historical materialism

historical materialism
(in Marxist theory) the doctrine that all forms of social thought, as art or philosophy, and institutions, as the family or the state, develop as a superstructure founded on an economic base; that they reflect the character of economic relations and are altered or modified as a result of class struggles; that each ruling economic class produces the class that will destroy or replace it; and that dialectical necessity requires the eventual withering away of the state and the establishment of a classless society: the body of theory, in dialectical materialism, dealing with historical process and social causation. Cf. economic determinism.
[1920-25]

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Historical materialism —    “Historical materialism” is not a term that Karl Marx himself used, but it has become the commonly used label for what Marx called his “materialist conception of history.” The key idea of historical materialism is that the basis of society and …   Historical dictionary of Marxism

  • historical materialism — n. an interpretation of history, esp. in Marxist theory, that holds that the chief determinants of society and social institutions are economic factors …   English World dictionary

  • Historical materialism — Part of a series on Marxism …   Wikipedia

  • Historical materialism — the philosophical view that the only thing that can truly be said to exist is matter; that fundamentally, all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. • Christian materialism the philosophical… …   Mini philosophy glossary

  • historical materialism — The classical Marxist view of history. It is described by Engels in the introduction to Socialism: Utopian and Scientific as seeking ‘the ultimate cause and the great moving power of all important historic events in the economic development of… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Historical Materialism (journal) — Historical Materialism is an interdisciplinary journal published four times years. It is dedicated to exploring and developing the critical and explanatory potential of Marxist theory. The journal started as a project at the London School of… …   Wikipedia

  • historical materialism — A term applied by Karl Marx himself to his theory of society and history. ‘Historical’ entailed the analysis of how particular forms of society had come into existence, and the specific historical contexts within which apparently universal or… …   Dictionary of sociology

  • historical materialism — histor′ical mate′rialism n. gov+pho the part of dialectical materialism dealing with historical process and social causation; the doctrine that social thought and institutions develop as a superstructure on an economic base • Etymology: 1920–25 …   From formal English to slang

  • historical materialism — noun Date: 1925 the Marxist theory of history and society that holds that ideas and social institutions develop only as the superstructure of a material economic base compare dialectical materialism …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • historical materialism — noun another term for dialectical materialism …   English new terms dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”