SOCIOLOGY

Historical Materialism By Karl Marx

Historical Materialism By Karl Marx
Written by UPSCOPTIONAL

Critically examine the essential features of Karl Marx’s Historical Materialism. 

Answer  – Historical materialism explains the phenomena of human history on physical basis. He expounded the idealistic historical discussion to real scientific definition. Hence his theory about the relationship between society and history is called historical materialism. So Engels has put forth : “Just as Darwin discovered the law of evolution in organic nature, Marx discovered the law of evolution in human history.”

The definitions given by Pre – Marxism scholars were based on two facts – spiritual and geographical. He applied dialectical materialism to understand history. He mentions that historical events are based on the rules to be understood through perception and experience. These rules are objectives and not based upon God or soul and are related to physical conditions. He accepts the importance of geographical environment and population but have no absolute influence.

Feuerbach has attempted to understand it through physical factors.

Historical Materialism – He defines history : “ It is the activity of man in pursuit of his ends.” He takes history as a series of changed system time-to-time to get necessary materials for living by the general people.

Production MethodHistory is based on physical existence. Social structure’s whole concept is based on the production system and its economic development through necessary physical means of developed living of any group. The change in production system gives way to social phenomena.

All historical events are based on the basis of physical interests of individuals and classes. Marx and Engles state : “ And indeed this is an historical fact a fundamental condition of all history, which today, as thousands of years ago, must daily and hourly be fulfilled merely in order to sustain human life.

Production RelationshipsHistorical materialism is based on production system. The production power enhances due to implements, efficiency and experience but one person cannot do any production work without mutual cooperation and thus it is a social action. Hence Marx put forth : –

“ In production men not only act on nature but also on one another.”

The mutual relationship exists between the employer and employee and, these go on continuously. If there is breakage of any kind, tension is created. Hence human history can be well understood by tension and class-struggle of relationships produced by the production process. Hence Marx again refers to : “In every epoch the ruling ideas have been the ideas of the ruling class.”

Again the history of society is the story of struggle and development of production relations created through production system and production power. Thus physical circumstances forced men to develop historical thoughts and events of particular kind. Hence Marx says: “Our views show that circumstances make men as much as men make circumstances.”

Common people and their historyHistorical events are not related to activities and deeds of kings, commanders and rulers but are related to those men who are active means of physical production to live and let live. Thus revolution is the action taken by the common people serving or exploited class.

Explanation of historyTo give history the position of a science one has to find its basis in the physical and economic life of people. These circumstances are determined by the time – prevailing physical circumstances. 

Hence history should include the following facts :-

  1. The first necessity of human beings is to be alive. This needs food, clothes and a dwelling.
  2. Physical production is the first historical work.
  3. Historical development means the development of physical production ( food, clothes ) and human production ( issues ).
  4. Production system generates specific production relationships which develops whole social organisation, management and historical facts.
  5. Historical change is the only change in production system as it creates changes in other aspects.
  6. Ideals, thoughts or soul cannot explain history scientifically.
  7. History is the explanation of people’s physical life.

Historical Eras – According to Marx, history can be divided into five ages.

  1. Primitive Age – This is the first age of human history when means of production were owned by the community. Hunting and living was their life. They were based on nature hence no question arose of individual property. Thus it was a communal age.
  2. Slavery Age – With the agriculture and cattle breeding there was change in production system. Metal implements came in. Two classes evolved – one owners of farm and others working on farm and cattle rearing.

Slaves were purchased and sold like cattle. Individual property ownership prevailed. Vast population became slaves and souces of production remained in the hands of few.

Feudalism – Agriculture had its more importance. Feuds became the rulers and remaining people became serfs and worked on agriculture. Public was to do production and military work for the feuds. They became the conflicting parties later on.

Capitalism – Capital’s importance increased with the invention of machines and industrial development. Capitalists had full control over production means. Labour class worked in fields and earned their living by their bodily and mental labour. Thus economic inequality led to conflicts between the two groups. Marx has referred to this period when proletariat will wake up against the bourgeoisie in revolution.

Socialism – This imaginative age is the last wherein whole society will have authority over the resources of production. Everyone will work to his ability and capability and get goods to sustain life as per needs. This will be the first communistic age in resemblance. Society will have no class or state. As we see his dreams have come true to countries of China, Russia, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, etc.

Criticism of Historical Materialism By Karl Marx – Physical factors are the conductors of historical changes. It has developed through the system of production, production relations and physical life. It is thus a dialectical materialism. But there are other factors which also influence history.

Materialistic definition of history shows that history should be studied through existing production system and economic conditions to prevail the existence of material life of society under social order before extracting on the political, constitutional, philosophical, literary, religious and artistic bases.

Hence Marx deals with history in legal sense which is based on real facts of life and can suggest the future life. Hence Marx says : “ Historical materialism is not a dogma, not a formula, but an empirical science and a guide to concrete study and historical investigation.”

 

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