Marx 或 Smith 是對的？

女兒學校的國二社會科 (social studies) 期中考考題 (1)，本身是博士的美國老師出了八題，女兒選擇回答的問題是

Does what's happening in the world today seem to suggest Marx was right or Smith? (2) 

根據老師上課的補充資料，女兒的 (原始) 回答如下

Marx and Smith have two different alternative views of society and government. Marx believes in that society will eventually develop into communism, while Smith believes in a capitalism society. They both are connect on some part of history. Countries such as Russia and China did become communist, but are now receding back to the right. Most countries are moving to the right in history.

Take China as an example. It is today a socialist country. The KMT used to have an industrialized republic country but the workers revolted. Next, this party rise up and ruled China as communism. Up till this point, it fits Marx's view of history. Since then, people have become rich with its own business, so this is actually Smith's view of history. Still, the Chinese government today owns quite a few businesses. China did fit Marx's view of history but have made a turning point to the right and become a socialist country. If China keeps on moving, it will arrive to a capitalist country. 

A different example is England, a capitalist country. England first industrialized then became a free market country. In England "greed is good", the market decides the price of goods and who to survive. This is Smith’s view of society which is related to nature selection. In England, the workers never revolted and remains a free market up till today. England's case is naturally similar to a lot of countries such as US, Germany and France. Also a capitalist country has no government involving in it. 

Lastly, a communist country is impossible while a total free market is also impossible. Marx view the final stage of communism as no government. This is impossible since people can't live equally with no government at all. Smith's view is also impossible since the government will always be involved. In America, the government bailed out the banks. That is involvement. While in almost all the countries, the government will own few large companies. A total free market and a total communism is impossible, but the world today seems to lean more over to Smith's side. 

In conclusion, history have evolved both ways, but every country that has reach Marx's view of communism will eventually recede right to Smith's view. Most countries in the world today are capitalist economy will little government involvement. This is a mix of two but more emphasis of Smith's view. The justified answer is that history lies more to Smith's view compared to Marx since every communist country will eventually fall. The economy in the world today is mostly Smith's view since government usually owns a few businesses only.

(1) 課本 B.J. Armento, etc., Across the Centuries, Houghton Mifflin, 2003, 558 pages.

(2) Karl Marx (卡爾馬克思) 和 Adam Smith (亞當史密斯)