An Analysis of Karl Marx's Historical Materialism in Sociology

This essay delves into Karl Marx's theory of historical materialism, presenting a comprehensive analysis of his core concepts and their impact on society. The paper begins by introducing Marx's concern with the capitalist structures that caused alienation between human labor and their true nature. It then explores historical materialism as the foundation for understanding society through a materialistic lens, emphasizing the role of economic organization and the mode of production. The essay further examines Marx's perspectives on labor, commodity, alienation, and commodity fetishism within the context of capitalism. It highlights how Marx viewed labor as central to human potential and how alienation arises from the exploitation of workers. The essay also discusses Marx's view on commodities and how they become isolated from the needs of the creator. Ultimately, the essay underscores the enduring significance of Marx's contributions to sociology and his influence on political and socioeconomic thought, providing a framework for understanding class struggles and societal structures.

Running head: KARL MARX
KARL MARX
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The manifesto of the communist party is recognized as his famous work in cooperation of
Engels. Many socioeconomic and political thinkers think Marx as an icon than a thinker who
deserves deep study. He is one of the theorists who have had theories named after him. The
communist manifesto is a political pamphlet that was published in 1848 by the Friedrich Engels
and Karl Marx. The theory was concerned with nature of society and politics which led to many
other concepts and theories. These theories and concepts explained the way society was
operating and the direction society was heading towards it. He has provided a structural
framework that explains different class and the segregation existing between them. It explains
the struggle of the workers and the way capitalism was exploiting the working class briefly
portraying the idea that capitalist society would eventually replace the socialism. In the same
discourse, the paper aims to discuss one of his theories, historical materialism along with the
associated concepts that has changed the world. Marx was worried with the capitalist structures
that that caused this alienation between human labor and their true nature. He explained through
his writing his concern which explained the concept of historical materialism. The historical
materialism has certainly presented an idea that helps in seeing the world through a separate
sociological framework. It is the main aim of the paper which will discuss the concept of looking
at the society through the materialistic view.
Historical materialism:
One of the central concepts of Marx’s thought is his theory of historical materialism. According
to Marx, human society and the cultural institutions are likely to have outgrowth of collective
economic activity. Even though the term may sound complicated, it is simply his way of
presenting his thought about society. Society’s economic organizations are the fundamental
determinants of the social institutions. It is the mode of production which is mainly important for

the historical materialism. It is the way through which a particular society organizes itself
economically. The theory was largely influenced by Hegel’s dialectical method however
although Marx agreed with the dialectical thesis, he did not agree with the notion that abstract
ideas were the prime engine. According to Marx, it was material and economic forces that
determined the relationship to physical, biological and natural world which were driving the
dialectic of change. Particularly, the engine of history has the foundation in the internal
contradictions in the material production system.
As per Marx, mode of production or every economic system in the human history has a
contradiction that in the end led to its demise and replacement by something or someone else.
Feudalism is the contradiction that involves the necessity for states that are ruled by monarchs to
trade with other states. Therefore, it creates a working class and result to the advance of
capitalism. Marx also saw capitalism having it own contradictions, specifically in the
overproduction of goods. Along with the development and advancement of technology, the
workers would continue to be exploited.
Labor
According to Marx, human potential and species being are directly interrelated to labor in the
capitalist society. It holds the major importance and most of the profit is drawn from them by
exploiting the workers. Marx defined labor as a process in which participation of both nature and
man is involved. In this process man of his accords begins, manage and control the material
reactions between nature and him. This, therefore, acts on the external world as a change agent
along with the changes in himself. Man develops his slumbering powers and forces them in
obedience to his way. There are several perspective of Marx in his concept of labor and human

nature. Firstly, it helps in distinguishing humans from other animals. Labor is something that
only had its existence in human imagination. The human production is the reflection of their
purpose. According to Marx, the process of creating external objects out of internal thoughts is
called as objectification. Secondly, he explains that labor is material. Labor works with an aspect
of nature in order to fulfill human material needs. Lastly, this labor is something that has the
power to produce services and goods.
Commodities:
Commodity is one of the related concepts of Marx’s concept of materialism. His perception of
commodity was rooted in this theory of materialism and materialistic orientation along with its
focus on the productive activities as the prime actors. As discussed earlier, it was his idea that
human while interacting with nature creates the objects which can fulfill their need. the
objectifying of things helps people making things that may become the necessity to survive,
personal use. This form of uses in the term of Marx is called the commodity use value. The
specific process has dangerous outcomes in capitalism. In capitalism, this process has made the
major changes making it the main method of producing goods for not self but others. The
products with exchange value are not used immediately but exchanged in the market with a
price. The relation between human needs and the actual object determines the use value of the
commodity. It is a complicated factor and often difficult to compare the use value of various
things. For an example, bread has a big use value since it is associated with major human needs
that are satisfying hunger. Also, it is important to understand that use value differs person to
person and they are qualitatively different. Furthermore, use value is associated with the physical
properties of a commodity. Therefore, exchange values are different and it is quantitatively
different. It is different from the physical property of the commodity.

Alienation
Marx described alienation as the work of capitalism to distort the relationship between
human nature and labor. Although Marx later moved away from using the greatly philosophical
term of alienation, the term continued to be one of the author’s prime concerns. According to
Marx, human beings have started to view their labor as merely a means to their end and that end
is to earn money. He states that the true purpose of labor that the human beings used to cherish is
no longer there under capitalism. The humans work as per the demands of the capitalists. Labor
has been reduced to being just a tool of earning money rather than being “an expression of
human capabilities”. Marx further states that due to the human labor not being his own anymore,
it fails to transform them. He states that it instead alienates the human from his labor and hence,
alienates him from his true nature.
Marx was worried with the capitalist structures that that caused this alienation between
human labor and their true nature. The concept of alienation is understood more clearly, when
Marx talks about the two-class system where the capitalists pay the workers to work hence own
their labor time and the capitalists owning all the means of production as well. This has caused a
devastating effect on the workers alienating them from their right to work for themselves. In
order to live, the workers are compelled to sell their valuable labor time to the capitalists. These
capitalist structures, particularly the division of labor constitute the sociological foundation of
alienation. Marx wanted to convey the message that the human worker no longer labors to satisfy
himself but to satisfy the needs of his capitalist owner. The human no longer feels satisfied with
his own self while he is working because he is not working to satisfy himself but to satisfy the
needs of others. In other words, the human feels alienated with himself in his labor.

This alienation then results in the humans having satisfaction only in their animal
functions such as drinking, eating and procreating. However, in the process of labor, which is a
fundamental human process, the humans do not anymore feel as humans but animals. He further
clarifies that although eating, drinking and procreating are human functions but without the
presence of free labor, these become animal functions.
Marx further states that alienation has some components that help in understanding the
concept better. One of the components is that the workers are alienated from their productive
labor in a capitalist society. The workers no longer produce objects that are based on their own
ideas or that satisfy their needs directly but objects that satisfy the capitalists. These capitalists
pay the workers some amount of money in turn for the labor they give them, which they could
use in any way they want. This also helps in clearly understanding the concept o alienation as
explained by Marx.
Fetishism of commodity:
Commodities are largely interconnected with human labor however they become isolated
from the needs and purpose of the person who creates it. Since the exchange value is something
that is derived from the actual commodity it has its existence in a realm different from any
human use. Humans are led to believe that these objects as well as the market exist
independently. In countries where capitalism is fully developed, the belief has become reality as
the market and their objects ceratily become the reality and an independent phenomenon. an
commodity becomes an independent reality with an external mystical reality. This process is
called as fetishism of commodity by Marx. According to Marx, the commodities did not take any
forms of sexual meaning as he has written earlier Freud the term fetish with this twist. In

capitalism, the products that are made, the values and the economy consisted within itb have an
individual entity. They economy that have the exchange values seem to have to take of their own
that is different from any human basis needs or decisions. It even includes own labor, the aspect
that makes possible making people commodity that can be bought and sole. The labor acquires
exchange value that is separate from the rest.
Sociology can never be complete without Karl Marx for the immense contribution he has
made and changed people’s perception of looking at society. Karl Marx was a Prussian political
economist and journalist who was an active activist. The contribution of Marx and his work are
an absolute necessity in order to study sociology. His work has influenced number of people
including political leaders and socioeconomic thinkers. His ideas gave rise to furious revolutions
that ushered in the toppling of centuries-old governments. These revolutions have been serving
as the foundation for political system that still rule over more than 20 percent world’s population.
One of his popular works was in regard to capital, capitalists and the proletariat. One of the
central concepts of Marx’s thought is his theory of historical materialism. According to Marx,
human society and the cultural institutions are likely to have outgrowth of collective economic
activity. According to Marx, human potential and species being are directly interrelated to labor
in the capitalist society. It holds the major importance and most of the profit is drawn from them
by exploiting the workers. Commodity is one of the related concepts of Marx’s concept of
materialism. His perception of commodity was rooted in this theory of materialism and
materialistic orientation along with its focus on the productive activities as the prime actors. In
capitalism, this process has made the major changes making it the main method of producing
goods for not self but others. The products with exchange value are not used immediately but
exchanged in the market with a price. The relation between human needs and the actual object