Polish fans real capitalist world a cen tury after its publication.
It is suficient to compare the real history of the period since one hand with what Marx predicted it would be, and on the other hand with any motion', to TOW remarkable indeed was Marx's theoretical achievement and how strongly stands up against the experimental lest or mistory.
The idea that theory tion' is particularly important. Marx himselt took up this point when he Second Edition of his work. Here he took up the critics of Capital. Most, he concluded, tably failed had even lanlicl to understand what he was trying to do. However the Russian critic Sieber so much neased Marx his understanding that h exceos uni cluding the following 'The one thing which is important for Marx is to find the law phenomena with whose investigation he is concerned: and it is not only the laws which govern these phenomena given historical period that within is important to him. still greater importance to variation, of their development The scientific value of such an enquiry lies in the illumination of the special laws that regulate the origin, istence, development and death of a given organism.' (our emphasis)
Marx comments:
'Here the reviewer piciures what he takes to be my own actual method in a striking and, as far as concens mav owa aooncauon of it, generous way: • But what else • is he depicting but the dialectical method?' The 'dialectical method" is precisely tha which Marx took as his own - although its earlier development came also in the grea German philosopher Hegel This allows us to tie Marxism's prac tical nature its goal 01 helping us to change the which studied last week and the fact that every Marxist category or idea retlects a material reality. The aim of every Marxist analysis is to lay bare the law of moLICI development — of what is studied, order that may foresee predict, change, and therefore act to influence the process of change.
Take the example of the state, which we looked at last week. The Marxist analysis of the state is a vew abour es ovname from which one vital con clusion is that in a decisive clash between the working class and the ruling class, the capitalist state will act with all its violence to defend the capitalist class. This allows make judgements as to how we should act to deal with the capitalist state during such decisive confrontation.
revolutionary socialists such Hugo Blanco i warned thai only way to frustrate a COUD was for workers themselves to take power.
In summary, theory, developed from the study of the real material world and tested by its ability to predict change, becomes a force through which ourselves can enter into the process of change, and effect its development.
But precisely because it is concerned with change and development, Marxism is also immediately a theory and view of history - Indeed it began as such. This is what we shall look at next.