But the need for workers to defend themselves from the capitalist system/state has never been more pressing as the capitalists are once again choosing fascism. I doubt Marx would be advocating for disarmament in today’s world.
The need might not have changed, but the option to use weapons to do so might no longer exist. OTOH, in Marx’s time communications technology was primitive, there was no way to coordinate instantaneously with other people was limited to people who were within earshot. Maybe a 2025 Marx wouldn’t talk about giving up weapons, because he’d know taking up arms against a state was pointless in 2025, and instead he’d be all about mesh networks and encryption.
I’m saying that if Karl Marx had written things in 2025, what he would have said would undoubtedly have been different than what he wrote in 1850.
But the need for workers to defend themselves from the capitalist system/state has never been more pressing as the capitalists are once again choosing fascism. I doubt Marx would be advocating for disarmament in today’s world.
The need might not have changed, but the option to use weapons to do so might no longer exist. OTOH, in Marx’s time communications technology was primitive, there was no way to coordinate instantaneously with other people was limited to people who were within earshot. Maybe a 2025 Marx wouldn’t talk about giving up weapons, because he’d know taking up arms against a state was pointless in 2025, and instead he’d be all about mesh networks and encryption.