BAYERO UNIVERSITY, KANO
FACULTY OF SOCIAL AND MANAGEMENT
SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
POL 2204: FOUNDATION OF POLITICAL
ECONOMY
SUB-THEME: MARXIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY
2012/2013 SECOND
SEMESTER
INSTRUCTOR: M. M. YUSIF
INTRODUCTION
Political economy is a science which
focused on analysing human social relations – social, economic, political,
cultural – with a view to show and understand why changes occur and their
implications for development of human society.
The science of political economy is a
theory discipline. Since it became an independent body of knowledge, it has
made great advance in developing concepts, methods, theories and approaches to
understand and explain the changes and transformation of human society.
Through the lens of the science we can
be able to come across many theories – from classical political economy through
the Marxian tradition to contemporary non-Marxist political economy.
The purpose of this course is to revive
our interest in the basic principles of Marxian political economy, especially a
study of Capital which came with the major concepts of a study of political
economy.
DESCRIPTION
OF THE COURSE
The last thirty-five years, most
particularly since the collapse of soviet union, the developing world has not
been very fertile period for Marxian Thought, and most certainly not for
Marxian Revolutionary politics.
Consequently, a whole generation of
students has come and passed out from university bereft of any knowledge of
Marxian Political economy.
The objective of the course is to give a
guide that would expose this generation to explore for itself what Marx might
be about. Grasp of Marxian Thought is advantageous in many ways. One is that it
gives a strong theoretical base which allows deeper understanding of how
everything relates to everything else, so as to situate and contextualise
everything for proper understanding. Secondly, as Marx himself said it is “for
ruthless criticism of everything that exist”.
We can go on and on talking about these
advantages of Marxian political economy, but we have to stop as I will see many
of them in you before you graduated from the university.
The current changes have produced chaos
and uncertainty as well as anarchism at another level in Marxist theory. My
intention is not this new trend of thoughts in Marxist theory, but investigates
major ideas from the original work of Karl Marx.
These, such as labor theory of value,
capitalist accumulation and economic crisis, finance capital and its
contradiction, etc will be reflected in the course content and the reading
materials.
Finally, by way of advice of a teacher
to his students, let me speak to you in the thinking and words of Karl Marx
that “there is only one royal road to science”, this road he said is hard work.
So, go and work hard. You have come here
to learn, try to learn something. Learning brings self-transformation. Let me
see that you are not the same after this course.
TOPICS
TO BE TREATED
1-
GENERAL
INTRODUCTION:
Introducing the course;
the topics to be treated; course requirement; assessment of the teaching
programme by students; Aids for training and research; other issues; division
of student into seminars.
Reading
1. M.
M. Yusif, “How to Write Small research project”
2. Stephen
V. F. Guide to methods for students of political science
3. Mauro
C. And Rosanna D. E. Research: An Introduction to On-line political science
source for beginners and sceptics
Assignment
Make a library and web survey on the
classical work of Karl Marx. From a library write the name/title of the text;
the publisher; where it is published; which year; blurb of the text; and the
class mark of the book in the library; on web survey list as many sites as you
can, where classical text by Karl Marx could be found.
2-
WHAT
IS MARXIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY; WHAT IS ITS CONCERN,
Reading
1. Eskor
Toyo, “Primary requirements for the unity of Political Science and Economics”.
In Barongo Y. (ed). Political Science in Africa: Critical Review
2. Eskor
Toyo, “The mode of Production Nucleus as Integrator of Economic and political
sciences”. NJPS vol. 2 No. 2
3. Eaton
J. Political Economy made simple
4. Neskerem,
“The Marxist-Leninist concept of political economy”
5. Sergeillym
and Molytev, what id political economy
6. Kozlov
G. A. Political Economy: capitalism. Chapter
Assignment
1. Reading
and discussion of Nos. 1 and 6
2. Why
is it that Marxian Political Economy is multidisciplinary
3. Marxian
Political Economy is a class partisan science. Discuss
3-
THE
RISE OF MARXIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY
Reading
1. Ernest
Mandel, Marxist Economic Theory. Chapter 18
2. Howard
MC and King IE. The Political Economy of Marx
Chapters 3 and 4
3. Chris
Harman. How Marxism Works. Chapter 1
Assignment
1. Marx’s
contribution is a critique of Ricardian perspectives. Bring out the major
elements of Marx’s critique.
2. Marxian
PE is more an economic theory and yet it is called P.E. why?
4-
WHO
IS MARX? WHAT IS MARXIST THEORY?
Reading
1. Allen
W. And Bobs. “What is Marxism”
2. Chris
Harman op.cit. Chapters 3 and 4
Assignment
1. Construct
argument to prove why Marxism is a theory
5-
MARX,
MARXISM AND THE QUESTION OF METHOD
Reading
1. Paul
M.S. The theory of capitalist development. Chapter 1
2. Bade
O. An Introduction to Marxist Political Economy. Chapters 1 and 2
3. Karl
Marx, “Preface to a contribution to the critique of political Economy” in
selected works vol. 1
4. Karl
Marx, A contribution to the critique of Political Economy
5. Karl
Marx, The German Ideology chapter 1
6. Howard
M. C and King I.E op.cit. chapter
Assignment
1. Review
and discussion of Nos. 1, 2 and 6
6-
MARX’S
CONCEPT OF VALUE AS CAPITALIST CRITIQUE
Reading
1. Kozlov
G.A. op.cit. chapter 4
2. Bade
O. Op.cit. chapters 4 and 5
3. Ernest
M. Op.cit. chapter 2 and 4
4. Paul
M.S. op.cit. chapter 2
5. Ernest
Mandel, Late capitalism. Chapter 3
6. Pierre
Jalce, op.cit. chapters 2 and 3
7. Chris
Harman op.cit. chapters 4 and 5
Assignment
1. Marxian
politics begins from the theory of value. Discuss
2. What
is exploitation
7-
CAPITALIST
ACCUMULATION AND ECONOMIC CRISIS
Reading
1. Pierre
Jalce op.cit. chapter 10
2. Ernest
Mandel. Op.cit. chapter 11
3. David
H. Op.cit. chapter 10
Assignment
1. What
is the implication of capital accumulation for the working-class
2. Spell
out and discuss the political and economic elements which caused economic
process
8-
FINANCE
CAPITAL AND ITS CONTRADICTION
Reading
1. David
H. Limits to capital chapter 10
2. Anthony
Brewer, Marxist theories of imperialism. Chapter 4
Assignment
1. A
discussion of Hilferding on Finance Capital. Read Brewer chapter 4
9-
READING
MARX FROM POLITICAL SCIENCE. MARXIAN THEORY OF ALIENATION; FETISHING; THE
CRISIS OF CAPITALIST RELATIONS OF PRODUCTION; MARX THEORY OF REVOLUTION;
Reading
1. Pierre
Jalce op.cit. chapters 12, 13 and 14
2. Karl
Marx, Alienated Labor
3. Karl
Marx, Commodities and Fetishism of Communities
4. Salert
B. Revolutions and Revolutionaries
5. Lucio
Colleti, “Marxism: Science or Revolution”. In Backburn R. (ed) Ideology in
Social Sciences: Reading in critical social theory
6. Lenin,
“State and Revolution
Assignment
1. Marx’s
theory of revolutionary politics is a contest of power between two antagonistic
forces
2. Capitalism
several the working people through fetish, from sources of their power and this
creates a multiple fracturing of al aspects of life. Discuss
3. Bring
out and discuss the various perspectives of what “State” is in Marxist theory
10-
MARX
THOUGHT: SELF-CRITICISM
Reading
1. Karl
Marx, Grundrisse
2. Martin
N. “Unknown Marx”. In Blackburn R. (ed.). op.cit.
Assignment
1. Critique
is not a rejection of idea but of making improvement on it. Discuss with
reference to work of Karl Marx titled “Grundrisse”
11-
CONTINUOUS
RELEVANCE OF MARXIST THEORY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
Reading
1. John
G. “What’s new what’s global and what’s Marxism at the end of the twenty century?
2. Karl
Marx and Fredrick Engels, Manifesto of the communist party
3. Nancy
Fraser, “A future for Marxism”
Assignment
1. Read
and present No. 2 above for discussion
12-
CONCLUSION
I: THEORETICAL CONCLUSION; PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF SEMINAR SMALL
RESEARCH PROJECT AND RESPONSE PAPERS
13-
CONCLUSION
II: CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE; EATING AND CHATTING
ADDITIONAL
READING
1. Karl
Marx, Economic and Phisophical manuscript
2. -------------------,
The poverty of philosophy
3. G.V.
Phekhanov, Fundamental problems of Marxism
4. Norman
Gera, “Marx and the Critique of Political Economy”. In Blackburn R. Op.cit
5. E.J.
Hobsbawn, “Karl Marxs” Contribution to Historiography” in Blackburn R. Op.cit
6. Maurice
Godelier, “Structure and Contradictions in Capitalism”. In Blackburn R. Op.cit
COURSE REQUIREMENT
·
The teaching of the
course is by giving lectures. Each topic is expected to be covered in one
lecture period. When the duration of the semester is against my plan some
topics may be combined for treatment. However, the last 30minutes of each
period will be presentation and discussion on chosen text or question.
·
Assessment of students
is based on end of semester examination (70%) and continuous assessment; active
participation in discussing the assignment; a group small research project;
research project response paper; a supervised test; ICT usage; attendance;
·
At the end of the
semester each seminar will submit a report on classroom experience
·
There are many teaching
aids on my website which are recommended to enhance the capacity of students in
ICT, communicative writing, etc
·
In order to purify the
system of learning and research i have to take strict disciplinary action
against any student who is found on plagiarism. To avoid plagiarism you must
not copy or paraphrase someone else work and present it as your own. Again, all
text consulted should be properly acknowledged. The penalty is the any work
found to be plagiarism will receive zero. And any student found in two cases of
plagiarism will result in being assessed “00” in the overall CA on the course.
LEARNING
NEEDS SKILLS
Learning, even in
tertiary institutions is a complex relationship of so many skills. It requires
communication skills, team work, study devices, use of modern information and
communication Technology, etc
The following learning guides
which I have developed for my students in the last six years are also
recommended for you. They are compulsory readings for all my students in the
level 200, they can be accessed on http://www.mmyusuf.blogspot.com
These are some listed
below:
1. Assessing
students examination papers: Marking Scheme
2. Enhancing
students capacity in learning through the use of computers, internet and e-mail
3. Introducing
Team/Group works in large classes
4. How
to use internet to source reading materials
5. Study
guidelines for effective performance by may student
6. How
to make patterned notes from texts
7. Writing
Examination: A Communicative Approach
8. How
to write group semester paper in large classes
9. How
to write Book Review
10.
Communicative writing:
Exploring the concept
11.
Taking Note in Class
lecture or from a Textbook
12.
Using E-Mail for
teaching, learning and Research
13.
Using E-Journals and
E-Books for teaching, Learning and Research
14.
Code of ethics in the
class of M. M. Yusif
15.
ICT for learning and
education: beyond information
16.
Criticism-self-criticism
session
17.
Guidelines for
small-research project
18.
Progress report on ICTs
for learning and research
19.
The underlying guides
and principles of teaching in my class
20.
Reflection on Teaching
Military and Politics
21.
How to do research:
What are the Problems
22.
Information Age: Moving
with ICTs to understand the world around us
23.
Progress report on the
teaching of peace and conflict studies
My watch word in last year’s teaching is
whatever ideas received from me or from text books given to read are not
correct and final. You must challenge and criticize them in order to keep
learning. In this academic session is “Education for transformation of
individuals as students. Get ready. Each of you is going to show and tell us
that he/she has changed, from the time we have started to the end of the course
and beyond.
M.
M. Yusif
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