The Need for a Thorough Marxist Understanding of America

Abstract

When Marx wrote: No social order ever disappears before all the productive forces for which there is room have been developed; and new higher relations of production never appear before the material conditions of their existence have matured in the womb of the old society itself, he was not making a chance remark but rather was formulating one of the main points of his theory. This statement-from the preface to his The Critique of Political Economy -has deep and neglected significance for the understanding of the problems of the socialist movement in America. This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website , where most recent articles are published in full. Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.