Revisiting Marx on Alienation: A Philosophical Framework for Understanding Political Disempowerment in Contemporary Nigeria

Even though Nigeria has formally embraced democracy, the vast majority of its citizens still live in a state of political disempowerment. A society where political structures exist without true political empowerment is revealed by voter apathy, pervasive mistrust of institutions, elite dominance, and the marginalization of common voices. Traditional approaches that focus on electoral reform or institutional capacity have failed to explain why citizens feel disconnected from the political process. This article identifies the deeper philosophical roots of this crisis through a critical engagement with Karl Marx’s theory of alienation. The central argument here is that political disempowerment in Nigeria cannot be fully understood without addressing the alienating conditions that distort people and collective political life. Drawing particularly on Marx’s early work, the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844, this article explores how Nigerians have become estranged not only from political institutions but from their own capacity for political agency. This article proposes a philosophical framework grounded in Marxist thought that highlights the role of ideology, economic marginalisation, and social disconnection in sustaining political alienation. It further suggests pathways toward political inclusion through critical awareness, participatory engagement, and the cultivation of a more human centred political culture. By reframing disempowerment as a form of alienation, the article opens new space for understanding and responding to Nigeria’s democratic deficit in ways that restore dignity, agency, and collective responsibility.