A Basic Introduction to Dialectical and Historical Materialism

7/31/2019 A Basic Introduction to Dialectical and Historical Materialism

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Thisrelativelyshortpamphletwasoriginallywritten35yearsagoinN.H.stateprison,byayoungrevolutionarywhohadrecentlybeenthrownintoprisonforantiVietnamWaractivities.Itwaswrittentoinformandeducatesmallcirclesofprisonerswhowerequietlymeetinginpoliticalawarenessstudygroups.Itwasoftenretypedandlateronphotocopied.

Itwasread,studiedandpassedon,handtohand.FromN.H.,itmadeitswaytootherprisonsinNewEnglandandlatertothefederalprisonsystemandbeyond.Intime,someoutsiderevolutionaryandactivistorganizationsalsocameacrossthiswritingandusedittohelpinformandtraintheirmembers.

Overtheyearsprobablythousandsofactivistsandrevolutionarieshavereadand/orstudiedthisbooklet.Ithasbeenusedbycertainundergroundfightingorganizationsandsomepublicactivistgroupstohelptraintheircadre.Untoldnumbersofprisonerstudygroupsacrossthecountryhavealsousedittotrainmembers.

Thispamphletlaysouttheneedfor,andexplainsthemethodof,usingscientificrevolutionaryanalysistobreakdownanyproblem.

Itisonlybytrulyunderstandingtherootsofaproblemorsituation,thatwecanthenbegintoplanandexecutesolutionsandcampaignstoovercometheproble

m,obstacleorenemy.

Toreallyanalyzeasituationorproblem,weshouldhaveascientificstructuredmethodtobreaktheproblemdowntounderstanditscausation.DialecticalMaterialismisthebesttooltodothis.ThispamphletpresentsabasicpictureofDialecticalMaterialism,especiallytoreaderswhodonthavemuchoranypreviousfamiliaritywithit.

Thispamphlethasbeenupdatedafewtimes.Itwasjustupdatedandrevisedin2008,primarilybypoliticalprisonerBillDunne,withtheassistanceofJaanLaaman,theoriginalauthorofthisbooklet.

4strugglemagrecommends,especiallytoyoungreadersandactivists,thatyourea

dandstudythismaterial.Makecopies,passthemaround.Itismostusefultositdownwithasmallgroupoffellowactivistsandstudyittogether.Ifsomeonehaspreviousknowledgeorstudyexperiencewithdialecticalandhistoricalmaterialism,withscientificrevolutionaryanalysis,thentheycouldbethestudygroupcoordinator.Ifeveryoneisprettymuchonthesamepage,taketurnsleadingthereadinganddiscussions.Gooveritsectionbysectionandinatleastsomesections,linebyline.Althoughthereisseriousinformationinthispamphlet,itisanintroductiontoscientificrevolutionaryanalysis,andthesuggestedfollowupreadingsandothermoredetailedwritingsondialecticalandhistoricalmaterialismshouldbepursued.

Anycomments,questionsandfeedbackarewelcome.Ifthereisaninterest,4strugglemagwillreprintallfeedbackonthisinthenextissue.

COMMUNICATETOEDUCATEEDUCATETOLIBERATEJaanLaaman,editor

WhatisDialecticalandHistoricalMaterialism?

Dialecticalandhistoricalmaterialismisthemostprecisewayofthinkingaboutandunderstandingtherealworld:whatgoesonaroundus,why,howitbegan,whereitmightandshouldgo.Itisatoolforpeopletouseinunderstandinghowandwhythinghappenedandinplanninghowtocreatethose


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futurechangesthatweknowarenecessary.Inshort,itistheworldoutlookofrevolutionaryscientific(asopposedtodaydreamingorwishfulthinking)socialism.ThistoolofunderstandingwasfirstdevelopedbyKarlMarxandFrederickEngels.Theydrewthelogicalparts,therealtruths,fromearlierphilosophiesofancientdialecticsandvulgarmaterialismintoonewholethatforthefirsttimeenabledpeopletounderstandthefullworkingsofreality,includingsociallife.

Breakingthetermsofdialecticalandhistoricalmaterialismdown,wewillseethatthewayweexaminehowrealthingsbegin,develop,andendisdialectical,whilethewaywewillunderstandthisrealityisfromamaterialistviewpoint.Thehistoricalpartmeansthathistory,thestoryofhumankind,isalsoscientificallyunderstandablebydialecticalmaterialism.

WhyShouldWeBeConcernedAboutThisWayofThinkingandUnderstandingWhatGoesOnAroundUs?

Thisisaverylegitimatequestion,especiallyforusinpoorinner-citycommunities,sweatshopworkplaces,jail-likeschoolroomsoractualprisoncells.Thepoliticians,bosses,copsandalotofotherfoolsandclowns,allhavesomekindofgametosellus.Answeringthisquestionabouthowtounderstandandthinkabouttheworldisnotjustanothergame.Norisitsimplyanacademicexercisetoconductinaclassroomorinyourhead.

Ifweputourownfantasiesandbad-mouthyardtalkasideforamoment,wewillhavetoadmitweareinaprettynastysituation,oratleastclosetoit.Weareallonthelosingend,ifnottheactualbottomofthissystem:low-paying,nosecurity,deadendjobsornojobsatall;unfit,overpricedhousing;poorornomedicalcare;schoolsthatmiseducateandoftenencourageconflictbetweengroupsofstudents.Toenforceoursubjugationtothissocialarrangement,thegovernmentsBureauofJusticeStatistics(in2008)reportsthatabout2.5millionpeoplearelockedup(over1.6millioninprisons,800,000injailsandover100,000injuvenilefacilities).Anotherfivemillion-plusareonbail,probation,paroleorhousearrestaccordingtoarecentPewCenterreport.Inallreality,veryfewofuscanhonestlysaywehavebeatenthesystem.Forworkingpeopleandtherestofusinthecommunities,lifeisjustmakingitweekbyweek.

Mostofusinprisonarelockedupforsmall-scalescams.Whetheritisstealing,dealingorsomethingelse,itusuallyinvolvesafewhundredormaybeafewthousanddollars.Thesescamsarealmostalwaysattheexpenseofsomeotherrelativelypoorperson.Theydonthurtthesystemoritsrichowners,whosefarmoredestructivecorporatecrimesoutdoourpettyoffenses.Othersarelockedupforvictimlesscrimessmokinggrass,prostitution,etc.Stillothersareincaptivityforcrimesofanger,frustration,ordespair.Someofushavebeenrailroaded,someconvictedforfightingagainstthegovernmentandsystem.Veryfew,ifanyofus,cansaywehavegottenafairbreakorjustice.Almostallofuscomefromapoororworkingclassbackground.Inourcommunities,asincaptivity,lifeisalonghustle.

Thoughwefindourselvesonthebottom,manyofusarebynomeansdefeatedorresigned,andwearealwayslookingforwaystogetrelief,waystobringaboutbetterconditions.Yetinmanyinstances,whenwefinallyriseupandshowourconcernandanger,weareonlypartiallysuccessful.Alltoooftenwearebeatenbackorsoldoutandthisleadstofurtherfrustrationanddespair.Thereare,ofcourse,manyspecificreasonsforvariousnon-successfulstrikesandmovements.Butacommonandcrucialproblemisthatwereallydonotknowourenemy.Wearenotawareofhowtheygottheirpowerandcontrol.Notpowerinthesimplesenseofsay,thewardenbeingappointedbytheboardoftrusteesordirectorofprisonsratherthemorebasicunderstandingofhowthepoliticians,bankersandco


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rporateheadsownandcontroleverything,includingourlives.Wedontreallyknowhowtheymaintainthisauthority,norwheretheirprimaryweaknessesare.Likewise,weoftenhavenotstudiedandthoughtourownpositions,bothourweaknessesandlackofcontrolandourstrengthsandsourcesofpower,aswellasthebestmethodsofusingthesemosteffectively.Inotherwords,ifweenterastrugglewithlittleornoideaofthefuture,wecanonlybesuccessfulbyluckorchance.Thisisjustastrueinourdailybattleswithlandlords,bosses,andguardsasitisintimesofactualmilitaryengagements.Dialecticalandhistoricalmaterialismcanprovideusandalloppressedpeople,thetoolstounderstandhowwehavegottentooursadconditionand,moreimportantly,howwecanchangethis.

Thepurposeofthispamphletisnottolayoutanyspecificstrategyofstruggle.Rather,thehopeisthatitwillhelpsomefolksdevelopthisparticularandprovenmethodofunderstanding.Dialecticalandhistoricalmaterialismisatool-atooltoexamineanysituationthatwemaybeconfrontedwith.Thispaperseekstointroducethistool.Alltheideasinitaremuchmorethoroughlyexplainedanddemonstratedinnumerousbooksandpamphlets.Thepurposeofthisbookletistomakethemoredetailedwritingsalittleeasiertounderstand,especiallyforthoseofushohavenothadmuchcontactwiththeseideasbefore.Hopefully,thispamphletwillmotivateadesiretolearnmoreaboutthesepowerfultoolsofemancipation.

Itisthenuptoeachofusindividuallyandallofustogether,touseanddeve

loptheseweaponsofunderstanding.Thusarmed,wewillbemoresuccessfulinthemanybattleswehaveyettoengagewiththeenemy,beforeweasapeople,cancontrolourlivesanddeterminewhatkindofcountryandworldwewanttobuildforourselvesandfuturegenerations.

DialecticalandHistoricalMaterialism

Dialectics

DialecticscomesfromtheGreekwordmeaningtodebate.Therehasbeenacrudeformofdialecticsinexistenceforthousandsofyears.Inancienttimes,therewerephilosopherswhobelievedthatthewaytobestarriveatthetruthofastatementwasbyrevealingthecontradictionsintheargument,thatis,theopposing

,competingideaswithintheargument.Theclashofoppositeopinionswasseenasthebestwayofgettingtothetruth.Thiswastheancientdialecticalmethod.

ThemodernmaterialistdialecticalmethoddevelopedbyMarxismuchmoredefiniteandtherefore,abletoprovideuswithamuchclearerunderstanding.Materialistdialecticsgoesbeyondjustseekingthetruthofastatement,beyondjustunderstandingthatcontradictionsarepresentinstatements,intounderstandingthatcontradictionsexistthroughoutnatureandthewholematerialworld.TheMarxistdialecticalmethodhasfourbasicfeatures.First,allphenomenaofnature(orsimplyput,allrealthings)areconnected.Second,everythingisinconstantmotion.Third,allphenomenaareundergoingconstantchange.Fourth,thechangeanddevelopmentofthingsistheresultoftheinteractionofopposingforcesorinternalcontradictionswithineverything.Allthisisinoppositiontowhatis

calledmetaphysics.Metaphysicsseestheworldandthingsinitasstatic,isolated,one-sided.Itviewsanychangethereisassimplyoneofmagnitude,amereincreaseorincreaseinquantityonasetstage.MetaphysicsisthecommonphilosophyadvancedbycapitalistthinkersandistaughtinU.S.schools.Ingeneralitisthetypeofworldoutlookthecapitalistsystemtriestofoistonussowestayinthedarkaboutwhatsreallygoingon.

Thefirstpointofmaterialistdialecticsisthatallmattereverythingthatexistsisconnected.Notonlyare,say,peopleandprisonsandcourtsandcopsrelated,butalllifewater,fish,air,people,machines,countries,etc.allthings


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areorganicallyconnectedwith,dependenton,anddeterminedbyeachother.Inordertounderstandanyonething,sayprisons,wehavetoseealltherelatedaspects.Laws,forexample,whomakesthem?Whoaretheymadetoserveandprotect?Courts:whoarethejudges?Aretheyfromourbackgroundsandcommunities,oraretheyrichandprivileged?Cops:whodotheyarrest?Dotheycollarthepettyburglarandpotsmoker?Ordotheyeveninvestigatethecorporateexecutivewhodailystealsmillionsbypricefixingandotherschemes?Andwhodoesthesystemprotect?Doesitservethebankersandcorporatemogulsorsomepoorpersonwhocallsinacomplaintlateatnightinsomeghettoneighborhood?Doesthatprotectionallowthosebanksandcorporateelitestopaypovertywagesinunsafefactoriesthatpolluteair,waterandlandinourcommunities?

Ofcourse,noteveryconnectionbetweenthingsisofequalimportance.Decidingwhicharethemostsignificantconnectionsatanygiventimeinthesituationbeingstudiedisalsoimportant.Lookingatthingsandtheirconnectionsinadialecticalmaterialistwaywillhelpusdothat.Ifwelookonlyatonethinginanarrowincreaseanddecreaseway,wewillnotreallyseetheunderlyingreasonswhythethinginquestionisthewayitis.Thisispartoftheproblemofnotseeingwhoourrealenemiesare.Bynotunderstandingtheconnectionsbetweenthings,weoftenwindupfightingeachother(whiteagainstBlackandsoon),insteadofdealingwiththerealoppressor.Wemustalways,then,viewallrelatedaspectsfromthebeginningofanysituationtodeterminewhataretheconnections,whicharemostimportant,andhowtheyaffecteachother.

Thesecondpointofmaterialistdialecticsisthatallmatter,everything,isinmotion.Thingsneverstaythesame.Instead,somethingisalwaysarisinganddevelopingandsomethingisalwaysdisintegratinganddyingaway.Theonlyrealconstantisconstantmotionandchange.Thisistruewhetherweareconsideringatoms,plants,people,orsocieties.Allrelatedaspectsarealwaysinfluencingoneanotherandthingsarealwaysdevelopingand/ordisintegrating,alwaysinmotion.Thisisprobablyprettycleartous.Butwhatisimportantistobeabletospotthenewgrowingforcesthataremoving,eventhoughtheyseemsmallandlessimportantcomparedtothelargerdominantpower.Thatwaywecanhelpthesenewforcesdevelopandmove(orniptheminthebudbeforetheybearbitterfruit).ThelongstandingdominantpoweroftheRussianczars(kings),forexample,wasoverthrownbyseeminglymuchweakerforcesin1917,aswastheruleoftheBritishmonarchyhereintheAmericancoloniesin1776.Inthefirstcase,thesefor

cesweretheRussianpeopleledbytheirrevolutionaryBolshevikparty;inthesecond,theAmericancolonistsledbytheirradical,albeitbourgeois,leaders.Thenewforcesthatwereabletoaccomplishtheselargetaskshadbeenintheexistence,growinganddeveloping,longbeforetheywereabletowintheirstrugglesandhavingdoneso,givetheirpeopleamuchbetterlife.

Thethirdpointofmaterialdialecticsisthatthisconnectionsofthingsandhowallmatterisalwaysmoving(risingandfallingaway),hasacertaindefinitemethodorprocessofmovementfromoneleveltoacompletelydifferentlevel.Thisisdescribedasthequantitativechangeormovementatsomepointleadingtoaqualitativechange.Thismeansthatthingsdontjustrepeatorgoincircles.Becauseathingisconnectedandinfluencedbymanyotherthings,itismovedstepbystep(quantitativechange)uptoacertainpoint,wherethethingthenrapi

dlyandabruptlymakesacompletechange(qualitativechange)initself.Letustakeanexampleofthisintheworldofnaturewbylookingatwater,whichismadeofoxygenandhydrogen.Ifweapplyheatorcoldtowater,itchangesdegreebydegree(quantitativechange),untilitreachesacertainpoint.Therethewaterabruptlychangesitsform(qualitativechange)tosteamorice.Itmakesacompletechange.

Thissameprocessofchangeistrueforallthings.Takeasocietyforinstance.Asmethodsofindustrychange,asinventionsaremade,aspeoplecreatetheirnecessitiesoflifeinnewwaysandlearnnewthings,andasnumerousotherfacto


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rschange,soonerorlatertheinstitutions,includinggovernmentalstructures,havetochange.Thepowerhastobemovedfromthehandsofoneclassofpeopletoanother.Thenewrulingclasswillthenbeginbuildingnewinstitutionsandmethodsofrunningsociety(newpolitical,socialandeconomicstructures).

TheAmericancolonistsmentionedabove,forexample,wereatfirstloyalsubjectsofEngland.Butasthiscountrydevelopedandshippingandfarminggrewandcommerceandmanufacturingdeveloped,thecolonialgovernmentssystemoftaxationandregulationbecameobsoletetothepointofactuallyholdingbackfurtherindustrialandcommercialdevelopmentandgrowthinthecolonies.SinceEnglishruledidnotallowthequalitativechangetheexpansiondemanded,someoftheAmericancolonialeliteandsomeoftheAmericanpublic,begantoorganizetogetridoftheoldorder.Afteraperiodofpeacefulattemptstosecuretheneededchanges,theRevolutionaryWartookplaceand,afterthesuccessfulcompletionofthiswaragainstimperialism,anewsystemofgovernmentwasestablished.Thisnewsystemallowedamuchgreaterdegreeofindependenceforthedevelopmentofeconomicandsociallife.

Thisnewsystemwasessentiallyacapitalistandslaveowningregimeinwhichaminorityeliteofproperty,plantationandbusinessowningwhitemales,whosepowerwasbasedoncontrolofresourcesandcommerce,freeditselffromtherestrictionsoffeudalprivilegesadministeredbyEnglishmonarchy.Thoughaqualitativechangefromwhathadprecededit,thatchangewasnotasgreataqualitativestepasthatmadebytheBolsheviksinoverthrowingtheRussianmonarchy,alsom

entionedabove.IntheAmericanRevolution,thegenocidepracticedagainsttheNativepopulationwasnotreversed,Blackslaverywasnotabolished,theconditionsofindenturedservitudewerenotimproved,manypoorwhitemenremaineddisenfranchised,andwomenofallcolorsandclassescouldnotvoteandhadevenfewerrightsthantheirmen.Anewrulingclassreplacedtheold,newcontradictionsemergedandtheseedsweresownforthenextgreatqualitativechange,towardwhichweareworkingtoday.Thesystemestablished200yearsagowasfarfromperfectandloadedwithcontradictions.Althoughsignificantprogresshasbeenmadeinincreasingpopularfreedom,todaythesystemisstillnotworkingadequatelyforanyoneexceptasmallclassofsuper-rich,powerfulownersandcontrollers(thecapitalistclassorbourgeoisie,asitisalsocalled).Thisisadirectexampleofhowsocietieschangeandmove,andhowatonepointanewgrouporclassspringsforthfromtheashesoftheoldsystemtotakeoverandbeginanewon

e.

Thefourthpoint,thoughlast,isthemostimportantoneinordertounderstandandusematerialistdialectics.Numberfourstatesthatbesidesalltheoutsideinfluencesonathing(andletusrememberwearetalkingabouteverythingthatexists),thethinginquestionhasinternalcontradictions.Everythinghastwoopposingaspects(internalcontradictions)andeachsetoftheseoppositeaspectsformsacontradiction.Whenwespeakofathingwearereallytalkingaboutasetofoppositesthatstrugglewitheachother,yetcoexistandcombinetoformthethingitself.Thereisnoupwithoutdown,nocoldwithouthot,novictorywithoutdefeat,nocapitalistclasswithoutaworkingclass,etc.Whenaballisthrownintheairtwocontradictoryforcesareatworksimultaneouslytheforcepropellingtheballupwardandtheforceofgravity.Whilegravityisweaker,the

ballgoesup.Whengravitybecomesstrongertheballchangesdirectionandcomesdown.Likewise,inmodernsocietywehavetwomainclasses,thecapitalistclassorbourgeoisieandtheworkingclassorproletariat.Althoughthetwoclasseshavedifferentinterests,theycoexisttogetherandformonesociety.Aslongasthecapitalistsholdtheupperhandinthesociety,theycandictatetherulestoagreatdegreeandwilldosototheirownadvantage.Whilewe,theworkingclass,arekeptinthesecondaryorweakerposition,weareinconstantstrugglewiththecapitalists.Butwhentheworkingclassturnsthisaround,whenweassumethedominantpositionofthecontradiction,whenwebecometheclassincontrolofoursociety,wewillhavethegreatersay,wewilldictatehowandwhyth


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esocietywilldevelopandgrow.Inotherwords,theseedsofthenewarepresentevenintheold,whentheoldisstillpowerful.

Thislastpoint,then,saysthatthereisaconstantmovement,constantstruggle,betweenthetwoopposingaspectsofthethinginquestionandthisconflictoftheinternalcontradictionsisthemostimportantsingleforcethatleadsthethingtochange.Or,toputitbriefly,thereisaninternalcontradictionineverysinglethingandthis,morethanallelse,causesitsmotionanddevelopment.Externalforcesarealsoimportant,butdialecticsunderstandsthatexternalcausesaretheconditionofchange,whileinternalcausesarethebasisofchange.Forexample,achickensittingonaneggwillleadtoababychick,whilethesamechickencansitonarockforeverandhatchnothingtheinternalcontradictionsarethemostimportantfactorinthedevelopmentandmotionofnotjusttheegg,butallthings.

Similarly,dialecticsshowsusthatwhilethecapitalistsystemandgovernmentmightseempowerful,thelessvisiblerealitiesoflife,ideasandgeneralconditionsofworkandexistencecarriedaroundinthehearts,minds,andlivesofthepeoplethegovernmentisoppressing,areactuallythemorepowerfulforce.Weseeglimpsesofitnowandthen,duringthemiddleofanuprising,onasolidpicketline,atarally,orevenwhenagroupofoppressedpeoplesitetogetheranddiscusshowtogetourfromundertheinjustice.Thus,weseethatthepeoplesconsciousnessisaforcethathasnotyetcomefullyintoitstime;nonethelessitiswhatwilleventuallytakeovertheoldsystem.Ofcourse,thisdoesnothap

penwithoutalotofpainandstruggleand,especially,itwillnothappenuntilwe,thepeoplewhoarethevictimsofinjustice,beginconsciouslypushingandfightingforchange.

This,then,isanintroductorydefinitionofdialectics,amethodthatteachesushowtoobserveandanalyzethemovementofcontradictionsinthingsintherealworldand,onthebasisofsuchanalysis,tofindwaystoresolvethecontradictionsandthusbringaboutanewthingorsituation.

Putanotherway,dialecticsisthescientificmethodofunderstandinghowthingsareandhowtheychange.Dialecticsrecognizes:1.)thatallthingsareconnected;2.)thatallthingsareinmotion(developingordyingaway);3.)thatquantitativechanges(changesinsizeoramount)arestepbystepchangesthatleadt

oqualitativechanges(changesinsubstanceortype)whichcomeaboutswiftlyorabruptly(andinthecaseofsociety,violentlyandabruptly),transformingtheoldintoanewthingorsituationand4.)thattheprimarybasisofallchangeandmovementistheinternalcontradictionthatexistsinallthings.

Sowhenwefaceaproblem,weshouldlookatitsinternalmake-uptodeterminethevariousaspectsofthecontradiction,examineitsconnectionstootherthings,determinewhattheprogressivenewaspectsofthesituationareandhowtheseareaffectedbyboththeinternalcontradictionandexternalthings.Then,finallyandmostimportantly,wedeterminehowourownactionsontheproblemwillspeedupthesenewprogressiveaspectstothepointthataqualitativechange,orachangethatbringsthenewforcetothedominantposition,canbemade.

Historical

Thehistoricalpartofdialecticalandhistoricalmaterialismmeansthatwecanstudythehistoryofhumankindwiththissametoolofmaterialistdialectics.Historythenbecomesunderstandablenotasaseriesofaccidentsormistakesormythicaloccurrences,butasthedevelopmentofsocialandmaterialforcesthatareconnected,inmotion,andchanginginternallyandexternally,resultinginastrugglethatchangestheirform.Therefore,wecanseethatthereisnoso-calledeternalprincipleofhistory,exceptchangeitself,andeverysystemmustbeseeninitsownconditions,timeandplace.Struggleandchangebuildsupthepress


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ureofinternalcontradictionuntilcompletetransformationsuddenlyoccurs.Nonsenseliketheso-calledinherentrightofcapitalistprivatepropertythusmakesaboutasmuchsenseastheso-calleddivinerighttoruleovereveryonethatancient(andsomepresent)kingsusedtoclaim.Dialecticalunderstandingallowsustosweepasideallargumentsthatthereareunchangeablesituationslikethesubjugationofpeasantstonobilityinfeudaltimesorworkerstocapitalistsinmoderntimes.

Materialism

Materialismisthewayofunderstandingorinterpretingtheworldthatseesthereal,physical,ormaterialthingsaroundusaswhatthisplanetisreallymadeof.Manyancientphilosophersusedsemi-materialistformsofunderstandingtoexplaintheworld.ItwasntuntilMarxandEngelsdevelopedthedialecticalmethodinconnectionwiththematerialistunderstandingthough,thatitbecameascientificmethodofstudyingthedevelopmentofhumankind.Inaddition,itwasntuntil1917,whentheRussianpeoplekickedouttheirkingandcorruptnobilityandsetupanewformofsocietyandeconomy,thattheconsciousapplicationofdialecticalmaterialismbecametheguidingprincipleofanycountry.(Allsocietiesdevelopbythelawsofmaterialistdialectics,includingcapitalistcountries.Butthecapitalistsandtheirideologicalflunkiesmosteconomists,manycollegeprofessors,etc.eitherdonotunderstandorpurposelytrytohidethedialecticalmaterialistinsightbecausethisscience,appliedtoourmoderntimes,clearlyandobjectivelypointsouttheneedfortheendofcapitalistruleandthebegin

ningofsocialism.)Sincethattime,manyotherpeoplehavegottenridoftheirleechesandoppressors(phonypresidents,dictators,kings).Progresshasbeenmade.Thecontradictionbetweencapitalistsandworkers,however,hasnotbeenresolved.Neitherhasthecontradictionbetweenvictimsofimperialismandtheirimperialistoppressors.Theaccomplishmentsofliberationforcesguidedbydialecticalmaterialismwerestepsinthestruggle,butonaworldwidescalethecapitalistsstillholdthedominantposition.Thisalsomeansthatevenpastvictoriescanbetemporarilyreversedsince1990manysocialistandrevolutionarymovementsandgovernmentshavesufferedsetbacksorhavebeenthrownbacktoacapitalistdog-eat-dogsystem.Itisuptoustobuildonpastrevolutionaryaccomplishments,topickupthoseweapons,andcarrythestruggleforward.

Materialismhasthreeessentialfeaturesandstandssquarelyopposedtotheasse

rtionsofphilosophicalidealism,whichisthegeneralworldoutlookthatthecapitalists(andotherreactionaries)push.First,materialismteachesthattheworldbyitsverynatureismadeofmatter.Everythingcomesintobeingonthebasisofmaterial,thatisreal,causesinaccordancewiththelawsofmotionandmatter.Second,materialismstatesthatmatterisprimaryandthoughtissecondaryandderivedfromthematerialworld.Matterisobjectiverealityexistingoutsideandindependentofthemindandeverythingmentalisactuallyaresultofourmaterialworld.Third,materialismteachesthattheworldanditslawsarefullyknowable.Whilemanythingsremaintobediscovered,thereisnosuchthingasthingsbeyondorabovethelawsthatgovernallrealchangeanddevelopment.

Examiningthethreebasicfeaturesofmaterialismmoreclosely,weseethatmaterialismsfirstunderstandingisthattheworld(andallcountriesintheworldan

dallthingsineachcountry)isthewayitis,becauseoftheconcretematerialconditionsthatactuallyexist.Theserealconditionsdevelopinaccordancewiththelawsofdialectics.Morespecifically,thismeansthatthecommonpeopleandthetoolstheyhaveatanygiventimeinanygivencountry,thecorrespondingindustryandfarmingtheyconductwiththesetools,andthetypesofrelationsthatexistbetweenproducersandconsumers(thatis,whoownsandcontrolsthetoolsandproducts)determinethematerialconditionsofthatsociety.Thesematerialconditionsdeterminewhattypeofsocietyexists.Furthermore,whattypeofindustryandagriculturethereiswillprimarilydeterminewhattypeofsocialandpoliticalinstitutions(government,schools,courts,andsoon)willexist.


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Rulersandreligiousforcesandmanyotherfactorshaveaneffectonthesociety,fortheyareamongthecontradictoryaspectsofthewhole.Nevertheless,theactualmateriallevelofdevelopmentofthesocietyistheprimarybasisforwhattypeofsocialandpoliticalinstitutionsitwillhave.

Societies,then,developthetypeofsocialandgovernmentalapparatusthat,generallyspeaking,correspondtotheireconomiclevelofdevelopmentandwhichareintendedtomeettheneedsofthepeople.Buttheneedsthataremetaremainlythoseoftherulingclass,thegroupinthedominantpositionofthecontradictioninthesociety.Asthiscountrypresentlydemonstrates,thegovernmentdoesnotoftenmeettherealneedsofthemajorityofpeople.Thisisbecausewearestilloperatingundertheeconomicprinciple(capitalism)andgovernmentstructurethatdatesbackover200years.Regardlessofhowgoodorhonesttheelectedofficialsmightbe,theycannevermeetallofthepeoplesneedsbecausethesocial,economicandgovernmentalinstitutionsthemselvesareinadequateforthejob.Inotherwords,wearestillbeingruledbyoldmethods,methodsthatservetheinterestsofcapitalistbusinessandtrade.Weasapeoplearenotownersofcapitalisttradeorbusinessinanyrealsenseinfactweareitsvictimsandwearereadyforanewstageinsociety.Wearetoldthesystemisdemocratic,butwhatvotedowehavewherewework,rent,buy?Itseithertheboss,landlords,bakerswayorthehighway.Wearereadytomakethequalitativestepfromtheoldtothenewbecausesocialandeconomicstructuresnolongermeettherealneedsofthepeoplethestructuresareholdingbackneededgrowthanddevelopment.Itistimeforanewarrangementofthings.

Thesecondfeatureofmaterialismstatesthatmatterisprimaryandthoughtissecondarybecauseitisbasedonandderivedfrommatter.Therearetwopartstothis.Firstthebrain,ourorganforthinking,ismadeofmatterandworksbymetabolizingmatter;withoutthebrainthereisnothought.Secondandmoresignificantly,peoplesconsciousnessatanygiventimeisprimarilydeterminedbytheexistingeconomicandsociallevelofdevelopmentatthattime.Itisnotpeoplesmindsthatdeterminehowtheyliveandthink.Instead,itisthephysicalconditions,whattheyseeandexperiencearoundthemfromtheirfirstmomentsoflifeuntiltheydie,thatplaythemainroleindetermininghowtheythink.Thisdoesnotmeanthatwearerobotsorthatwedonthavefreethought,butwecanonlyseeandthinkaboutthingsthathavesomerelationtoourlives.

Thethingswethinkaboutcomefromoutsideasinformation.Whatwethinkanddecidetodoaboutthemcomesfrominsideasouranalysisandourplans.Iftheinformationisbadorouranalysisiswrong,wearelikethechickentryingtohatcharock;nomatterhowgoodourthinkingis,wewillneverhatchcorrectconclusions.

Anexampleofthisprincipleofthematerialdeterminingthementalwouldbethatwhenevertheindustrialcountrieshaverunacrossapreviouslyunknowntribeorpeople,sayinsomeremoterainforest,thesepeoplehavewithoutexceptionbeenfoundtohavecompletelydifferentcustomsandwaysoflifeandtoseetheirwholeexistencedifferentlythanwedo.Moresubtlebutstillobviousdifferencescanevenbeseenbetweenandevenwithinnationsandregionsclosertothemainstream.Thisisnotbecausepeoplesbodiesorbrainsaredifferent(weareallhu

manbeings),butbecausetheyconfrontadifferentsetofmaterialcircumstancesandthushaveadifferenttypeofeconomicsystem(awayofmakinganddistributingthenecessitiesoflife),uponwhichtheirsocialsystemandconsciousnessarebased.Wehaveadifferentsystem,andthisiswhatleadsustothink,feel,andactdifferently.Itisnotanyparticularteacher,religiousleader,orpoliticianthatdetermineshowasocietythinks,althoughleadersandreligionsdoplayamovingaheadorholdingbackroleatgiventimes.Instead,itismainlytheconcretematerialconditionsofthatsocietyatthattimeinhistorythatdetermine,overall,howpeoplethinkandliveandhowtheyseethemselvesandtheworld.Itispeoplessocialbeingthatdeterminestheirsocialconsciousness.


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Thethirdfeatureofmaterialismisthatitrecognizesthatallthingsarefullyknowableandunderstandable,ifnotnow,thenatsomefuturestageofdevelopment.Contrarytocapitalistidealism,whichdeniesthepossibilityofknowingtheworldanditslawsandholdsthattheworldisfullofso-calledthingsinthemselvesthatcanneverbeknowntoscience,materialistsshowthattheworldanditslawsarefullyknowable,thatknowledgeofthelawsofnature,testedbyexperimentandpractice,itsrealknowledgehavingthevalidityofobjectivetruth.Further,therearentanythingsabovebeingknownintherealworld.Therecertainlyarethingswhicharestillunknown,butthesewillbediscoveredandmadeknownbytheeffortsofscience.Thisidealistsonganddanceaboutnotknowingthingsisanoldstory.Hundredsofyearsagotheyusedtoarguethattheearthwasflat,thatthesunrevolvedaroundtheearth,thateclipsesofthesunandmoonwerecausedbygodsandsoon.Today,evenlittlechildrenknowthesethingsarenottrue.Inthesameway,whatwehaveyettodiscoverisnotsomethingmagical,rathersomethingthatourchildrenwillhavethetaskofmakingknown.

Thereisafinalfactortoconsideraboutmaterialism.Whatisthesinglemostimportantthingthatdecideswhatmateriallevelagivensocietyisonatacertaintime?Whatmorethananythingelsedetermineswhattypeofeconomyacountryhasandtherefore,whattypeofgovernmentandsocialsystemithas?Economicsystemoreconomyarewordsforhowacountryproducesallitsgoods(food,shelter,clothing,etc.)andservices(transportation,communications,energy,etc.),howthesethingsareownedandcontrolled,andhowtheyaredividedanddistribu

tedamongthepeople.

Therearemanyfactorsthatgointodeterminingwhatmaterialconditionsexistinasocietyatanygiventime.Populationisone.Ifalanddoesnothaveaminimumpopulationlevelthentherecanbenosociety.Butifwecomparethepopulationof,saytheU.S.andIndia,weseethatIndiahasmanymorepeople,butnotnearlythemateriallevelorliving.Ifwetookotherexamples,wewouldseethesame:thatpopulationalonedoesnotdeterminewhatmateriallevelasocietyhas.

Geographyisimportant.Landchanges,riversmove,mountainsriseupandwearaway,butthishappensveryslowlyinphysicalnature.Humansocietiesevolveamidthesechanges,drawinguponthelandanditsresources.LookingattheU.S.,fo

rexample,weseethatabout400yearsagosomeEuropeancolonistscamehere,builthomesandasocietyforthemselvesthatgrewanddeveloped.About230yearsago,thefoughtaviolentindependencewar(RevolutionaryWar)andbroughtaboutgreatchangesintheirsociety.Onehundredyearslater,thedemocraticrevolutionmovedqualitativelyforward,againthroughaviolentstruggle(CivilWar),throughwhichBlackpeoplewonlegalrights(onpaperatleast).Thisalsogavefederalismandindustrialdevelopmentfullcontroloftheeconomyandgovernment.Previously,slave-owningagrarianlandlordssharedpoliticalandeconomicpowerwiththeindustrialandfinancialcapitalists.Forthenexthundredyears,laborandcivilrightsstrugglesraged,gaininglaborandpoliticalrightsforbroadsectionsofthepeople,includingwomen.Yetinallthose400years,thegeographyofthelandhasnotchangedinanygreatsense,exceptforhuman-madechangeslikecitiesandenvironmentaldamage.Hence,wehavetosaythatgeographyalo

ne,becauseitchangessoslowly,isnotthemostimportantfactoreither.

Thesinglemostimportantfactorindeterminingwhatmateriallevelasocietyisonisthemeansofproduction.Themeansofproductionisatermthatdescribestheinstrumentsandresourcesthatareusedtocreatethegoodsthatasocietyneedsandwants.Themeansofproductionprimarilyreferstothemachinesandtools,butitalsoincludesnaturalresourcesandland.

Closelyassociatedtothemeansofproductionaretheforcesofproduction,whichsimplymeanstheworkersandtheirknowledgeofhowtomakethings.Connected


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tothisandalsoimportantaretherelationsofproduction.Thistermdescribestherelationshipbetweentheworkersandmachinestheyusetoproducegoodsandwhoownsthemeansofproductionandthegoodsproducedbythem.Therelationsofproductionanswersthequestionofwhoownstheproductsproducedbytheworkers(theforcesofproduction),usingthemachines/tools(themeansofproduction).Thereareonlythreegeneralcategoriesofrelationsofproduction:cooperative,exploitativeandacombinationofthepartlycooperative,partlyexploitative.

Ifworkerscollectivelyowntheirownfactoryandtheirownmeansofproduction,thentheywouldalsoownwhattheyproduced.Thiswouldbecooperativerelationsofproduction.

Ifacapitalistcorporationbossownsthefactory,theworkerswouldnotownanythingtheyproduced.Thisisexploitativerelationsofproduction.Heretheworkersgetsomanydollarsforeachhouroftheirlabor.Iftheworkersareprisoners,prisonerslaborgetssomanypenniesanhour.Inaslaveowningsociety,theslavelaborwouldgetnothingatallforhis/herwork.

Inafactorywheretheworkerswerepartialowners,buttherewasalsopartialcorporateownership,thiswouldbeanexampleofacombinationofcooperativeandexploitativerelationsofproduction.

MaterialistOutlineOverviewofHumanSocietalDevelopment

Havingsomeunderstandingofdialecticalandhistoricalmaterialism,wecannowlookathumanhistoryandseehowandwhy,inaverygeneralway,thelargescalechangeshaveoccurred.Theworldhasseenfourmainsocietal-productivesystemssofarandsomecountriesarebeginningthefifthlevel.Thesestageswereprimitivecommunalism,slaveholding,feudal,capitalistandnowwearemovingtowardssocialism.Wewillbrieflyandverygenerallycoverthesestagesandspotsomeofthemainfactorsthatledthedevelopmentfromonestagetothenexthigherone.Wewillpointoutthekeystrugglesorcontradictions,thatthroughtheirresolutionledtohumanadvancement.

PrimitiveCommunalism

Firstweseeprimitivecommunalism,wherepeopleusedstone,wood,boneandcrudehand-madetools(themeansofproductionwereprimitive).Therewasnodevelopedagriculturebecausepeopledidnothavethetoolsorknow-howatthetime.Frequently,theyhadnoneedtodevelopthemasnaturefulfilledtheirneeds.Thepeoplelivedtogetherinsmallwanderinggroups,spendingalmostalloftheirtimeonjustsurviving.Theysharedtheirwealthcommunally.Theydidntdothisbecausetheywereanysmarterorlovedeachotheranymorethanatanylaterage;theydiditbecauseworkingtogether,huntingandgatheringplantfoodtogetherwastheonlywaytheycouldsurvive.Laborworkedincommonledtothecommonownershipofthemeansofproduction,suchasitwas,andtothesharingofthefruitsofthework.Theideaofprivateownershipofthemeansofproduction,exceptperhapsforpersonalownershipofcertainweapons,didnotyetexist.Tribesgrewupovertheyearsandtheysharedtheircommongoods.Whiletheremayhaveb

eenoccasionalfightingbetweendifferenttribes,basicallythepeoplelivedandsharedequallyamongthemselves.Therewasnoexploitation,classesorclassstruggle.

Primitivecommunalismwasbyfar,thelongest-lastingsystemthatexistedeverywhereonEarth.Whenhumanbeingsfirstemergedonthisplanet,welivedandsurvivedinprimitivecommunalfamilies,clansandtribes,sharingandworkingtogetherforthousandsandtensofthousandsofyears.

SlaveOwning


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Nextweseetheslaveowningsystem.Itmustbenotedthough,thatthewholeworlddidnotdevelopallatonce.Someareasmovedaheadwhileothersremainedatthelowerlevelbecauseoftheparticularconditionsandsituationsineacharea.Wecanstillseepartsoftheworldtodaywherefeudaltype(peasantandlandowner)relationsexist,butmostoftheworldiscapitalistwithsomeareashavingothertypesofrelations.

Asprimitivecommunalgroupslearnedhowtobetterusetheirenvironments,somebecamelessnomadic.Thishelpedbringaboutthebeginningofagriculture(thedeliberatecultivationofcropsanddomesticanimals).Thisalsoledtomorepermanentsettlements,sinceitwaslessnecessarytofollowandhuntwildanimals.Thisinturnledtothedevelopmentofnewtechnology.Peoplebegantousemetalscopper,bronzeandlaterirontomakebettertoolsandweapons(themeansofproductiontookaqualitativeleapforward).Moresettledlivesalsoallowedtheaccumulationofmorematerialpossessionsthancouldbereadilycarriedbynomads.

Withthedevelopmentofbettertools/weapons,morecouldbeproducedandthecommunalsocietiesbegantodevelopasurplusofgoods,thatis,noteveryonehastoworkfulltimeforthegrouptosurvive.Thissurpluscouldeitherbedividedequallyamongalloritcouldgotoafewwhothendidnthavetowork.Atfirst,thecommunalsystemremained,butthensomepeopledevelopedbetterweaponsandknowledgeofagriculture.Thesurplusthattheseadvancesprovidedwaskeptbyi

ndividualsandwebegintoseetheconceptofprivatepropertydevelop.Sincecertainpeopledevelopedthesenewtools,weapons,andmethods(especiallyoffarming)beforeothers,theysawthatmorecouldbefarmedandproducedifmorepeoplecouldbeputtowork.Theirsuperiorweaponsenabledthemtoconquerlessdevelopedpeoples,enslavethem,andbringthembacktotheirlandstowork.Sotheslavesystemcameintoexistence.

Weseethatanadvancementinthemeansofproductionenabledprivatepropertytodevelop,whichledtotheemergenceofclassestheslaveownersandtheslaves.Thus,classsocietywasborn.Whileitwasabrutalsystemandmostpeoplesuffered,theworldasawholereachedahighermateriallevelinthesensethatmorewasproduced.Asaresult,thestruggleforabetterstandardoflivingbecamemoreasocialstrugglethanoneofconstantstruggleforsurvivalandnature.

Theslaveowningperiodismarkedbyintenseclassstruggleandwarfarebetweentheslavesandtheslaveowners.

Feudalism

Thenextstageisthefeudalsystem.Hereasmalllandowningelite,usuallycalledthenobilityoraristocracy,aswellaschurchofficialsderivedmostofthebenefitsofthesociety.Thisfeudalrulingclasshadenormouspoweroverthepeople.Thevastmajorityofpeoplewerepeasantfarmersorserfs,whowerelegallytiedtothelandtheyworked(theycouldnotleavethelandwithoutpermissionofthenobleswhoownedtheland).Theserfs,however,hadsomerights.Forexample,whiletheystillcouldbeboughtandsoldaspartoftheland,theycouldnotbekilledarbitrarily.Theyalsoownedtheirowntoolsandanimals,andwere

allowedtokeepaportionofthecropstheygrewonthelandlordsland.Thearistocracyneededthelaboroftheserfstoextractthewealthfromthelandandmaintaintheinfrastructureonwhichthenoblespowerwasbased,andsohadtogranttheseconcessionstothepeasants.

Thissystemdevelopedthroughfurtherimprovementofthemeanstoproduction.Ironandsteelwereproducedandhighgradeweaponsandtoolslikeswordsandplowsandotherfarmimplementsweremade.Thismeantthatmorecouldbefarmedfasterandbetter.Aslave,however,getsthesameamountoffoodandrestandremainsaslavewhetherheworksfastorslowandthereforehasnoincentivetoprodu


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Capitalism

Thisleadsustothefourthstage,capitalismanditsmostrecentandusualpoliticalsystem,capitalistdemocracy.Wemustbearinmind,though,thatwhentheyneedtoprotecttheirpoliticalandeconomicpower,thecapitaliststhinknothingaboutchangingfromcapitalistdemocracytoout-and-outfascistdictatorship.NaziGermanywasanexampleofthis,asweretheCIAandcapitalistoverthrowsofthepopulardemocraticgovernmentsofIran,Guatemala,andIndonesiaandtheirreplacementswithrepressivedictatorships.Moreover,thedegreeofdemocracywithincapitalistcountriesvaries.Israel,forexample,allowsvirtuallynodemocracyfor,andactsasadictatorshiptowards,thePalestiniansunderitscontrol.SaudiArabiahasapuppetlegislatureanddisenfranchiseswomen,noonevotesfortheKing,etc.Whiledemocracyisthelabelthatcapitalistsusefortheirsystem,thisdoesnotmeanallpeoplehaverealequalrightsoropportunities.

Itactuallymeansdemocracyforthecapitalistsandobeytherulesfortheworkingclass.Infactcapitalistdemocracyonlyallowsasmallamountofpoliticaldemocracy:therighttopickbetweenafewcandidatesselectedbytherulingclass.Socialandeconomicdemocracyareconvenientlyomittedfromthecapitalistdefinition.Peopledontgettovoteatallonthethingsthatarecurrentlymostimportanttothemsuchasjobissuesorpropertyrelations.

Aswesaw,manymerchantsandtradershadbecomerichinthelaterpartofthef

eudalera.Butsincetheywerenotborntotherightparents,theywereaforcewithoutanyrealpoliticalpower.Theseearlycapitalistscontrolledthetownsandcities,butonlysomanypeoplecouldbeemployedascraftsmenandshippers,etc.Thecitiesstayedsmallandtherealpoliticalpowerremainedinthehandsofthelandowningnobility.Thencametheindustrialrevolution,theinventionofthesteamengineandtheinventionoflarge-scalemachinery.Inotherwords,alargequalitativeleapoccurredinthemeansofproduction.

Theinventionofmachineryendedthehandicraftsmenmethodofproductionandbroughtintheriseoffactoriesandthecorrespondingmassmovementofthepeoplefromthecountrysidetothecitiestoworkthesenewmills.Thisdrasticchangeinthemeansofproductionledtonewcontradictionsandstrugglespoliticallyandsocially.TwonotablepoliticalstrugglesweretheAmericanrevolutionagains

ttheEnglishkingandcolonialsystemledbytheyoungcapitalistclassofAmerica,andtheFrenchrevolutionof1789,ledbytheFrenchcapitalistclassagainsttheking,nobility,andstatechurch.

Thenewstrugglesandcontradictionsthatcamewiththeendingoffeudalismandtheriseofcapitalismledtosignificantsocialchangesforthecommonpeopletoo.Underfeudalismthepeasantshadcertainrights,buttheywerestilllegallytiedtotheland.Thenewcapitalistrulingclasshadnoneedtoownthepeopleortomakethemliveontheirlandbecausetheywerenotprimarilylandowners,theywerefactoryandbusinessowners.Thefeudalnobleclasshadacertainresponsibilitytothepeasant.Inthecaseofaverybadharvest,thelandownerswouldhavetoopentheirstorehouses(justalittleofcourse)tokeeptheserfsalivesotheycouldproduceforthenoblesagainthenextyear.Thecapitalists,

however,onlyneededtheworkerstolaborinthemill.Ifbusinesswasbac(asitalwaysiseveryseveralyearsinthecyclesofcapitalism),theywouldnotwantanyresponsibilitytofeedandclothetheworkers.Thecapitalistclassdidnotneedorwantapeasantclass.Theyneededaworkingclass,agroupofworkersnottiedtotheland,wholivedintheshadowofthemillandwhowereso-calledfreetoselltheirlaborpowertothecapitalists,wheneverthecapitalistsneededit.Therestofthetimetheworkerswerefreetostarve.Asweknow,theworkingclassbecamearealityandsoongrewintothelargestclassinindustrializedcountries.


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Anothermajorreasonforthepeasantsfreeingthemselveswasthatinordertooverthrowthenobility,thecapitalistclass(beingaminorityitself)hadtoallyitselfwiththepeasants,whoofcoursedidmostoftheactualfightinganddying.Afteroverthrowingthefeudalsystemandliberatingthemselvesfromthenoblesandserfdom,thecommonpeoplewouldnotletthemselvesbere-enslavedinthesamemannerbythecapitalists.Sothecapitalistsdiditadifferentwayonethatgavethemmorepowerthananynoble.

Thequalitativeadvanceinthemeansofproductionnotonlyledtopoliticalchangethegovernmentpowerwastakenfromthelandowningnobilityclassbythecapitalistclassbutalsogreatsocialchange.Thenewproductiveforcesrequiredthattheworkersbebettereducatedandmoreskilledthanthepeasantshadbeen,sotheycouldunderstandandoperatethemachineryinthefactories.Thismeantthatsomeeducationwasbegunforworkingpeople.Also,inordertojusthaveenoughworkersavailabletolaborinthemills,citiesgrewuparoundthefactoriesandmostpeoplebecameurbandwellers.Commonpeoplegainedlegalandpoliticalrights(thoughweallknowthateventodaytheserightsexistalotmoreonpaperthaninourreallives).Lifetodayisvastlydifferentthaninthefeudalera,anditisallaproductofthisriseofthemachineage.

Whiletheindustrialsystemofcapitalismfreedthecommonpeoplefromonetypeofbondage,itcreatedanewtypewageslavery.Intheearlierstagesofcapitalismtheconditionsofexploitationofworkingpeopleweresavage.Sixteenhourworkdays,childlaborincludingsixandsevenyear-olds,starvationwages,dange

rousworkingconditions,severerepressionanytimetheworkerssoughttoimprovetheirconditionsallthisandmore.Yetjustasthecommonpeoplefoughtagainstslaveryandserfdom,theyfoughtagainstthecapitalistsandtheirgovernmentsystem.Throughimmensesufferingandstruggle,theworkingclasshasbeenabletoimproveitsconditionsoflifeandwork,uptoandincludingactuallyoverthrowingthecapitalistoverlordsinsomeareas.Unfortunately,variousfailureshaveallowedthecapitaliststoreconquerlargeareasoftheterritoryfromwhichtheywereonceevicted.Thisdemonstratestheprotractednatureofourstruggle.

Thecapitalistsdevelopedthenewmeansofproductionandbroughttheworldthemachineage.Wemustkeepinmindthough,thatwhenwesaythecapitalistsdevelopedindustrialproduction,wemeantheyweretheforcepushingtheideasandse

ttinguptheplants.Itwastheworkingclasswhoactuallysweatedandworkedtobuildthefactoriesandwhothenworkedintheplantsandproducedthegoods.Justasthefeudalnobilityclassanditssubordinatecraftsmanclassbecameuselesswiththedevelopmentofmachinery,so,too,,theworldisnowatthestagewherethecapitalistsareworsethanuseless,theyareadragonfurthersocialprogress.Todayallproductionisdonesocially(manypeopleworktogethertoproducethecommodities),yettheinstrumentsofproductionareownedprivatelyandtherefore,theproductsbecometheprivatepropertyofthefactoryowners.Thisisoftenexpressedasthecontradictionbetweensocialproductionandprivateappropriation.Putinbluntterms,laborersworkandproduceeverything,whiletheownersdolittletonothing,butgettokeepmostofthebenefitsofourwork.Ontopofthis,theyturnaroundandtrytoconvinceusthattheyaredoingusafavorbygivingusajobbylettingusworkourlivesawaytomakethemrich!

Plustheygettomakethedecisionsaboutwhatisproduced,meaningmuchofourproductivecapacityiswastedonmilitarymadnesstodefendbourgeoispowerandproduceluxurygoodsnoonbutaminorityelitecanafford,insteadofaffordablehousing,food,education,healthcare,transportationsocialgoodsforall.

Justlikethenobleswereagainstchangetocapitalism,thecapitalistsarevehementlyagainstthechangetosocialism.Sincetheycontrolthevastmajorityofthegovernmental,public,andprivateinstitutions(media,schools,courts,etc.),theyusethemtotrytomakeupexplanationsandtheoriestotrytoconvincetheworkingpeoplethatsocialismisnogoodforanyoneandthatweshouldconti


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nuetoaccepttheirruleoverus.Ifneedbe(andweseethiseverytimeauniongoesonstrikeandthrowsupastrongpicketorwhenprisonersrebeloracommunityprotests),theywilluseforcetotrytostayinpower.Still,evenwithalltheircourts,cops,andmiseducation,thetideofhistoryisagainstthemandsoonerorlaterthecapitalistclassmustbemovedasidesoanewagecanbegin.

Weseethenthatthecapitalistsystemismarkedbyseveralcontradictions,thekeyonesbeing:thecontradictionbetweensocialproductionandprivateappropriation;thestrugglebetweenmajorcapitalists,especiallythoseindifferentcountries,eachtryingtocuttheothersthroatsand,ifnecessary,draggingworkingpeopleintowarstodoso;thestrugglebetweenlargemonopolycapitalistsandsmallercapitalistswhocontinuallygeteatenupbythelargerones;and,finallybutmostimportantly,thecontinuousandirreconcilableclassstrugglebetweenthedecadentcapitalistclass,whoaretryingtohangontotheirpowereventhoughtthehugemajorityofpeoplesuffer,andtheever-growingstrengthoftheworkingclass,whichismovingtobringanewandbettersystemandage.Itisthislastcontradiction,thestrugglebetweentheworkingclassorproletariatandthecapitalistclassorbourgeoisie,whichisbasedontheconcreterealitythatcapitalismisnotmeetingtheneedsofworkingpeople,thatisthepropellingforcewhichwillbringaboutthenextqualitativesocialchangetosocialism.

Socialism

Socialismisthelatest(fifth)mainstageofhumansocietythatsomecountries

arealreadybeginning.Itisthelevelofdevelopmentwherethecontradictionbetweensocialproductionandprivateappropriationisresolvedbymakingtheappropriationsocialalso.Thismeansthemajorindustries,mines,farms,railways,orinotherwords,allthemajormeansofproduction,areunderthecontroloftheworkingclass.Thisiseasilyaccomplishedbysocializingtheseenterprises(socializediswherethepeople,community,orstateownsthem).Undersocialism,thestateorgovernmentinturnistrulycontrolledbytheworkingpeople;theynotonlyvoteonceeverycoupleofyearsforgovernmentofficials,butalsohavemoredirectandrealcontroloftheday-to-dayoperationoftheworkplace.

Forexample,ifyouworkedinafactory,youandyourco-workerswouldbemakingmostofthedecisionsonthework,conditions,etc.,aswellashavingarealvoice,alongwithalltheworkingclass,indecidingnationalandotherlargeiss

uesaswell.Thisisreallyonlylogicalbecauseitistheworkingpeoplethatactuallymakeallthegoodsthatthecountryneeds.Therefore,theyshouldbetheoneswhocollectivelyownthemeansofproductionandthegoodstheyproduce,anddecidehowtoallocatethosegoodsaswell.

Asitnowstands,allproductionisdoneforonlyonepurposeprofit.Thecapitalistsarenotconcernedwithwhetherthecommoditiesandservicestheyhaveproducedareusefulornotaslongastheycanbesold.Infact,ahugeportionofU.S.productiontodayiswarproduction.Inthesummerof2008,theIraqwariscostingU.S.taxpayers$12billionamonth.Thiscomesoutto$5000asecond!Inadditionitiscostingtaxpayersanother$40billionpermonthfortherestofthemilitary-industrialcomplexexpenses.Thisservesnopurposebuthightaxesanddeathforusandobsceneprofitsforthemilitary-industrialcomplex.Forthe

capitalists,warproductionisahighlyprofitablebusiness,andwhenwarinvolvingU.S.troopsbreaksouttheyrarelysendtheirsonsordaughterstodie.Meanwhile,peopleinthiscountrytoday,letaloneintherestoftheworld,aregoinghungry,liveinrottenhousing,cannotafforddecentmedicalcare,havetosendtheirchildrentoold,overcrowdedschools,etc.Whathashappenedisthatnow,whenourcountryhasreachedapointwherepovertyandsufferingcouldbewipedout,thecapitalistrefusetodoit,becauseitisnotprofitable.Thecapitalistclasshasoutlivedallitsusefulnessandisstandingsquarelyinthewayofnecessaryprogress.Thisisnotjustbecausetheyareallgreedynastyindividuals(althoughmost,nodoubt,are),butbecausetheonlywaythecapitalistsy


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stemcanoperateisonprivatepropertyandprofit,andthesearethusprotectedasinherent,constitutionalrightsthatmaynotbelegallychallenged.Therefore,thesolutionrequiresmorethanamatterofputtingaso-calledniceguyintooffice,becauseevenagoodguyhastoactwithinthelimitsofthesystem.

Whilewearereachingthelevelofproductionwhereallthegoodsneededcouldbeproducedandmadeavailabletoworkingpeople,wefindourselvesplaguedwithinflation,recessions,depressions,severecutbacks,anddeclininglivingstandards.Why?Again,becausethecapitalistclassisonlyafterprofit.Theynotonlydontproducewhatisneeded,theyactuallydestroycropswhilepeoplearehungry,producebusinessjetsandevenmoresenselesscarsandgadgetswhilemanypeoplestilldonothaverefrigeratorsorrunninghotwater,orevenahometolivein.Undersocialism,goodsandservicesareproducednotbecausesomeonecanmakeafastbuck,butbecausetheyareneededandwantedbythepeople.Capitalismalwayshadandwillhavecyclesofrecession,depressionandso-calledgoodtimes.Althoughinthe1950sand60salotoftalkwassmearedaroundtheU.S.abouthowthisproblemofcapitalismhadbeenresolved,todayasbanksarefailingandhomesarebeingforeclosed,weallunderstandthatitisasreadyasevertofallintoafull-blowndepression.Socialistcountriesneverhavedepressionsbecausetheydonotoperateonamarketeconomy.Instead,theyhaveaplannedandthought-outeconomythatisdesignedtomeetpeoplesneeds.Duringthegreatdepressionofthe1930s,theonlymajorcountrythatwasnotlayingpeopleoffwastheSovietUnion,whichhadasocialisteconomythen.

Socialismresolvesmanyothercontradictionsthatpresentdaycapitalismimposesonus.Byoverthrowingthecapitalistspoliticalcontrolandsettingupaworkingclassdemocracy,itispossibletoestablishasociallyownedmeansofproduction.Havingresolvedtheseworkrelationscontradictions,wecouldbeginbuildingnotonlyamoremateriallyplentifullife,butanemotionallyandsociallysatisfyingandecologicallysustainableoneaswell.Undercapitalismtheideaisthatyougainatsomeoneelsesexpense.Suchabasisforsocietyquitenaturallyleadstoanoverallhostility,distrustandnegativityamongstthepeople.Socialismisinsteadbasedontheprinciplethatmutualcooperationleadstoadvancement.Itisnothardtoseehow,inasocialistsystem,societywouldgrownincreasinglyharmoniousandpeopletruly,regardlessofrace,sex,oranyotherfeatures,wouldhavethegreatestpossiblefreedomtodeveloptheirfullhumanpotential.

Lookingahead,wecanseewearereachingapointinthiscountrywheremosthardmanuallaborcouldbeperformedbymachines.Thecapitalistswillnevermovetothisstagebecauseitwillmeancuttingtheirownthroats.Instead,theyfocusonautomatinggoodjobsforwhichworkersmustbepaidwellandleavinglow-payhardlaborfortheworkers.

Unskilledworkers,whodomostofthedirty,dangerous,boringwork,tendtobecheaperthanthemachinesthatwouldreplacethem.Theyarealsoplentifulandeasilyreplaced,whichmakesitdifficultforthemtomakedemandsonthebosses.Skilledworkers,whosejobstendtobemoreinterestingandsatisfying,mustbepaidmorebecausetheirknowledgeisinshortsupply.Alsotheycanmakedemandsonthebossesbecausetheyarenotsoeasilyreplaced.YoucantgototheHome

Depotparkinglotandpickupavanloadofdieselmechanics.Inordertounderstandthismorefully,wemustexamineacertainaspectofworkandcapitalistproduction.

KarlMarx,170yearsago,discoveredthatunderamoneysystem(Acapitalistsystem,thatis,althoughmoneyisusedforawhilewhenacountryistransformingtosocialism.Goodsandservicesareallocatedbyothermeansonceitbecomesfullysocialist,somoneybecomesuselessanddisappears.),allgoodsandservicesthataremadetobesold(commodities)onlygetvalueoncesomeworkerhasputhisorherlaboronthem.Byvaluewemeanexchangevalueormoneyvalue,notus


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evalue.Anythingthatisusefulhasusevalue,airforexample,butonlycommoditiesthataremadetobesoldhaveexchangevalueorjustvalue.Thatmightsoundstrange,soletustakeanexample.Letussaywethinkthereisgoldburiedintheyardinitsrawmineralorestate.Thisgoldhasnovalueaslongasitislyingunderground.Nowacapitalistcomesalongandhiresaworkertodiguptherawgoldore.Letssaytheworkerdigsup100poundsofgoldoreineighthoursofwork.Nowthecapitalisthas100poundsofgoldore,whichwellsayisworth$1000.Thecapitalistpaystheworker$100forhis/herdayswork,leavingthecapitalist$900extravalue(forsimplicitysakewewillcallthisallprofit,butsomeofitisotherthanthat),andnowthegolditselfhasavalueof$1000.Thecapitalistnowhiresagoldsmelterwhoineighthours,wellsay,meltstheoredownintoagoldbrick,whichwellsayisworth$2000.Thecapitalistpaysthesmelter$200inwages,smeltingbeingmoreskilledlaborthatndigging,leavingthecapitalistwitha$2000goldbarthatcosthimorher$300toacquire.(Theworkersactuallyproducedit.)Nowthecapitalistfindsagoldsmithwhohehirestoturnthegoldbarintomanygoldrings.Hepaysthegoldsmith$500forhisword.Thecapitalistthensellstheringsfor$4000,theirexchangevalue.Theworkerswhoselaborbroughtthegoldfromzerovaluetoitsfull$4000valuegot$800,andthecapitalistgottheremaining$3200.Thisisjustasimplifiedexample,buttheruleisthatcommoditiesgettheirvaluewhenaworkerputshis/herlaborandtimeintochangingsomematerialintoacommodity.

Underdevelopedcommodityproduction,whencommoditiesareexchangedthroughthemediumofmoney,theirvaluesareexpressedwithadefinitesumofmoney.Thev

alueofthecommodityisexpressedintermsofmoney.Exchangevaluebecomesthepriceofthecommodity.ThisisasimplelookatwhatMarxcalledTHELABORTHEORYOFVALUE.

Returningtotheideathatmostjobs,especiallytheworstones,couldbeautomated,weseethatthecapitalistscannotmovetothisstagebecauseifonlyhumanlaborpowerincreasesvalueandthusmakesprofit,thentheyneedhumanlaborpower.ThisdoesnotmeanthatpeoplewontkeeplosingtheirjobsintheU.S.becauseofautomation,sinceautomationincreasesthecapitalistsrateofprofit.Ifthecapitalisthasonelaborerandonemachinedoingtheworkwhichtenworkerswithoutmachinesdidbefore,thenofcourse,he/shehastopaylesswagesandsavesmoneyorincreasesprofit,butitdoesnotmeantthatthecapitalistswilltakethattotalstep.Onlysocialism,notgovernedbyprofit,couldandwillmove

toastagewherebackbreakinglaborislessneeded,becausethiswouldbetothebenefitofworkingpeople.

Finallyandgenerally,socialismasasocial-productivesystemisthefirsttimesinceprimitivecommunalismthatsocietyisrunandcontrolledbythemajorityofpeople(theworkingclass).Thepeoplewhoworkandproducewouldalsobethepeoplewhoownanddecidewhatshouldbedone,when,howandwhy.Theworkingclassasopposedtothecapitalistclasswouldbetheclassinpower,anditisalwaystruethatwhoevercontrolstheeconomyalsocontrolsthegovernment.Theworkingclassasawholewoulddeterminehowsocietywouldliveandgrow,bysettingupandusingtrulydemocraticmethodsandinstitutions.Thentheschools,medicalservices,recreationalfacilities,andallothersocialinstitutionswouldbeopenandavailableforthepeopletouse.Therewouldbenoonetodenyust

heseorotherthingsifweasaclasswererunningthecountry.Socialismisthelogicalandnecessarynextstageofsocietyandhumandevelopmentonthisplanetanythingelsewouldbegoingbackwards.

Thisisjustashortoutlineofsocialism.Howanyspecificsocialistsocietywouldlookwouldbeuptothepeopleofthatcountrytodetermine.Partofthisdeterminationishowindustriallyandmateriallydevelopedthecountrywastobeginwith.Cultural,historical,andenvironmentalfactorswillalsoinfluencethefacesofsocialism.Therefore,itisnotonlylikely,butmostassuredlytruethatdifferentcountrieswillhaveuniqueaspectstotheirsocialistdemocracies.


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Conclusion

This,then,isabasiclookatdialecticalandhistoricalmaterialismand,verybrieflyandgenerally,amaterialistbreakdownofthestagesofhumansocietysdevelopment,includingapeekathowsocialismwillbeinourcountry.Thisisnotreadingfortunecookies,astrologycharts,oranyothermetaphysicalhocus-pocus.Itisaconcreteevaluationofconcreterealitiesusingthepowerfultoolsofdialecticalmaterialistunderstandingsoftherealworld.Thesetools,andtheinsightswegainusingthem,enableustomoveforwardwithforesightandplanning.Thisisonlyanintroduction;somanypointswereleftoutandmostaspectswereonlycoveredbrieflyandgenerallyand,therefore,somewhatmechanically.Itishopedandurgedthatatleasttwoadditionalshortbooksberead:DialecticalandHistoricalMaterialism,byJ.StalinandOnContradiction,byMaoTseTung.Bothareavailableatpoliticalbookstoresandbothprovideamuchricherunderstandingofthispowerfultoolthatweneedifwewanttostrugglemoreeffectively.

Evenwithonlythisbasicunderstanding,wecanseethattheworldismovingforwardandthatthedayofthecommonpeople,theworkingclass,isapproaching.Asinallotherstagesthough,wemustrealizethatconditionsdevelopandgroundworkislaidwhilethemajorityofpeoplearestillnotawareoftheirfullscope.Butwhenacertainpointisreached,webegintoseeandunderstand(ifwedontpurposelyshutoureyes)thefullnatureofourenemy,aswellasourownpowe

randduty.Thusbeginsthelaststageoftheold.Thepeoplewhosedayhascomemustthenstepforwardandmakethatcompletequalitativeleapahead.Thisisnoteasyanditneverhasbeen,butallwereallyhavetoloseareourchainsthechainsthatconfineustoalifeofwageslaveryinasystemofdiscriminationandinjustice,thechainsthatholdusinprisoncellsincapitalistdungeons,thechainsthatallowusonlyfrustratedhalflivesastheoppressedclassinacapitalistnightmare.TheNewDayIsOursToBuild!

Documents

A Basic Introduction to Dialectical and Historical Materialism