1.1 Marx and Ideology Flashcards
What is Historical Materialism
Historical materialism posits that the motor of history is the transformation and distribution of the** material conditions of production.. According to Marx and Engels, the theoretical analysis of political, social, and material forces should lead to political action, not just interpretation. Revolutionary engagement **must be guided by philosophical critique to ensure its correctness and efficiency.
What did Marx and Engels criticize in the “German Ideology”?
Marx and Engels criticized the Young-Hegelians, including Ludwig Feuerbach, Max Stirner, and Bruno Bauer, for their idealistic interpretations of Hegel’s philosophy. They argued that ideology is a form of “false consciousness,” a deep-seated tendency to ignore the truth and systematically distort reality to conceal class exploitation.
What was Feuerbach’s materialist perspective on religion?
Feuerbach argued that religion is a projection of human essence onto a foreign being, leading to alienation. He proposed replacing God with the universal idea of mankind. However, Marx and Engels critiqued Feuerbach for merely wanting to produce a correct consciousness about an existing fact, whereas true communism requires overthrowing the existing state of things.
According to Marx and Engels, what are the premises of their philosophy?
The premises of Marx and Engels’ philosophy are real individuals, their activities, and the material conditions of their ** lives. They posited that 1) humans are essentially productive, 2) are defined by their modes of production 3) and by the social, technological, and political conditions under which they **produce. Consciousness, they argued, is not autonomous but a product of the social organization of material production, which serves to reproduce and assure this organization.
How do Marx and Engels describe the origin of ideology?
The emergence of ideology coincides with the division of labor, particularly between material and mental labor. This division leads to material inequalities and the development of private property. As consciousness emancipates itself from existing practice, it begins to form “pure” theory, including theology, philosophy, and morality.
What is ideology according to Marx and Engels?
Ideology is an **alienated form of consciousness **that believes in it is free from material conditions. It is a structural illusion stemming from unequal property distribution, where ideas are seen as the driving force of history rather than material conditions. This belief leads to the misconception that transforming the world is merely about transforming dominant ideas.
What are the two forms of ideology identified by Marx and Engels?
Metaphysical Ideology: Philosophers fail to recognize the true “substance” of the world, which is the sum of productive forces, capital funds, and social interactions. The sum is the real essence of man.
Socio-political Ideology: The ruling class invents specific ideas (e.g., honor, loyalty, freedom) and claims their universality. These ideas are detached from the conditions of production and are perceived as the conditions of history. Every new ruling class presents its interests as universal, maintaining the illusion of autonomy and independence of their ideas.
What is the “threefold misunderstanding” of the ruling class according to Marx and Engels?
The ruling class is caught in a threefold misunderstanding:
A) Ignoring the material origin of all ideas. B) Failing to see that their ideas express their own class interests. C) Believing that scientific knowledge is free from ideological influence.
What does historical materialism emphasize?
Historical materialism emphasizes the class conflict as the motor of history. It asserts that revolutionary practice is the only non-ideological thinking, re-establishing the link between theory and practice denied by ideology. Truth, in this context, is the deconstruction of ideological thinking through political practice.
What is the relationship between material conditions and consciousness according to Marx and Engels?
Marx and Engels’ theory of ideology reveals the profound connection between material conditions and consciousness. Ideology is a crisis of knowledge and self-knowledge, where the ruling class perpetuates illusions to maintain its dominance. Historical materialism offers a path to revolutionary practice by emphasizing the material basis of ideas and advocating for a concrete change in the social distribution of wealth.
