Marx's historical materialism and critique of capitalism form the core of his revolutionary philosophy. He argues that economic structures shape society, with class struggle driving historical change. This theory challenges prevailing ideas about social progress and human nature.

Marx's analysis of capitalism exposes exploitation through surplus value extraction and alienation of workers. He envisions a communist society without class divisions, achieved through proletarian revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat as a transitional stage.

Materialist Conception of History

Historical and Dialectical Materialism

• Historical materialism posits that the economic structure of society (the base) determines the political and ideological superstructure
• Focuses on the primacy of material conditions and economic relations in shaping human history and social development
• Dialectical materialism applies the Hegelian dialectic to material reality, emphasizing the dynamic interplay of contradictions and conflicts in driving historical change
• Sees history as a progressive process driven by the resolution of contradictions within each mode of production (primitive communism, slavery, feudalism, capitalism, socialism)

Modes of Production and Social Relations

• Mode of production refers to the specific combination of productive forces (technology, resources, labor) and relations of production (class relations, property ownership) that characterize a given society
• Each mode of production gives rise to distinct social, political, and ideological structures that reflect the interests of the dominant class
• Transitions between modes of production occur through revolutionary upheavals when the existing relations of production become fetters on the development of productive forces (e.g., transition from feudalism to capitalism)

Base and Superstructure Model

• The economic base (mode of production) forms the foundation of society and determines the character of the superstructure (political, legal, cultural institutions)
• Changes in the economic base lead to corresponding changes in the superstructure, though with some degree of relative autonomy
• The superstructure can also influence the base through ideological and political processes that legitimize or challenge existing economic relations (e.g., legal system protecting private property rights)

Class Conflict and Alienation

Class Struggle as the Motor of History

• Class struggle between exploiting and exploited classes is the driving force of historical change and social transformation
• In capitalist society, the fundamental conflict is between the bourgeoisie (owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (wage laborers)
• The bourgeoisie extracts surplus value from the labor of the proletariat, leading to exploitation, inequality, and class antagonism
• The intensification of class struggle creates the conditions for revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the establishment of a classless communist society

Alienation under Capitalism

• Alienation describes the estrangement of individuals from their human essence and creative potential under capitalist relations of production
• Workers are alienated from the product of their labor (owned by the capitalist), the process of production (controlled by the capitalist), their fellow human beings (competition and individualism), and their own species-being (reduced to mere instruments of production)
• Alienation is a systemic feature of capitalism that dehumanizes individuals and fragments social relationships, leading to a sense of powerlessness and disconnection

Proletariat as the Revolutionary Subject

• The proletariat, as the class directly exploited by capital and with "nothing to lose but their chains," has the potential to become a revolutionary force capable of overthrowing capitalism
• The shared experience of exploitation and alienation can foster class consciousness and solidarity among the proletariat, enabling collective action against the bourgeoisie
• The proletariat's historic mission is to abolish private property, socialize the means of production, and create a classless society free from exploitation and alienation (communist society)

Capitalist Exploitation

Surplus Value and Exploitation

• Surplus value is the difference between the value produced by the worker's labor and the wages paid by the capitalist
• Capitalists extract surplus value by paying workers less than the full value of their labor, enabling the accumulation of capital and profit
• The drive to maximize surplus value leads to the intensification of exploitation through longer working hours, lower wages, and increased productivity (relative surplus value)
• The appropriation of surplus value is the basis of capitalist exploitation and the source of class antagonism between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat

Commodity Fetishism and Reification

• Commodity fetishism refers to the way in which social relationships between people are transformed into apparently objective relationships between things (commodities) under capitalism
• The value of commodities appears as an inherent property rather than a result of the social labor embodied in them, obscuring the exploitative nature of capitalist production
• Reification extends commodity fetishism to all aspects of social life, where human qualities, relationships, and activities are treated as things that can be bought and sold (e.g., education, healthcare, art)
• Commodity fetishism and reification contribute to the alienation of individuals by masking the social and historical character of human relations and presenting capitalism as a natural and inevitable system

Revolutionary Transition

Communist Society as the Goal

• The ultimate aim of Marxist theory and practice is the establishment of a communist society characterized by the abolition of private property, class distinctions, and exploitation
• In a communist society, the means of production are socially owned and controlled, enabling the free development of all individuals and the fulfillment of human needs
• Communist society is envisioned as a classless, stateless, and moneyless social formation where the principle "from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs" prevails
• The realization of communism requires a revolutionary transformation of capitalist society and a prolonged period of transition (socialism) to overcome the legacy of class division and create the material and social conditions for a fully communist society

Dictatorship of the Proletariat as a Transitional Stage

• The dictatorship of the proletariat refers to the revolutionary government established by the working class after the overthrow of the bourgeois state
• It is conceived as a transitional phase between capitalism and communism, during which the proletariat exercises political power to suppress counter-revolutionary forces and transform the economic and social structure of society
• The dictatorship of the proletariat nationalizes the means of production, centralizes economic planning, and gradually eliminates capitalist relations and privileges
• The state under the dictatorship of the proletariat is not a neutral arbiter but an instrument of class rule, wielded by the proletariat to advance its interests and pave the way for a stateless communist society
• The dictatorship of the proletariat is seen as a necessary stage to overcome the resistance of the bourgeoisie and prevent the restoration of capitalism, but it is ultimately intended to "wither away" as class distinctions and the need for coercive state power disappear in a fully developed communist society