Engels’s Theoretical Theoretical, by Fredrick Engels, is a paper written about the contradictions within capitalism, through its social and economic conflicts. This essay will begin with a clear and concise definition of historical materialism through Engels’s perspective. Later, it will touch upon the fundamental contradiction of capitalism, as written within his paper. The essay will also explain two particular contradictions that arise from the fundamental contradiction of capitalism. Finally, it will further explain Engels’s predictions based on the outcomes of this system. Historical materialism is a concept Engels included within his article, Theoretical, in order to properly describe and define the process of the various economic
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This is a stable system that lasted 1500 years, based on the idea that everyone was put in their positions by God. When Europeans discovered new technology from the muslims during the crusades, this enhanced their mode of production and exchange, introducing a new economic system. Capitalism, another example of historic materialism, is a political and economic system that works to produce a commodity in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Through the use of technology, the cost of labour decreases, making production cheaper and wage workers underpaid or unemployed. This problematic system will eventually create a large enough gap between the rich and poor, leading to its own destruction. A new materialism will then be created and known as communism. This system of production and exchange will lead to freedom, as the means of production is now owned and controlled by society as a whole. The privatization of production and exchange will be abolished, and wealth will no longer be concentrated. This is essentially what Fredrick Engels refers to as historical …show more content…
Contrastingly, in the Middle Ages, ownership of a product was based on ones own labour and if they received any additional assistance, they would pay wages and further compensation. This quickly changed as individual production became social production within workshops and factories. Capitalism is made up of endless contradictions where the labourers are paid minimal wages, while the bourgeoisie takes possession of all the profit made as a result of the labourers work. Engels claims that the more the capitalist modes of production gain, the more incompatible it will be with society. This is the fundamental contradiction that essentially creates many other contradictions, where the capital gains private control of social wealth. Instead of sharing this wealth within society, it is concentrated, leaving an increasingly large gap between the rich and poor. This fundamental contradiction will lead to the systems potential self-destruction, as it has outgrown its
This is a stable system that lasted 1500 years, based on the idea that everyone was put in their positions by God. When Europeans discovered new technology from the muslims during the crusades, this enhanced their mode of production and exchange, introducing a new economic system. Capitalism, another example of historic materialism, is a political and economic system that works to produce a commodity in the fastest and most efficient way possible. Through the use of technology, the cost of labour decreases, making production cheaper and wage workers underpaid or unemployed. This problematic system will eventually create a large enough gap between the rich and poor, leading to its own destruction. A new materialism will then be created and known as communism. This system of production and exchange will lead to freedom, as the means of production is now owned and controlled by society as a whole. The privatization of production and exchange will be abolished, and wealth will no longer be concentrated. This is essentially what Fredrick Engels refers to as historical …show more content…
Contrastingly, in the Middle Ages, ownership of a product was based on ones own labour and if they received any additional assistance, they would pay wages and further compensation. This quickly changed as individual production became social production within workshops and factories. Capitalism is made up of endless contradictions where the labourers are paid minimal wages, while the bourgeoisie takes possession of all the profit made as a result of the labourers work. Engels claims that the more the capitalist modes of production gain, the more incompatible it will be with society. This is the fundamental contradiction that essentially creates many other contradictions, where the capital gains private control of social wealth. Instead of sharing this wealth within society, it is concentrated, leaving an increasingly large gap between the rich and poor. This fundamental contradiction will lead to the systems potential self-destruction, as it has outgrown its