Karl Marx seen by AI as if he were our contemporary

 

AI image of Karl Marx (unknown author)

As an exercise in imagination, we asked DeepSeek (AI) for an opinion on what Karl Marx would say about the world today. The text below should be interpreted as a simple exercise, with no real basis.

If Karl Marx were alive today as a contemporary thinker, his analysis would likely focus on the contradictions and crises of 21st-century capitalism, while adapting his theories to new technological, economic, and social realities. Here’s a speculative breakdown of what he might emphasize:

1. Critique of Neoliberal Capitalism & Financialization

Marx would likely intensify his critique of neoliberalism, particularly the dominance of finance capital, corporate monopolies, and growing wealth inequality. The 2008 financial crisis and subsequent austerity policies would confirm his view of capitalism’s inherent instability. He might argue that the financial sector operates as a "parasitic" force, extracting wealth without productive labor—echoing his concept of fictitious capital.

2. Gig Economy & Precarious Labor

The rise of the gig economy (Uber, Deliveroo, etc.) and the erosion of stable employment would reinforce Marx’s theory of the reserve army of labor and exploitation. He might argue that digital platforms represent a hyper-capitalist form of alienation, where workers have no control over their labor and are subjected to algorithmic management—a modern version of wage slavery.

3. Automation & Post-Work Society

Marx would likely engage with debates on automation, AI, and the displacement of labor. While he saw machinery as a tool for capitalist exploitation (Capital, Vol. 1), he also speculated that automation could liberate humanity from drudgery—if production were socially controlled. Today, he might advocate for a universal basic income or shorter workweeks as transitional demands toward a post-capitalist society.

4. Climate Crisis & Capitalist Ecocide

Marx’s ecological insights (e.g., metabolic rift) would lead him to critique capitalism’s destruction of the environment. He might argue that endless growth and profit-seeking are incompatible with planetary survival, pushing for an eco-socialist alternative where production is democratically planned for sustainability, not profit.

5. Digital Capitalism & Surveillance

The commodification of data, surveillance capitalism (Facebook, Google), and the rise of tech monopolies would fit Marx’s framework of capital’s tendency toward centralization. He might see social media as a new form of ideological control, where algorithms manipulate consciousness to serve corporate interests.

6. Globalization & Imperialism

Marx would likely update his analysis of imperialism (see Lenin) to include modern forms of economic domination—debt imperialism (IMF/World Bank), neocolonial extractivism (Africa, Latin America), and the geopolitical struggles between the U.S., China, and Russia. He might argue that global capitalism still relies on the exploitation of the Global South.

7. Class Struggle & New Social Movements

While Marx focused on the industrial proletariat, today he might analyze new forms of class struggle: unionization efforts at Amazon, anti-gentrification movements, and intersectional movements (BLM, feminism) as part of a broader anti-capitalist resistance. He would likely stress the need for a unified working-class movement beyond identity divisions.

8. The Crisis of Liberal Democracy

The rise of right-wing populism (Trump, Bolsonaro, Le Pen) and the decline of social democracy (e.g., Labour’s shift under Starmer) would confirm his view that bourgeois democracy is unstable and that capitalism inevitably produces reactionary politics when under stress. He might argue for a renewed socialist internationalism against fascism and neoliberalism.

9. Speculative Future: Post-Capitalism?

Marx might explore whether capitalism’s current crises (economic, ecological, political) make socialism more viable—or if the system will adapt through techno-feudalism (a dystopian fusion of corporate and state power). He could advocate for workers' control of digital platforms and democratized production as steps toward communism.

Conclusion: Marx Today = Radical Critic of Digital Capitalism

If Marx were alive now, he would likely be a fierce critic of neoliberal globalization, financialization, and digital alienation while seeking new pathways for working-class emancipation. His ideas would evolve, but his core critique—that capitalism is inherently exploitative, crisis-prone, and ultimately unsustainable—would remain.

Would he be hopeful? Maybe—if he saw growing movements for socialism and climate justice. But he’d likely warn that without organized mass struggle, capitalism will keep finding ways to survive—at humanity’s expense.