Marx's
Perception of History in The German Ideology: relation of production, means of
production
In his
"The German Ideology" Carl Marx discusses two of the most central
concepts of his theory of history and society: the means of production
and the relations of production.
According
to Marx in The German Ideology each historical stage holds a class conflict. Changing
property patterns over the means of production creates different classes who
are in a constant state of conflict with each other. This struggle is most of
the time covert and is manifested sometimes in class clashes, social wars and
revolutions which bring about a reformation of the social order. According to
Marx, the revolution is always the result of the contradiction between the
means of production and the relations of production. Means of production
according to Marx are labor as well as the technical, technological and
economical means at a society's disposal. The relations of production according
to Marx include property and the division of produce and profits within
society.
In The
German Ideology Marx argues that at some historical point in the life of every society
it reaches a point in which means of production cease to correspond well with
the relations of production (for example due to the invention of a new
technology). The ruling class, which has property over the means of production
and thus enjoys a favorable position within the relations of production, sticks
to the old relations of production. But these old relations of production
become an obstacle in the path of development of new means of production. The subordinate
class demands new relations of production which correspond with the new means
of production. Tension erupts in the form of a revolution which brings about a
change in the relations of production and a change in social hierarchies and
division of power (in The German Ideology Marx uses the example of the French
Revolution to illustrate his idea)
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