Japan Press Weekly

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2018 May 30 - June 5 [PEACE]

Young people organize study circle to discuss Marx’s work

This year, 2018, marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of world famous German philosopher Karl Marx. As in many countries, Marx’s works and Marx-related books have been hitting bookstores in Japan. Furthermore, the biographical film about Marx titled “The Young Karl Marx” has been screened and is attracting much attention. At the same time, workshops for studying Marx hosted by members of the Democratic Youth League of Japan have taken place around the nation.

DYLJ members in Osaka in March launched a study circle. Circle members gather once or twice a month at the DYLJ Osaka Prefectural Committee building. Currently, they are studying Marx’s “Value, Price and Profit”.

On May 29, seven members who attended the study meeting read through Chapter Nine, “Value of Labor” and held discussions to clarify questions that arose. They also exchanged their impressions such as “I’m astounded to learn about the schemes capitalists use to exploit workers” or “PM Abe’s ‘work-style reform’ measures will aggravate the exploitation of workers.”

Matsumoto Sakie, 28, works at a facility to support disabled people. As an attractive aspect of the study circle, she said, “I can make various discoveries from reading and exchanging views on Marx, which is helpful for me to think about our work situation.”

In Kyoto, a DYLJ group consisting of Kyoto University students in May began studying Marx’s “Das Capital”. The study group is now reading the first volume. Every time at the study meeting, they discuss a subject proposed by a keynote speaker.

A second-year engineering student said, “I want to learn Marx’s views and theories through ‘Capital’ to explore various social issues.”

Senoo Norihiko of the Association for Workers Education of Japan, which supports the DYLJ’s study activities, said, “To read and study Marx’s works is essential to understand social affairs through a ‘scientific vision’. I hope more and more young people will establish their own study group on Marx.”