The German Ideology

Book Review

«The German Ideology» by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels is one of the key works in which the authors formulate the foundations of a materialist understanding of history and critique the idealistic philosophy of their contemporaries. Critics note that in this book, Marx and Engels systematically present their concept of historical materialism for the first time, asserting that the material conditions of a society's life determine its development, rather than ideas or consciousness. The work is also famous for its critique of the «Young Hegelians», such as Bruno Bauer and Max Stirner, whom Marx and Engels accuse of being detached from real life and focused on abstract philosophical constructs. Critics emphasize that despite the complexity and polemical nature of the text, «The German Ideology» became an important stage in the development of Marxist theory, laying the groundwork for further research in sociology, economics, and political philosophy. However, some reviewers point out that the work remained unfinished and was published only after the authors' deaths, which may affect its perception and interpretation.