Marx's historical theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Marxs historic theory - Essay ExampleThis paper illustrates that in the groundbreaking book, The Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels begin with the assertion that fork struggles be integral in defining the existing society. This forms the basis of understanding Marxs concept of history. harmonise to Marx, the outline of history has two dimensions of linear chain events a consistent progress in path division, created and overthrown in subsequent order, until it reaches a utopian endpoint, or socialism. In the book, Marx argues that the history of humans occurs in a teleological order, unfolding to a distinct series of stages, each subsequent to the other. Ultimately, these stages lead to a sealed utopian endpoint, which marks the end of the changes and an end to history. In his perception, Marx believed that these scientific laws could allow the prediction of these stages, as the scientific laws governs the progress of history. Class struggle, in Marxs perception, determines human history. Therefore, the primary reason for historical changes is class animosity. Accordingly, societies are based on antagonism of the oppressed and oppressing classes. Thus, history is definable at any one cartridge holder by the relationship between the different classes. In other words, the theory seeks to establish the premise of the button-down methods in relation to humans production to satisfy material needs. The satisfaction of human needs cede rise to new needs of friendly and materialistic nature, forming a society that corresponds to the forces of human production development. (Shimp, 20097). In this regard therefore, material life determines or conditions social life, thus social explanations emanate from materialism to social forms, and ultimately to forms of consciousness. As production means develops, economic organises or production modes rise and fall. According to Marx, communism may possibly become real as the workers become aware of altern atives, motivating them to initiate reforms. In his reinterpretation of the theory of history by Marx, Gerald Cohen created the development dissertation, which states that production forces develop, becoming stronger over time. However, the thesis clarifies that the development is non absolute, but rather a tendency. Together with productively applicable technology and knowledge, these forces are production means(Cohen, 2000176). The primacy thesis is Cohens next thesis. The latter has two important aspects first, the productive forces level of development may explain the nature of the structure of the economy, and second, the nature of the structure of the economy explains the nature of the superstructure. From these observations, it is evident that Marx believes that the economic structure of a society may explain the nature of societal ideology, such as moral, artistic, philosophical, and religious beliefs within the control of the society. It is indeed possible for various ac tivities to combine aspects of ideology and superstructure simultaneously. A prime example is religion, which combines both a set of beliefs and institutions. Scholars argue that revolutionary changes occur naturally from the failure of further development of productive forces. At the revolution point, the development of productive forces is fettered. Drawing from the theory, once development fetters in an economic structure, another structure will eventually replace it. It is reasonable that human productivity develops over time, and also that structures of economy scarce exist insofar as they develop the forces of production, but are ultimately replaced when they fail their duty of development(Stanford). Nonetheless, Marxs theory of history has come under criticism, primarily for its incoherence, as well as lack of jutting and empirical express. Criticism There are various forms of criticism against Marxs theory of history, including claims of incoherence, lack of evidence and projection. These three categories result from the fact that the