This economic progress was assisted, in Smith's view, by a division of labor with special attention on the individual. Conversely, Marx and Engels felt self-interested individuals would eventually endanger society by causing another to suffer from their prosperity. They maintained that everything in society must be equal in order to preserve cultural identities. Ultimately, Marx and Engels believed Communism would overthrow capitalism. .
Evaluation of Evidence.
The small portion presented of Smith's writing did not indicate resistance to any change; however, he was adamant concerning the absence of government intervention into business, while he seemed to ignore the impending industrial revolution. He stereotyped the individual, giving them no personality or differences in abilities; believing the same forces of human nature drove all equally. Additionally, he divided all of society into three stereotypical classes--upper, middle and the working class. His description of the division of labor was long and drawn out, yet extremely simplistic in a very rhetorical way; although it did not appear to be misleading in nature. However, his references to human nature and the oversimplification of all things natural within his passages were misleading at times. Additionally, it was this very simple individualist human nature approach, which he based his capitalistic assumptions on. Assumptions of total employment, market availability, perfect supply and demand, and ease of shipping goods locally and internationally were obvious. .
Both Marx and Engels were egocentric in their thinking regarding the decline of cultures, as well as total equality, and felt all of society should share their opinions. They resisted the change brought on by the industrial revolution as they felt it contributed significantly to the decline of cultures; therefore, adopting ethnocentric attitudes. While they believed there should be only one group with everyone sharing equally, they stereotyped society into two classes--bourgeois and proletariats.
