Question

Karl Marx’s method, his “socio- analysis” as Robert Heilbroner calls it, is distinct. Explain how Marxian dialectics and historical materialism lead Marx to understand the capitalist mode of production and the inevitability of its demise.

Answer 1

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels derived the concept of dialectical materialism.Marx emphasises the dialectical nature of the society and stated that societies and economic organizations fundamentally determine its social institutions.In Marxian concept ,the socio economic forces will depend upon the social and political institutions like family,law,science,culture .The changes in the social organizations will reflect upon the social institutions.Marxian explained his theory of production with the help of historical materialism.Historical materialism. According to this concept societies mode of production determines the development and organization of society.Marx asserts that the society does not consists of individuals but expresses the sum of interrelations within which the individuals withstand.Accoding to the historical materialism the socio economic conditions are influenced by the historical events.Historical materialism laid its foundation on Marxian dialetics.According to Marxian theory of dialectical materialism material basis of reality is constantly changing in a dialectical process.According to Marx human history is similiar to river .When one looks from outside the river may seem the same but in reality it is constantly changing .River is constantly changing ,crumbling and deepening the channels.
Marxian dialetics and historical materialism lead the Marx to understand the capitalist to understand the capitalist mode of production

MODE OF PRODUCTION:
Mode of production explains how the economy is able to produce and organize itself.Historical materialism helps in explaining the mode of production in a society.According to this concept the historical events and social political institutions like culture ,family,law etc has influence in the mode of production on a society.The organization of society can be explained in two parts .Firstly it includes the means of production like tools ,machines etc..Thus mode of production will include the humans and also the resources that is required for the production in an economy.Secondly it also explains the relations of production .Relations of production explains the relationship between those who owns the production and who doesn't own the production for example capitalist and workers .Capitalist owned the production and workers are being exploited by the capitalists.The profits of capitalists is termed as the surplus value.

Five modes of production identified by Marx were primitive communism,slave society,feudalism,mercantilism and capitalism.Feudalism was replaced by capitalism .According to historical materialism it is the conflict between the productive forces and means of production that will result in the changes in modes of production and as a result feudalism was replaced by capitalism.