideas were so radical that they inspired revolutionaries. He stated that one’s social class dictated one’s social life. Which meant that if one is in upper class his life will be full of leisure and comfort while if one is in the lower class one’s life would be of poverty and hardships. According to Marx one’s position in the social hierarchy was controlled

The police took report of the incident but warned that there was little they could do. Ricci wandered the streets of Rome looking for his bicycle which was the source of his family’s daily bread. He encountered the thief but due to lack of evidence could not accuse him of theft. Pertaining to the necessity of the bicycle in his life Ricci tried to lift an unattended bicycle, but was caught by the owner. He was insulted and kicked by the mob and muscled to the police station. But, the owner saw Ricci’s child and in a moment of compassion the owner requested the mob to release him. In the end Ricci is left alone with his disparity fighting the tears of shame. This movie depicts the struggles that a common man faces. The helplessness he faces (common man) fighting with the world for his rights, and the exploitations of those in power. The movie also depicts the problem of unemployment which is the direct cause of poverty. Unemployment enhances poverty, and is indeed the root cause of most of the problems. It makes the poor poorer and eventually leads to alienation as stated by Marx. The movie also highlights how poverty leads to helplessness to commit crime. The struggles of the lower class and the legitimacy

In the post industrialized society, with the onset of technology and education class has taken a backseat. People today have much more identities than just their class. Globalization has lead to this fluidity in the society. With the advancement of technology and education, people today have abundance of opportunities. The CEOs of the top companies in the world are there because of their talent and hard work and not because of their “class”. The rich today are not a homogenous group and their wealth is not static. Talent today can overcome the riches. Marx said that the working class would become larger and they would realize that they are being exploited by the capitalists. And this would in turn lead to rebel. But as a matter of fact the working class has reduced due to the emergence of the middle class. After the industrialization the income of the working class has increased manifold. The working conditions today are much better than they were in the 18th and 19th century. Labor class or the working class are given many incentives. Government policies have also played a vital role in upliftment of the working class. Various policies such as reservations have given the backward class opportunities to stand out in the society. And moreover hard work, talent and dedication can improve their life break free from the financial constraints. In today’s world