Through their
writing, Karl Marx and Matthew Arnold show their opposing views on the
importance of internal and external functions of culture. In the first chapter of Culture and Anarchy, "Sweetness and
Light", Arnold describes culture as
being responsible for the progress of politics and society and as "the
best knowledge and thought of the time" (19). Matthew Arnold's culture is based on two main
aspects, religion and education. Karl
Marx, however, strongly contrasts Arnold's ideas. Marx views culture as being derived from the
advancement of the sciences.
Matthew Arnold's definition of culture
comes from "a mid-nineteenth-century Germanic notion of culture which is
founded upon his study of Goethe and Schiller" (19). He believed many other cultures are based on
the thought of curiosity and on scientific expansion. Arnold believed culture was based on the
expansion of the individual's mind; only
through education can a perfect culture be reached. In his writings, Arnold stated that for a man
to be cultured he has to be versed in both religion and classic
literature. Although Arnold's culture
sought the advancement of the human mind;
he did not want people to get wrapped up in technology. "Faith in machinery is, I said, our
besetting danger; often in machinery most absurdly disproportioned to the end
which this machinery" (23). Arnold
believes his culture is "more interesting and more far-reaching than that
other, which is founded solely on the scientific passion for knowing"
(21). Arnold believed that culture dealt
with perfection; as he stated in
"Sweetness and Light", "Culture is then properly describe not as
having its origin in curiosity, but as having its origin in the love of
perfection; it is a study of perfection" (21). Arnold also says that culture is the
endeavor to make the moral and social
characteristics of individuals prevail.
Because culture is a study of perfection, then it is also an "inward
condition of the mind and spirit, not in an outward set of circumstances"
(Arnold 23). Arnold states that,
"In thus making sweetness and light to be characters of perfection,
culture is of like spirit with poetry..." (25).
Matthew Arnold felt that religion was an
important aspect of culture. Arnold felt
that when the reason of God prevailed all society will be cultured. As Arnold states, "Now, then, is the
moment for culture to be of service, culture which believes in making reason
and the will of God prevail, believes in perfection, is the study of
perfection,..." (21). Marx states
that the ruling class of culture would be the intellectual and material force,
he makes no mention of the religious aspects.
In Karl Marx's culture, on the other hand, there would not be enough time to devote to
the enrichment of the individual's religious mind. This is caused by his strong devotion to
technological advancement.
The view Marx has toward religion and
culture as a whole vividly portrays his feelings toward the internal aspect of
culture. Marx thought the culture of a
nation derived from the economic situation of the nation. His writings show he is more inclined toward
the external aspect of culture. This
external view of culture includes the thoughts of production, industry, and
scientific breakthroughs. Another aspect
of Marx's focus on external culture is his lack of focus on the development of
religion and education. The focus on
Marx's culture was the advancement of technology and power.
The writings of Marx and Arnold strongly
oppose each other. The vast differences
between Marx's and Arnold's opinion on culture are well noted in their
writings. Marx's view of religion and
education being non-important in his perfect culture contradicts the view of
Matthew Arnold. Arnold believed that
culture was a study of perfection in the mind of the individual. These contradicting views are an example of
culture's various definitions in the world.
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