The Theoretical Foundation of Marx's Historical Sociology

Abstract

In this paper I construct the theoretical foundation for Marx's historical concerns in his various social studies. Marx developed his theory of the historical transformation of society by critically confronting the three dominant intellectual currents of his time: German philosophy, French socialism, and British political economy. In these confrontations, Marx criticized the ahistorical tendencies of these traditions and instead emphasized the historical specificity of capitalism and its possible transcendence by human praxis. Marx's critique of the ahistorical errors and alternative emphasis on the historical character of social system constitute the theoretical unifying theme of his social studies. Marx grounded this thematic unity in his dialectical insights about how society is structured and transformed, which help shed new light on the controversial interpretation of Marx in current Marxism, as represented by the debate between structuralist Marxists and anti-structuralists.