The German Ideology
The German Ideology
Midterm Exam
Amanda C. Frumento
Sociology 3310
Professor Long
Fall 2012
In The German Ideology, Karl Marx explains that all societies have to actively transform nature to fulfill their needs, in doing so these societies always function with a social and a natural dimension. Marx illustrates that both the social and natural dimensions of production are imbedded in everyday activities. In order to see these two dimensions of production one must focus on what people are doing rather than what they say or think. With these two dimensions of production in mind Marx then explores the various societies of the world and leads into how these dimensions set a base for the division of labor and what the division has been in each society.
Before Marx sets out on explaining his two fundamental concepts he gives the reader some background information that leads into his two dimensions of production. He speaks of the everyday life of people; this includes the very first production of people, the never ending needs, and the drive of reproduction. With this basic outline of human nature Marx then goes on to explain how the social relations of production are embedded in the fundamental conditions of life.
Marx’s first acknowledgment is that of the first production of people, material life. Marx explains that even when we go back in time to when the world was nothing people still produced in order to sustain life. Marx says, “… men must be in a position to live in order to be able to “make history”. But life involves before everything else eating and drinking, a habitation, clothing and many other things. The first historical act is thus the production of the means to satisfy these needs, the production of material life itself” (Marx 48). With material life comes needs, therefore the starting point for everything is the production of material life. Marx goes on to talk about the production of the stick. The most basic production was the stick, before
Midterm Exam
Amanda C. Frumento
Sociology 3310
Professor Long
Fall 2012
In The German Ideology, Karl Marx explains that all societies have to actively transform nature to fulfill their needs, in doing so these societies always function with a social and a natural dimension. Marx illustrates that both the social and natural dimensions of production are imbedded in everyday activities. In order to see these two dimensions of production one must focus on what people are doing rather than what they say or think. With these two dimensions of production in mind Marx then explores the various societies of the world and leads into how these dimensions set a base for the division of labor and what the division has been in each society.
Before Marx sets out on explaining his two fundamental concepts he gives the reader some background information that leads into his two dimensions of production. He speaks of the everyday life of people; this includes the very first production of people, the never ending needs, and the drive of reproduction. With this basic outline of human nature Marx then goes on to explain how the social relations of production are embedded in the fundamental conditions of life.
Marx’s first acknowledgment is that of the first production of people, material life. Marx explains that even when we go back in time to when the world was nothing people still produced in order to sustain life. Marx says, “… men must be in a position to live in order to be able to “make history”. But life involves before everything else eating and drinking, a habitation, clothing and many other things. The first historical act is thus the production of the means to satisfy these needs, the production of material life itself” (Marx 48). With material life comes needs, therefore the starting point for everything is the production of material life. Marx goes on to talk about the production of the stick. The most basic production was the stick, before