Question

What is the role of dialectics in Marx’s conception of historical materialism? How does the base and the superstructure play into Marx’s materialist philosophy of history?

Answer 1

Dialectical material of Marx and Engels focuses on the significance of real world conditions in terms of class, labor and socioeconomic interactions. Historical materialism refers to materialist concept of history which is a method used by some communist and Marxist historiographers focusing on human societies and their evolution through history. This would raise the argument that history is the result of material conditions rather than ideal ones. Materialism of Marx and Engels suggest that materialism is opposed to idealism and this means that theory which treats matter as dependent on mind or spirit can exist independent of matter.
Consciousness of man or his being would determine the base. The superstructure is the social consciousness corresponding to the base. Productive relations form the economic structure of society and the legal and political superstructure is built on the real base. Certain forms of social consciousness correspond to this. their social being determines their consciousness.