Historical Materialism And Fredrick Engels: The Historical Development Of Capitalism

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Fredrick Engels takes an historical materialist approach regarding the capitalist mode of production in a passage entitled Theoretical. Engels discusses the drastic separation between the bourgeoisie and proletarians as the feudal system shatters, allowing the notorious bourgeoisie to rein freely (Engels 292). This essay will begin by examining what historical materialism means and its connection to production and exchange, outlining the basic contradiction in capitalism according to Engels, as well as, analyzing the two contradictions that arise from the fundamental contradiction. Finally, the paper will conclude by demonstrating what Engels conceptualizes as the outcome of the historical development of capitalism, emphasizing how society can achieve this and what consequences will emerge if …show more content…

The way society can attain this outcome is by identifying the powers in Nature and truly grasping how they function (Engels 305). Engels declares that if society does not learn to become aware of these forces within Nature, the capitalists will undeniably take advantage of the proletarians, controlling the means of production and persisting to operate against the majority (Engels 305). Should the proletarians understand Nature, they can reconstruct their once triumphant masters into fellow servants, taming the anarchy that was once present and replacing it with social regulation (Engels 306). The continuous conversion of the population into majority proletarians will overthrow the capitalists and acquaint power to the proletarians (Engels 306). Initially, society will seize social production and put an end to commodity manufacturing, men will have a strong dominance and full consciousness of the modes of production and exchange (Engels

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