Marx in Soho is a play by Bob Weick that inter-twines Marx into the 21st century, the main trend of the piece is to show that the revolution never occurred. Marx argues with Bakunin that “La Commune de Paris” was the only society close to his teachings. But capitalism works on oppressing others in order to keep its current system intact as such the commune was crushed.
Karl Marx shows the audience how he used to argue with Mikhail Bakunin a Russian anarchist that had very set ideas about the revolution. Bakunin disputed that the revolution must be fought by the people. Furthermore Bakunin believed that all state and form of government should be abolished. Marx strongly refuted this point by saying that capitalism cannot simply vanish it must transition into a workers state[i], he proceeds to speak about “La Commune de Paris” which to him was the only time that his views ever came to light. In 1871 Paris united under a free commune that democratically appointed its representatives, who were not chosen by the bourgeoisie but by the people they included individuals of the working class but also some intellectuals.[ii] This group of individuals was the epitome of Marx’s dream. However “La Commune de Paris” was crushed by capitalism, as the armies rolled back into Paris they executed 10,000 to 25,000 people. Thus capitalism and the bourgeoisie were reinstalled and much to Marx’s disgust it would remain so.
In conclusion Marx in Soho outlines trends that are still occurring to this day. His revolution never occurred and the only time that it did, it was crushed under foot by capitalism. The 21st century may or may not see Marx’s much wanted revolution, but Marx in Soho is piece that instigates the audience into action and into understanding that our society is unhealthy and needs to be cured from the disease of capitalism.
[i] Robertson, Ann, December 2003, the Philosophical Roots of the Marx-Bakunin Conflict,
https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/bakunin/bio/robertson-ann.htm ( accessed September 30, 2015)
[ii] Les acteurs de la commune, “Histoire Du Monde”
http://www.histoiredumonde.net/Les-acteurs-de-la-Commune.html (accessed September 30, 2015 )