Karl Marx believed that history could be defined as class struggle. In any period of time a dominant class exploits a weaker class. Marx defines a dominant class as one who owns or controls the means of production. The weaker class consists of those who don't. Marxist Theory can also be applied to Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart in two ways, one from inside the story, and the other from outside. .
It would be inaccurate to claim that the Igbo society of Things Fall Apart is no different from a western society in its representation of capitalism. But that's because the Igbo culture does not represent capitalism as we may think of it. There are no factories in turn-of-the-century Africa, but there are similarities between a capitalist society and the Igbo society. For example, they both emphasize the importance of strength and competition amongst individuals. In Igbo culture competition is presented more as a game than a business. The opening pages of the novel explain Okonkwo's notoriety to his village. "As a young man of eighteen he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten". On page eight, at the end of the first chapter, Achebe writes about Okonkwo's tribe, "Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered." Not only did Okonkwo achieve greatness in wrestling, he also achieved greatness off the field. His life was almost like a "rags to riches" tale. .
"With a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had. He neither inherited a barn nor a title, nor even a young wife. But in spite of these disadvantages, he had begun even in his father's lifetime to lay the foundations of a prosperous future." Hard work, determination, a sense of personal responsibility to his growing family, all these played a part in Okonkwo's financial success, much like these same values would help an American in our capitalist society.
