Category:Dialectical Materialism

Theory about the historical progression of society based on the tensions and contradictions in society’s material base (as opposed to its spirit or ideas). Marx posits that societies move through stages in which the material base is organized into “modes of production,” specific structures of exploitation between different classes.

Marx's Dialectical Materialism
Primitive Communism: An imagined original state in which everyone is communist de facto because they haven’t invented domination yet.

Slave Society: the city-state in which classes are characterized by absolute domination. Aristocrats emerge from this tension.

Feudalism: Aristocrats are the ruling class, with serfs and peasants working their land. Merchants play an increasingly important role and eventually become capitalists.

Capitalism: capitalists (the bourgeoisie) exploit the working class, using the democratic state to do it. The exploitation becomes too great, and eventually leads to communist revolution.

Communism: equality is restored, alienation disappears, men enjoy full freedom and self-realization.