Historical Materialism
Learn about Historical Materialism, a methodological approach to the study of human societies and their development over time.
Key Features
Why developers choose Historical Materialism.
Means of Production
The means of production are the tools, factories, land, and investment capital used to produce wealth.
Relations of Production
The relations of production are the social relationships people enter into as they acquire and use the means of production. In capitalist society, the main relations of production involve the bourgeoisie (the owners of the means of production) and the proletariat (the workers).
Superstructure
The superstructure of a society includes its culture, institutions, political power structures, roles, rituals, and state. The base (the means and relations of production) determines the superstructure.
Implementation & Strategy
Costs, timelines, and strategic considerations for adopting Historical Materialism.
Estimated Project Costs
Historical materialism is a theory of history, so it doesn't have a direct cost. However, there are costs associated with the time and resources that you dedicate to the process of studying and applying the theory. These costs can range from a few dollars for a book to several thousand dollars for a university course.
Implementation Strategy
A typical historical materialism analysis starts with an examination of the means of production in a society. From there, you can analyze the relations of production and the superstructure. The final step is to use this analysis to understand the historical development of the society.