Karl Marx and the Intellectual Origins of Dialectical Materialism

This paper deals with the impact that Karl Marx"s Das Kapital (and especially its fourth volume, the theory of Surplus Value) had on the category of economy in Kazimir Malevich"s output. In a series of texts, Malevich proclaims economy the new criterion of art and the Black Square its embodiment in contemporary painting. While the author was analyzing Marx"s views on labor and human nature, echoes of them turned up in Malevich"s manifestos and philosophical essays where the artist pondered the idea of the liberation of creative exaltation. The article others an interpretation of the creative process itself from the standpoint of economy, which for Malevich provided an opportunity to lay down the foundation for a new kind of art that was consistent with the prevailing ideology. The author points out that while Malevich was in Vitebsk he studied Marx"s works with idea of incorporating economic studies into art: his speculations on the relationships between the ideological superstructure and the practical, economic base were written in the manner of Marxist philosophy and provided the basis for his main essays, The World as Non-Objectivity (1923) and Suprematism: Thee World as Non-Objectivity or Eternal Rest (1923-1924). They defined the new art as an independent ideological superstructure positioned “outside of other contents and ideologies.” Parallel to that, the author examines the correspondence between Malevich"s theory of the surplus element and Marxist doctrines on surplus value. It is also shown that Malevich hoped to prove that, as in dialectical materialism, his new surplus element opens the way to a new artistic structure that is emerging from the womb of the old system in the same way that communism comes about as a kind of heterogeneous body from within the underpinnings of bourgeois society.

Download Full-text

H.M. Hyndman and the Intellectual Origins of the Remaking of Socialism in Britain, 1878–1881*

The English Historical Review ◽

10.1093/ehr/cez188 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 134 (569) ◽

pp. 855-880 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Seamus Flaherty

Keyword(s):

Social History ◽

Karl Marx ◽

Central Place ◽

Late Nineteenth Century ◽

Periodical Press ◽

Linguistic Turn ◽

Intellectual Origins ◽

Friedrich Engels ◽

The Subject ◽

Socialist Movement

Abstract In recent years, the historiography of late nineteenth-century British Socialism has reached a new level of sophistication. The determinism and essentialism that typified much of the work on the subject prior to the so-called linguistic turn in social history has been decisively dropped. This article, however, argues that the influence of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels still persists in two crucial respects. Firstly, it suggests that historians continue to take their lead from Marx in pinpointing the start of the Socialist movement; and second, it posits that historians also continue to follow Engels by describing the political beliefs of H.M. Hyndman as belonging to an intellectual tradition of Tory Radicalism. This article argues that, partly as a consequence of that first error, historians have overlooked the small but crucial burst of articles on the topic of Socialism published in the periodical press between 1878 and 1880. It also claims that, contrary to the historiographical consensus, Hyndman was not an ‘ex-Conservative’ or Radical of Tory inclination. It demonstrates, rather, that Hyndman’s ideological heritage was overwhelmingly Liberal. It situates Hyndman’s first article on Socialism against the anterior discussion in the periodical press. The article reveals how Hyndman’s intervention was indebted to the arguments previously advanced by J.S. Mill, Henry Fawcett, and William Cunningham. It posits, furthermore, that once it is recognised that the writings of Mill, Fawcett and other Liberals occupied a central place in Hyndman’s political imagination a number of other features of Hyndman’s political thought also fall into place.

Download Full-text

The Relation of God and Man in the Writings of Nicolas Berdyaev

Scottish Journal of Theology ◽

10.1017/s0036930600057707 ◽

1950 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 380-396

Author(s):

Donald G. M. MaCkay

Keyword(s):

Karl Marx ◽

Dialectical Materialism ◽

The North ◽

Christian Culture ◽

Marxian Analysis ◽

The University

Nicholas Berdyaev was born in 1874 in Kiev, the cradle of Russian Christian culture. He was a scion of an aristocratic family, but while studying in Kiev, came under the influence of the writings of Kant and Hegel. While Hegel himself drew conservative conclusions from his own system, Karl Marx drew revolutionary conclusions, and the young Berdyaev followed Marx and the early Communists. Expelled from the University for these Marxist leanings, he found himself in exile in the north in company with some of the founders of Russian Communism. Yet all through his life he remained an independent and a rebel. Although he accepted the economic and political conclusions of Marxism, he rejected the dialectical materialism on which they were supposedly based, and as a result he was again exiled in 1922, this time by the Communists, after he had served as professor of philosophy in Moscow University. Most of the rest of his life was spent in exile in Paris, with the little group of Russian emigrés, but as he remained true to the Marxian analysis and critique of capitalism to the end of his days, and loathed the bourgeois order of society as cordially as any disciple of Lenin, he was naturally in little favour with them. He died there on 24th March 1948 at his writing table.

Download Full-text

Reviews: The British Ombudsman, The History of the Liberal Party 1895–1970, Lancashire and the New Liberalism, Ireland's English Question, Liberalism in South Africa 1948–1963, The Gentle Anarchists: A Study of the Leaders of the Sarvodaya Movement for Non-Violent Revolution in India, The Finnish Political System, Politics and Society in De Gaulle's Republic, Fédéralisme et Nations, The Soviet Union Under Brezhnev and Kosygin, The Behavioral Revolution and Communist Studies, The Origins of Polish Socialism: The History and Ideas of the First Polish Socialist Party 1878–1886, The Intellectual Origins of the Prague Spring: The Development of Reformist Ideas in Czechoslovakia 1956–1967, The Secret Vysočany Congress: Proceedings and Documents of the Extraordinary Fourteenth Congress of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, 22 August, 1968, the Czechoslovak Experiment 1968–1969, Democracy, Polyarchy, Empirical Democratic Theory, Voting and Collective Choice, Social Movement, Constitutional Theory, Magna Carta: The Heritage of Liberty, Natural Law in Political Thought, A Dialogue between A Philosopher and A Student of the Common Laws of England, from Kingdom to Commonwealth, Adam Smith's Science of Morals, Auguste Blanqui and the Art of Insurrection, Alienation: Marx's Conception of Man in Capitalist Society, the Thought of Karl Marx: An Introduction, Capitalism & Modern Social Theory, Introduction to International Politics, a Theoretical Overview, Instructor's Guide(for Introduction to International Politics, International Politics Today, Contemporary International Politics: Introductory Readings, Every War Must End, Politics and the Stages of Economic Growth

Political Studies ◽

10.1111/j.1467-9248.1972.tb01076.x ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

pp. 226-266

Author(s):

Geoffrey Marshall ◽

J. Rasmussen ◽

P. M. H. Bell ◽

J. H. Whyte ◽

D. J. Murray ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soviet Union ◽

Karl Marx ◽

International Politics ◽

Constitutional Theory ◽

Liberal Party ◽

The Soviet Union ◽

Conception Of Man ◽

Intellectual Origins ◽

History Of ◽

Instructor's Guide

Download Full-text

A pedagogia histórico-crítica e a defesa da transmissão do saber elaborado: apontamentos acerca do método pedagógico

Perspectiva ◽

10.5007/perspectiva.v33i1.36032 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 345

Author(s):

Tiago Nicola Lavoura ◽

Ana Carolina Galvão Marsiglia

Keyword(s):

Critical Pedagogy ◽

Student Development ◽

Social Practice ◽

Karl Marx ◽

Dialectical Materialism ◽

School Education ◽

Educational Work ◽

Dialectical Logic ◽

Transmission Of Knowledge ◽

Starting Point

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-795X.2015v33n1p345Este artigo possui como objetivo realizar uma discussão acerca do método pedagógico da pedagogia histórico-crítica, notadamente elucidando as bases de sua fundamentação referenciadas no Método da Economia Política elaborado por Marx na famosa Introdução de 1857. Desta feita, explicita-se o movimento do conhecimento como a passagem do empírico ao concreto pela mediação do abstrato, evidenciando o caráter mediador da educação na prática social, tomando esta como ponto de partida e ponto de chegada do trabalho educativo, tendo-se como momentos intermediários do método pedagógico a problematização desta prática social, a instrumentalização por meio da transmissão dos conhecimentos nas suas formas mais elaboradas e a catarse enquanto síntese de desenvolvimento do aluno e, consequentemente, a possibilidade de alteração da prática social humano-genérica. Assim, busca-se evidenciar a lógica dialética desta proposta pedagógica que defende a atividade de ensino na educação escolar como aquela responsável pela reprodução ideal do movimento real dos conteúdos escolares, permitindo o alcance da riqueza categorial dos objetos de ensino enquanto síntese de múltiplas determinações e relações numerosas. Nesse sentido, compreender o método pedagógico dessa teoria em consonância com os fundamentos do materialismo histórico-dialético é essencial para sua realização bem sucedida e coerente com sua proposição. Historical-critical pedagogy and the defense of elaborate knowledge transmission: notes on pedagogical method AbstractThis article aims to carry out a discussion about pedagogical method of historical-critical pedagogy, clearly highlighting its fundaments on Political Economy Method, created by Karl Marx in his famous 1857. Thus, the study seeks to make clear the dialectical logic of this pedagogical proposal that speaks up for the teaching activity in school education as that responsible by the ideal reproduction of the real school subjects movement, enabling the reach of categorical wealth of teaching objects as synthesis of multiple determinations and numerous relationship. So, it is made explicit the movement of knowledge as the passage from the empirical to the concrete by abstract mediation, highlighting the mediating character of education in social practice, taking this as a starting point and end point of the educational work, taking the questioning of this social practice as intermediate moments of pedagogical method , the manipulation through the transmission of knowledge in its most elaborate forms and catharsis as student development synthesis and consequently the possibility of changing human-generic social practice. In this sense, understanding the pedagogical method of this theory founded on Historical-Dialectical Materialism is essential to successfully and coherently carry out its proposition.Keywords: School Education. Historical-critical Pedagogy. Dialectical Method. La pedagogía histórica-crítica y la defensa de la transmisión del saber elaborado: anotaciones sobre el método pedagógico ResumenEl objetivo del artículo es realizar una discusión sobre el método pedagógico de la pedagogía histórica-crítica, explicado en las bases de su fundamentación referenciada en el Método de la Economía Política elaborado por Marx en la famosa Introducción de 1857. De este modo, se explicita el movimiento del conocimiento como el paso de lo empírico a lo concreto a través de la mediación de lo abstracto, resaltando el carácter mediador de la educación en la práctica social, tomándola como punto de partida y punto de llegada del trabajo educativo, teniendo como momentos intermedios del método pedagógico el problematizar esta práctica social, la instrumentalización a través de la transmisión de los conocimientos en sus formas más elaboradas y la catarsis, como síntesis de desarrollo del alumno y, como consecuencia, la posibilidad de alteración de la práctica social humana-genérica. De este modo, se busca mostrar la lógica dialéctica de esta propuesta pedagógica que aboga la actividad de enseñanza en la educación escolar como aquella responsable por la reproducción ideal del movimiento real de los contenidos escolares, lo que permite el alcance de la riqueza categórica de los objetos de enseñanza, como síntesis de múltiples determinaciones y relaciones numerosas. En este sentido, comprender el método pedagógico de esta teoría en consonancia con los fundamentos del materialismo histórico-dialéctico es esencial para su éxito y coherencia con su proposición.Palabras claves: Educación Escolar. Pedagogía histórica-crítica. Método Dialéctico.

Download Full-text

Dialectical Materialism

10.1007/978-3-030-84570-4_3 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 67-109

Author(s):

Hub Zwart

Keyword(s):

Political Economy ◽

Karl Marx ◽

Class Struggle ◽

Dialectical Materialism ◽

Division Of Labour ◽

Natural Sciences ◽

Research Practice ◽

Technological Developments ◽

Friedrich Engels

AbstractAlthough Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels strictly speaking never used the term, “dialectical materialism” refers to the philosophy of science and nature developed in (and on the basis of) their writings, emphasising the pivotal role of real-world socio-economic conditions (e.g. labour, class struggle, technological developments). As indicated by their correspondence (Marx & Engels, 1983), their collaboration represented a unique intellectual partnership which began in Paris in 1844 and continued after Marx’s death, when Engels took care of Marx’s legacy, notably the sprawling mass of manuscripts which he managed to transform into Volume II and III of Capital. While their joint effort (resulting in no less than 44 volumes of collected writings known as the Marx Engels Werke, published by Dietz Verlag Berlin) began as co-authorship, they eventually decided on a division of labour (with Marx focussing on Capital), although reading, reviewing, commenting on and contributing to each other’s writings remained an important part of their research practice. As a result of this division of labour, while Marx focussed on political economy, Engels dedicated himself to elaborating a dialectical materialist philosophy of nature and the natural sciences, resulting in works such as the Anti-Dühring and his unfinished Dialectics of Nature (published posthumously), although Engels (a voracious intellectual) wrote and published on may other topics as well, so that his output can be regarded as a dialectical materialist encyclopaedia in fragments. Again, although I will start with an exposition of dialectical materialism, my aim is not to contribute to scholarly discussions on dialectical materialism. My focus is on the how and now, and my aim is to explore how to practice dialectical materialism of technoscience today (cf. Žižek, 2014/2015, p. 1; Hamza, 2016, p. 163).

Download Full-text

PRAWO W UTOPII KOMUNISTYCZNEJ. ZARYS PROBLEMATYKI

Zeszyty Prawnicze ◽

10.21697/zp.2011.11.4.11 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 255

Author(s):

Karol Kuźmicz

Keyword(s):

Karl Marx ◽

Dialectical Materialism ◽

Revolutionary Movement ◽

Class Society ◽

Communist Ideology ◽

The World ◽

Friedrich Engels ◽

The Law ◽

The 19Th Century ◽

The Revolution

LAW IN THE COMMUNIST UTOPIA. AN OUTLINE OF TOPIC Summary The Communist Utopia is strictly connected with the philosophical concepts of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the 19th century. It is based on historical and dialectical materialism, which were later developed by younger philosophers who created Communist ideology. The scientific character of Communism was stressed and they claimed that it is possible to reach Communism, which will be the highest achievement of social development of progressive mankind. According to XI thesis about Ludwig Feuerbach “the philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways, but the clue problem is to change the world”. In order to change the world law was supposed to be used, because the philosophers claimed that it is easier to create a new man and new world than to adapt the system to people. The transition to Communism, with its first phase called „real socialism”, was connected with the fight of classes, which was supposed to be sharper and sharper. In this fight the law had to be both sword and shield on the way to Communism. The law was used as a tool in this fight against „relics of capitalism” such as: counter-revolution, imperialism, non-socialist attitude towards ownership and labor, nationalistic prejudices, religion and many other relics of capitalism. The Communist ideology presumed that reaching the power would be achieved by the revolution. In political and legal practice the ideology was totalitarian. The Communist system has elaborated its own theory of state and law, according to which the law was regarded as a tool for rulers, who wanted to achieve their own goals (often Utopian). The revolutionary movement tried to preserve the changes by binding law. As a result of it the law was instrumentally treated by the regime, which itself was above the law. The Communism, which as a presumption was not Utopian, has occurred to be anti-Utopian (so called negative Utopia). According to Leszek Kołakowski, the Communism was a “total lie” from the beginning. The highest point of the Communist Utopia was a presumption that at the end of the revolution the state and law will not be necessary any more. The non-class society will reach Communist paradise on the earth.

Download Full-text