Socialism: Utopian and Scientific

Methodology and Conclusions

In the book «Socialism: Utopian and Scientific», Friedrich Engels explores the evolution of socialist thought, starting with utopian socialists like Saint-Simon, Fourier, and Owen, and leading to the scientific socialism developed by him and Karl Marx. Engels' methodology involves historical and dialectical analysis, where he examines the economic and social conditions that led to the emergence of various forms of socialism. Engels emphasizes that utopian socialism was an important stage, but its shortcoming was the inability to understand the historical and material conditions necessary for realizing socialist ideas. In his conclusions, Engels argues that scientific socialism, based on a materialist understanding of history and class struggle, is a more realistic and achievable path to transforming society. He highlights the importance of the working class as the driving force of revolutionary change and the necessity of political organization to achieve socialist goals.