The German Ideology

Methodology and Conclusions

In «The German Ideology», Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels apply a historical-materialist approach to analyzing the development of society. They critique the idealistic philosophy of their predecessors and contemporaries, asserting that material conditions of life, rather than ideas, are the basis of social development. Marx and Engels' methodology involves studying real historical processes and material conditions that shape social relations and human consciousness. They emphasize that changes in the economic base of society lead to changes in its superstructure, including politics, law, and culture. The main conclusion of the book is that understanding historical development requires considering the material conditions and productive relations that determine social structures and ideologies. Marx and Engels also assert that the proletariat, as a class with an interest in abolishing private property, is the driving force of revolutionary changes leading to a communist society.