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    Materialism Dialectical Method

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    marta soane
    materialism

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    of 66
    MAURICE CORNFORTH MATERIALISM AND THE DIALECTICAL METHOD Tis volume i intense forthe general reader who wants to know what Dialectica Materialism means In theory and practice, Th ideas underying Mast philosophy ate Te me cat Tenguage SELECTED NEW WORLD PAPERBACKS Wte for complete paperback catalog INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHERS WATEHIEAE Mt Ani arnen AL erin 0 Maurie Coritont Materialism and the Dialectical Method ‘By MAURICE CORNFORTH eee Pre © by Wwremeamonn. Pumuss Co, Ie, 1958 Fourth (reset) Eakion © by Mauvce Carnforth, 1968 Frnt US. Editon, 1971, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ‘Sith Printing 278 In Mono of Davi Gung Valine One of the 3 sone Dla Metra: Icon ISBN 07178-0926. Print in the Uae Sats of deren => 2 i Cuarcen Guraea 5 CONTENTS Panty Praxosorsne a Marensaise ano Toausne Maciamne Maren || Frou Mscuwins 79 Duconcat ‘Marenauste ye ‘Tue, Distzoneat Covceenon oF Devetorwewr Duacecnis ano Merapincs Gianos axo Teeenootomerox || ‘Tas Laws oF Devetomuer || Conreaoicrion. : Devstoruaivr ax Neoanon | A Scare Wont Ovnoox | ean 3 7 n 8 108 AUTHOR'S NOTE ON THE FOURTH EDITION ‘Ti litle book on Mateiatam and the Daletcal Method cvginated fiom lectures given under the auspice of the London District Committe of the Commune Pasty of Great Britain in 1950. That was Tong time ago and lot thas been thought and ween onthe saject sng then ao tad that nevertheless i has continued to be found wed ‘hough to try to make ito 1 have now had to revise tthe timer over. Tn these revisions I have changed a litle as posible, In reparing this fourth ein T have made motyony sing fli changes intended to render the menning ceney cd svoid minundertandings. Tn pariclar T have leh data teferenccs to J. V. Stala's boolet on Distal end Feat ‘Matealon sd Mao Tiestungs lecture On Ontodtons, both of which sem tome fo remain worthy of qutaten whetever ‘may be objected against other words and deeds of thes ssuthors. The only substantial change Ihave made isi the feference o biology and the controversial theories of Tron ypenko in Chapter 7, where what Thad writen eriginally ‘wat obviouly writen In error. 1 would ike to srs that this books no pretentons to be ‘anything more than “an Inoducton”. Ie is hot a extbook of ‘Marxist philwophy but an intedeton to some key phil ‘sophical ideas of Marais which isl remains for Marat 20 workout, cele and develop farther. Me. London, January 1968 PART ONE MATERIALISM Chapter One PARTY PHILOSOPHY Pasty Pilply ond Clas Philp Rr ecclaionnry wotking-lae party needs a revluionary ‘ecg plenty dle “Thi amerton may appear a strange one, both to many polars and to many philosophers. But we wil not begin Rplunderstand ealeceal materialism wnless we ean grasp the thought which les behind Le aks St of al, what conception of philrophy Nes ‘etfed the suerton that a politcal party or-—sincr 8 party ERuivay the plea cepresentative of a cast—a lass needs feel out sad adopt a definite pilorphy ofits own. By pslosphy i ually meant our most general account of the fetre ofthe world and of mankind's place and destiny in jour word outlook, “Tint xing understood, i s evident that everybody bas ome kind of pilosphy, eventhough he bas never learned € discs iB TSatfenced by plilosphical view astaough he ha not thought them out for imee and (anvet formulate them. ee mop, or example, think that ths world i nothing pots vale ears” and ha ourlife in its the preparation for beter ie in another and beter world, They accordingly ARS Tate we should slr whatever befalls us with rtiude, peretraating against it ut trying t do whatever good we eho fellow erature, This one kind of piles, one {ind of world outlook, “Owe people think hat the world ia place to grow rch, 7 apd that each shoul look out for hie This is another Had of phlesophy. But granted that our philosophy is our work outlook, the ta aries of working out this world outok systematally 25 tall, toring i nto a welbformulated and eaberent Reuy, toning vaguely held popular beliefand atsdes nto fee spent docziner Thiss what the pilosophers Es "ay the ime the philosophers have worked out heirtheores, ‘hey inve olen produced something very complicate very Neract and wery hard to understand, But even though oa & sonturatively few people may read and digest the actal Grotectons of pilropten, tse productions may and do Bie very wide infuence For the fact hat piosophers have Pevematied certain belie reinforces those bei and helps ‘Tiinpoee them wpon wide masies of ordinary people Hence, Sejame i influenced in one way or another by pulosophen rer though they have never read the works of tose pil phen Thad hi isthe cate then we eannot regan he systems of she pilosophersas being wholly products ofthe brain-work of Tee Reval pilocophere Of ours, teformlation of view, {Re peculiar ways in which they are worked out and writes Bovbs the work of the particular pilospher, But the views ‘Rortvess in their moet general aspect, havea socal bast i. [fe which reflect the rota activites and socal relations of ‘he tune and whic, therfore, do not spring ready-made out ofthe heads of pleaophers, rom tha we may proceed step farther, ‘When soctery i envied into ases—and society aways has een divided foto clases ever since the disolution of the Peete commune, that is 10 say, thoughout the entire Ristaial period to whieh the history of philsophy belong» ‘Hoe the Garious views which are curent in society always Bere the ourosks of various clases, We may ‘revere, that the various ystems of the plilorophers ao ays pres a dat outlook. They ate in fat, nothing but ‘ho pmeate working ovt and theoretical formalation of & 8 | cass outdk, or, if you prefix, of the ideology of definite ines. ‘Philonopy sand aliays ha been class philosophy, Flor ophers may sot realise this, but that does not alter the fet or people donot and cannot thinkin nlasion rom society, ‘and thpretre fom the cae iteress and cls strugees which fuetvade sie, any more than they ea lve and actin such Befavon. A plwphy fa world outlook, an attempt to ‘Mchtrtand he world mankind and man's place in the woe Suet at oudsk cannot be anything but the oulok of cas ha tne pilospher functions asthe thinking representative of aa How ens it be otherwise? Phosopies are not imported {fom some other planet, but ave produced here on earth, by Feopi involved, wheter they He it or tn exiting ca Pethions and elserrugges. Therefore, whatever philorophrs Tee pout themed, there is no philomphy which does not SEY a claw culo, of which is impart, as opposed to ‘area, in eaion to clas atugaes, Search as we may, we Bia not fed any Hpartl, nor-partaa, non-clas philr rep. Tsing this in mind, then, we shall ind thac the phils opie ofthe past have all in one way of another, expressed Taroko the s-aled “educated” clases thats to sy, of wee plating ease: In general ti the leaders of ciety ‘ho tcpresr nd propagate theeideas inthe form ofsystemat her Ard up te the appearance ofthe modern working aoe hich isthe pecliar product of eapitalian, these leaders de ys ee the exploiting class, Tei their outlook ave has dominated philosophy just as they have dominated tosity Wcan only conclude from this thatthe working clas if olny i intends to take over leadership of society, needs 10 Serra own clas outlook in philosophical form, and ‘bur this ploeophy to the philosphize which expres the hifi and defend he interest of che exploiters i avec eadered by Mans and Engels to the working ‘las may be expressed ina few words thos: they taught the 9 ‘Working clas to now itselfand be conscious of teh and they substituted sence for dreams," wrote Lena ia is obituary (Fredrick Engeh. Mare and Engels faded and exablshed the revolutionary theory of working clas struggle, which ‘lumines the road by which the working lass ext Gr aft ‘capitalist exploitation, can take the esdenihp of all the ‘masts of the people, and so fre the whole of toiety once 4 forall ofall oppresion and exploitation of an by man, ‘They taught that without its ow party, independent ofa ‘uti, the working clas erally Could not win etary over capital, could not lead the whele of society forward tothe abolition of capitalism and the etaishment ‘of socialism, Lenia further developed the Mirsis teachings about the party, He showed that the party mun act a vanguard ofits cis the most conscous section fits clay ard that i i the instrument fr winning and wielding plldeal Pores Tol ch ly the party mused ave owe legs, nding dnd aon inet nerdy nets ied with revlon they, on wih i pe oe Bite and by whieh acs eis "hither he tery of arn Adi ao jae an txonomie thney, nr et ec « pen eet ut word eudoa—s plloaphy: Beards at et sews ae not and sve canbe Idepenten ofa Sol oat, Spec sonic a falc el {Se werd eta of tae who hd ach sews tad ee ‘nel pllphial ‘eve fed expen se, enti ali, econig tl hy eaatonary party othe working lacie Bt ema and having eed ak {evel and wear, party plop ns ps spyware ae ene he eet ‘iw by mane of wich the jy tndctaads hee hh fing change ann cmt wa dnc ‘alns and vontsouthowodghfothen looper embodied the gee et by meas ofc eC tonto enlighten aod egal the wile ty nal" ee eee spite teenage ofthe struggle, helping people to learn from their own experi= ‘ce how tog oat toners calm, eed eee weeps hea a ae eee et eee areas coed Seen arene See ee Bie Sac aocuere Petree pet ieee eee ay ear em ete Peuremces coronas Semen i (Gas ntecets may incline ws wo believe one ting rather han ‘nother, some wil tay, but should not pilospy be above ‘his? Should not philosophy be objective and imparts, and {cach us tet class and party interest ase, and fo sec nly forthe truth? For surely what i toe tue, whether tl alts some or other clas interests or no? Milas partban— Party pilotophy—how ean it be objective, how ea it be roe hilesophy? In reply to such objection, we may say that dhe workng= cles sds in pill is very nde em having ‘no concern forte Ts there no such thing as truth? Ofcourse there ie—and. ‘en are getting nearer to it, For difrent culls partian me fe enon rel roan es anetmed, Every philiophy embodies x claw eaonk, Yes ‘bt ustas one clas fers fom another eam ofrsocal at snd in ts eontibution to the development sfaoccgy eos Pioiophy embodies pslive achicrements In carpe, ‘with another in the working out ofthe truth aboot the eat nd woclery. ‘eople are prone to believe that ifwe adopt a partian, caw ‘andpint, then we turn ou backs on truth ae ato te sas pand ve geal sak Er at then ne mat be strictly impartial and now-partisam, Dut the sonny oe ‘se. It is only when we adopt the partnan sangeet ‘sorely the most pogrenve elas dat we ar ale tog nearer to teh, The defnition of dialectical materiatien, therefere, a8 the philosophy ofthe revolutionary workings party sa ne ‘way incompatible withthe elaita of dialectal mutations ‘expres tut, and tobe a means ofavving a truth Oe ‘ontrary, We have every right to make tha lim, In ow of ‘the actual histories aston and ifthe woking a Except for the working cas all other clases wisch have SRS bee eri tse fave en erating class, But every exploiting elas, whatever its achewrment ‘has always to fod some way of digurng tral postion sed ans both fom Huelf and from the exploited, and of maliog Sint re it ad perma. or ach cheat ever recognise it real poation and amy as am explidag ‘las, o the temporary character ofits own yeah or example, in ancient dave society, Arte the greatest Bhilcopher of antiquity, made out that the Tatiaten of slavery was dereed by nature, since fone men were by rate slaves, 1s the heyday of fendal society the greatest philosoper of the mile ages, Thomas Aquinas, represented the eatse iuiverse a8 being a kind of feudal 'otem, Everything war Stranged ina feudal hierarchy, with God surrounded By the Beteen the canes develops “fe tia contradiction «the whole cont of today slvcady present in germ» The contradiction between 8 social preducton and captait appropriation became manifest as the antagonim between prolesriat and Dourgecse ‘And the contradiction can only be reslved by the wetry af he working cla, when the working clases pow Aicatordp ad inter oil owersip aad spprpsiation tocamespand to soa proton. Thisexample very exact Ssrate the pinto what Stalin. ‘sid about “srugte of oppste tendencies which operate on theta these contraietions The clas struggle exits and ‘rates on the bass ofthe coateededonsiaberent in the Weil ster fell Tt i from the struggle of opporite tendencies, opposing lines aring onthe bas ofthe contractions inherent the tall system, that soclal tansormatin, the leap to 2 gual intively new stage of wera development, takes pace Th thsny the lave of acl develope, smaried la he ples fie neat gun ‘adv change and of the unity and soa of opps, Ie found a wok inthe development ofteciey. To carry in tit the socalst wessrmation of scat three, the Working clas mst earn to understand the Sci eaton in thet feof atin, Glded by hat dere Ing ime base the tates and strategy ofits classroom We concrete analysis of the actual station a exch stage of the sew Chapter Nine CONTRADICTION ont Idee ix Pca ent chore we coneed ow qualitative change is ought about by the supple of opposed force, his wat ceed equal in the change of ate of bed fom Elton or an and fo the change of sockty fom captain to socln. Tn cach ci there ae "oppo ‘Suience at work, whore “atuggle” eventutes in tome indarcental tansrcostion a quaitve change. Th “urge ot eral a ele, Te adequncly tlre i we suppose hata gustien oor tendence arkng quit dependently he one ofthe tthe, which happen ome, o bam up egal cach ober Sa come ito conte Ns The trol internal and neers fr i ates and fale ttm theatre ofthe proces a whe The oppose {Ghote ae ot independent the ove athe oe, but are [Bepraly connected ss pats or aspects ofa single whl. ‘And they operate and come into confit on the ass of he Gentradiaion inberent in the procs asa whole ‘Movement sad change rel om eae ret in things proven om tal ented. : “Tho, or camp, te old mechanit conception of mover ment was that it caly happened when one body bumped into ‘other; there were internal exes of movement that i fo ‘elFmovement’, but only external causes. But the ‘Contrary, the opposed fendencia which operate Inthe course sf the change of sate of a body operate on the bas of the Contradictory unity of trative and repuve forces inherent {nell physical phenomena, » Agno, the cl srs in capita scety aves on the tasiofthe eontaditony iyofvoaled ibvur and plate ppropsation erent in that tociy. I doesnot ae es ‘elt of extemal oun, but av are of the contaicans Within the very esene ofthe eptlt sytem. On the oer andy Tory and rightoving Labour theoreticians make out that the cls struggle red up by external inteeco by "Commniegiatn” and “Soviet agents And thay lntev that only this exteal iterernce could be stopped, ‘he apt could get long very well as it “The internal aecenty of the sage of eppoted fre, snd ofits ete, based onthe contradic eres inthe Joc aa whine, ao mere reinement of philoeopical aly Is of ery agent pracel importance ‘Bourgeois theorist fr example sre wel ale to recognise the fet of ela sont in expat acty, Whos thy do notrecognb athe necenty of tis confit htt base on Coniradeions Inherent in the very nature ofthe coptalt ‘yrs an tht thereto, the gale am nly cla fn Sheed wih the destden of theaters angie rplcee tora by a new, higher seem of socey. So they ek Intigate dhe eat conic, to toe it down and ecole the {pring cee, orto stamp i et, and v0 to presrve the stem ntact Prey this urge view ofthe laconic Ibrough ato the labour mnovesent by socal democracy Teas in apportion to such asain etapa yy of derstanding el conic that Lei potted out in The Sind Rots “Te is often sald and writen thatthe core of Maree theory isthe clas sugates but fe not tre.» To lint Marsa tothe theory ofthe eat strate mesos cutalling Marsism, ditorting reducing it ta something which i ccepable tothe bourgeoisie. A Martie one who extends the acceptance of the clay rrugee to the acrepance of the dictatorship ofthe proletaviat. Thief where the pro- fond dtference ties between a Marxist and a ordnary pty (or even big) Bourgeois. "This i the touchstone en 3 ‘hich the real understanding and acceptance of Marxism, ould be teste.” , inherent in given proces. The tule which a character ofthe proces isnot an external ‘lai accidentally oppoted factor, but isthe working out ‘fcontadictions belonging tothe very ature ofthe process ‘Aad this conditions the outcome ofthe proces. Gti Cos of te Uni ad Saale ef Opps ‘The ey conception of nets fa this coveepuon of cone tradctaa inherent in he very nate of thingy—tha the ‘Tote re of quale change i in he eonradicns {onfnned wih proce of ature snd soe and hat iS oder to undestac,contol and master things a practice tro mst procend tn the cnet analy of thir cone Taciedons “Wnt exactly dow mean by “contradiction”? ‘Acotdng th common, metaphycal conception, cont dicts cor in ours aboot ng, but not ogy ‘Wereananerteosraditry propos about a ing, and then feels contradiction what we ny sbout i but ere anbe so consadidon inthe thing. Tha portof view regards ‘Siren simply and solely at Iga elation between ‘opm but Sos ot camer Seal velaton between Binge Suck g pure of ve ie bused on coaiering tags ately a “ined and one”, dregarding thei moors 2d dyin interconnections. oe comer te el, complex movements and iteeone ecto of rely eorpes thing, ten we Bnd tat contac Tetorytondences can ane do etn hem For exp the buces operating a bay combine tendencies ofotracon Sh of repuon hn ea real contradiction, And ifthe Stotement of sey eomtincs the tendency sociale roluon vith the tendency fo procrve pate appropie ofthe produc that area eortradiction fo. Tie erclnce of coadieons in thing ery falar sete of afin, These nothing inthe leat abate about * and iti often refered to in everyday conversions, For camp, we speak of man a faving a “contadiiory™ Shara, oat being "a mae of conrad dons, This nesta that he evinces oppred tendencies nis Bebavi, ach fees an tay, ekeocs ad cova, le est and eefsacrifce ‘Or again, contradictory telatons Bre the subject of everyday gouip when we talk about ‘naried coupes wh are aliay quaceling but never Rappy apart, Such examples show that when we speak in Mars phil sophysbout “contradictions in things we ae nt inveating tome frdetchedphonopbiel theory” bu ae refering te meting which 8 familie to eveyone. Nor are we win, the word contradiction” info new ad strange see of ‘ar own, but are sing the word init ordnary everday ‘Aral contradiction i a ay of opposites. There fa reat ntact inherent ss Westy, in Ue very nate of hing proceso relationship when in that ting oF proces of Tektonship opposite endenes are combined together in such Ia tat nether can exit without the ote pst, the oppates ae hel tog ital dependence, where each isthe condition of extence Ae other or example, the clas contradiction between workers and capitate in expt sce ft ach iy of opposes leeuse in that society nether can the workers exit witout the capitalise north capitals ‘without the workers ‘The Tare of the society i such tha these opposes are Beld ter In tin lnseparable unity. Ths wy of opposes ong tthe very eens ofthe soil tm, Capita Aye in wish eapliy exploit workers and wtkes are (epleted by capital, [eis the unity of opposites ina contradiction which makes Incapable and necenary the vigps of oppose, Since the oe terme ae inseparably wit there no geting Ot the sagt Thus, for example, because oppoted lames brite inept oly, the development of tat society 9% proceeds, and cannot but proceed, in the form of a das sruggle ‘We may abo speak ofthe iuurentratin of opposes in a contradiction. For bela uned in srugele, eh oppored {endenoy isin it aetal character and operation at any phase ofthe struggle lofluenced, modified or penetrated bythe other {a many ways: Each side ir always allered by its relation with the other “The Working Out ef Caos We can only undestand and can only contol and mate, Ue poceoe of nature ad of sony by understanding eit entacicdang and the consequence of hoe coneadiions— the way thy work et ‘Sonradicion i diving fre of change. So if we want to understand how things chang, and t conta nd ‘lie tho change then we mi undertand elt ‘Why should we sy tha contadson is the ding force ofthange Its cae its only the presence of contrat, {n'a prove which provides the fatemal conditions making Glangeneacsany A proces whichesntained no contactors ould siply go on and om in the sme way wnt tome {ema ce stopped it or modied ie movement without Cniradiecone would be conionoas repetition ofthe sme Shovemeat Tt the proence of conedito, tae of ontalctery tendencies of movereay or of uisy and Struggle of opptes, which bigs about anger of movenex: Inthe couse of proce. Imagine i you co society without contadeton This would bea sony in which by contning to do the se {Wag inthe ums way people would styl the nee Suck ocity wuld never Conge, There wosld condaaally be movement in yin ss such az people would be doing {hing all the cine; but the movemene would always be te fame: There woul bea proce bata proces of epttin, Tvever no sich oiety exis or ever coud ext, bese fiom the very nature fh onions human fe there ms 9 always be contradictions in ciety. By satying their ends peopl reste new uotated noes, and by advancing thelr Bree of production they bring about Hate of aes which they ned to change thet socal elaine and atte tors concspondingly. This why changes happen in sock. Te socal proces not a prove of epi bu spose in which new hinge happen Ari wome mapa materialised to represent the ners aa aye of pareles burping fate and bouncog Ui one another, Sich # universe woud bea vivre ofthe ‘Gotiuous motion of parle, but it would bea wnivne of {he continous repeion of the sme motlon. ‘The real Firs nt Lc iy, beens ll of ert the contradictions of acon end repelsion voed Pc ft amr td lant fahren ted Tycitey of the procese of lie aad of the elatomp of Iiyanien with envionment stdied by Bilgy, 1 the sig ot of ie eto Gh pei rm Ipc proces) which makes up th eal haying poses (he real changing world os "Ths shown at where contadstions exit, there flows the working out of those contaditons Oe working ut Ute stg of opporten which aries fom the waty of Urpets A prov the working ov of fs wn cnet ‘Ta Unioliy and Pcl of Coreions Contradiction fa univer feature ofall proces, But each Jtcuor Kind of proces tas ts own particular contadicsons, Wich are character of and dierent rom thas of eet This pont was underlined by Mao Tee-tung in his ey On Gotti, which remains one of the mest suggestive Anulyes ofthe conception yet contributed to Maras litera live He calle it the dinction between "the university” inl the pareulrity” of contradiction We can nover deduce what wil happen fn aay pascular ‘io, or how a particular proces ean be contra, fom the 95 uve iden of contradiction. As has already been sresed, the alec method doesnot const in applying some pre fonccived scheme to the interpretation of everything, but onclusion only on the “concrete aralyss of Tach Lind of proces at its own diletiy which ean be gape only by tne dtaled study of tnt parla proce. ‘pe dilat ofthe subatomic word isnot the same as at fhe bodies cvely percep to our sess, The lecte, i orgenroa Rot he same that ofthe proces of organs mate The dialects ofan society i= neve aw ‘ttn, And each phe of human society brings with i Sin om prea dialeetie "Toy or empl he contradiction beeen tendencies of attain and repulon in hyn! oon, and between the [Bterest of clas Inscey, are both enacting Thi ‘vine of the univer of contaditon, But exch bass ‘un dine character ferent fom tat of he Ober. ‘Ths evidence ofthe portly of eontradicion We cannot earn eer te lav of pyc the Is of soe fe ty fo dds them frm the universal ea of Gatrecicson, We ean len them nly by tovesgaing rd sual procene, Physical spovements at Evement af people in weiety ate quite dierent fms of ovement, and othe contadesone sled by social science Ze diferent, apd workout in 8 diferent way, om thee ualed by phyes Socal and physi! process are sar {that cleh Contain contadetos, but dismilar inthe fentraicions each contin ‘The conadictos chaste ofeach Kind of proces amay be called the ental contadoins of that Hind of prosan Forinslance,conraiedans between atacive anc Fopubive rcs are cnet contralto of phys pr: [lta and conection between frees of precision ad felncour of production are eretal entadctins of exe > Tfwe fre consider the een contadtons character fade of diferent ind of prove, then ean further 47 thst 8 thee are mani in specie way in specie instances of Weenie ofagien Kinds For erampls the enenial contains of cil proves arcmanled in sosi waysin each pects aration ‘The contraieson between fires of production and rltons of production takes specie forms in diferent formations of iy. Thus a capitan society i takes the specie capitalist form of the coatradiion between the Sncresingly socal tharacter of production and the retention of pevate appro= and its tavconment are contradictory. The organism vet The Onone of Contactos The unity of epposts in a contadtion is characterised by & Ahfnite ration of supertority-nferority, or of domination, letven the opposite For example, in a physical unity of Itaetion andl Fepulion, certain elements of attraction or epson may be dominaat in relation to others, The unity h tat one sde dominates the other—or, in certain cates, they may be equ. ‘ny qualitative sate ofa proces corresponds toa deiite ” eon of domination, Ths, the sold, iid and genus Tees or ties corer © iret daretinseatone iprin abe uly ef atti and replion character of Teri of bodies Simian, te contradicens af emia nce the element of pete spproprinson as 8 rte eran septs ol podetn, and replaln cas dominate re te working ca It thee Seesaw latoip cme revened, then that mar 8 see aoe thdening eft apn nator), Seep ale aor eat . ‘Dat endo ae bony by tr very, impotent und op change ven tough fom ces i pertain vachenged for along tine, Tf the celatoahip iste often orbs ch ace iy nt thal, rte a gee opposes win wich weet thc dominaon eave oe tote, And hen {Fe dams wer her he ra nts ie i posi te in ing ever Se ty ef oypste sid Leni, in conta tem pec, wai neatre, The sage of oppaiin Bene ae obviates Whar the dination sein tthe ey ef oppor maybe, ay Spr ching a treat ef ich the ferme wity of cpposis will be disolved and anew unity of opposites take oe ee eee 38 efning. On the other hand, if the iron i heated to melting Doin, then this such a. qlaltave change. And it comes About preciely asa change in the atiractom-replaion rela- Sonship characteristic ofthe Internal molecular sate of the metal. "The metal pases from the ald to liquid sat, sz Intemal character and ine of ration become dierent ia fertain ways, i undergoes a qualitative change, ‘Qualitative change ithe real of a change inthe balance of opposes. Such a change is prepared by a erie of qsantit live changes affecting the dostination relation in the unity of opposites As the domination relation changes, quantitative tage pases into qualitative change. Wher such a fundamental or qualitative change comes Aout ab & rel of the isolation of an old frm of uty of opposites and the eoming ita being of = new one, then the ‘opposites themsslues change. The side which pases fom being Jominated overt being dominant is change in that proce, fl 0 he other side, which pases from being dominant 10 Ising dominated over: Hence in the new qualitative uate tere are not the same old opposites in a changed relation, but cause the relation changed the opposites, held together lt relation, are changed to, There ea eve unity of oppo ‘When, for instance, the working la becomes stronger tha le capital caw and from hing dominated over booms Vjominant, thea in the new qualitative sate of society the fapitalst clas dsappesrs (forthe dominant working elas lrprives i of ts conditions of existence), and the working tls, exiting in completly new conditions becomes vitally Ise elas. The contradictions of socety therefore change, the pustular contradictions ofthe old state dvappest and a contraditons are born, The rrwgple between the wore Ig class and the eaptalis comes to an end and new Kinds sifrugee begin. tral end Ital Cote of Qvale Change Ho tari the pasage fom quantitative to qualitative change ‘Jersined by the working out ofthe contradiction inherent 9 fn the proces itl or by internal causes and how fori it etermined by exteaal of acidentaleause? Ts determined by bot, but in diferent ways, Both in nature and society ferent things ae slays inter- acting sd influencing each oer Hence external cates must ‘lvays play a part inthe changes which happen to hinge At thesame ine, the character ofthe changes sways dependson Internal ase, This problem was dscused by Mao Te-un (Girton He conludeds bis exay "Contradiction within » thing is the baie eaute of ite evelopment, while the relationship ofa thing with other things theiiaurconnecionand interaction —irarecondary ‘nue. .,» External eases are the condition of change td {nueral causes the bass of change, exter cates becoming operative though internal cause” Consider, for example, each an event a the hatching of 8 chicken. The chicken dost not develop inside the egg unless heat i applied ftom ouside, But what develops in the eg, what hatches ou, depends on what ide the gg. Ab Mao eenars: In sutable temperature an egg changes into a hicken, but there so texperature which can change a sone Jno a chicken, the fondamentals of the two things being dierent” ‘Again, water doesnot bil uses it i heated But the bole {ng proces resulting from the application of heat comes about con the baie of the intemal canradiction of attraction and ‘epulon characteriie ofthe molecules of water, ‘inlay in society, a revolution doesnot proceed without the intervention of extereal eas, but characters out feme, and indeed the fet chat Se happens a all, depend on {neal enuss, Thus the ba of the Rian Revelation ly {nthe contradictions within Rusian society. Thee made the sevlaton inevitable and determined its eracter, But what Actually set ofthe revolution in 1917 was something external, the conditions brought sbout by the imperialist war In general i we consider qualitative change, then their qualitative character ean be explained only bythe operation internal eases the pares contradictions on which the fd quality was based determine wha new quality emerges, ‘The external causes aot ony the quantitative changes of ‘binge—the tines and places of thes beginning, andthe rate AE Which they prosead. “Purely exteraalcaues can only lead «to changes in size nd quantity, but cannot explain why thing ave qualtativeiy Sliferent in thousand and one wayt and why tinge change {nto one another” (Mao Teetung, Ox Conrad. "Tis, for example, the clase tiragyle ia capa socety nay be speeded up of slowed dovm by a viely of parteslat ‘teal enue, But the existence of the eats nrugle, it ‘continuation, it dzeedon and its final ovtcome are dtr: Inined by the contradictions faherent inthe expt stem. Ta uaa nd Gat of tat he (Qualitative change being the outcome ofthe working out of ‘contradictions, ilove tha the whole proces ofthe erage ‘of opposites may be regarded a 4 proceat ofthe replaement fone quality by anether, of en old quality bya new one, The ‘ld quality corresponds tothe dominance of one clement in the unity of opposites. The reversal of ths domisunce lead the replacement of the old quality by the new. Ta ths sense tach clement ina unity of opposes is che bearer ofa disinct aly. The struggle of the one to maintain its dominance ie What maintains the old quality, the atugele ofthe other to Tevense tht dominance & what brags into being the new (quay replacing the old. or intane, allie Ss unity of opposites, of procetes ofthe building up and breaking down of ving mater. $0 Hong as th building up maintain el within tis unity, life Femairs, When, however, the opposite begins to dominate, then death commences, ‘Rea, ite ender the contradictions of eaptalist society, then tl evident that the capitalist state of scity depends on [vate appropriation dominating socal productan, and the capital clas dominating the working cas. Tes the strogsle ‘tthe working cas against the eapitait cas, and thestrogle to fre sei production from the feters of pevateappropiae ton, which, ven the reveal of he od state happens, brings bout anew socialist state of soe. Teas alveady been pointed out hat every contadtion has its own specifi character. And so the strug of opposes has in every cate aio its own spel character, according to the particular contradiction fom which fe aia. Telos that Process of qualitative change, replacements of eld by new [volts have alo each their om peti character, according 1b the qualides concerned, What is anoosly tue ix stply {hat qualitative change cose about atthe working cut of ontetietions, ab an tome of quantitative change. Bat {he universal futh doc not tellus how say petal change ‘wil work out. We ean only discover that by knowing exch particular ease "Ths conkdering the workings out of diferent kinds of social contadictons which reat fn qualitative changes in Feeley, each works out difreny. Por example, the contra; ‘Tein betwean the great mas of the people ard the feudal fords was worked ont inthe stuggle forthe democratic evalon; that between the working class and the eaptlist ‘Gass b worked out in the srugle for socialist revolution; that besween the colonies and imperialism is worked out in {he national liberation tage; and that between the working ‘las and peaunty in soli society, in Oe cllectivsation {nd mecheniation of arial, ‘Whatever the method by which dierent contraditions work ou point always reached where the quantitative TUpect of the struggle of oppites within the contradiction Fhe been suffienly modified fr the new quality to emerge This the polat were qualitative change bis. How it tenis depo entirely the particular character of the ‘ontradictin of whichis te oattome, on the particular way the stragle of opposites continues ‘Ghalttive change i alwaye odden, and exnnot but be uulen, in the seve that ota certain point of quantitative ebange a new quality emerges which was nt present before ‘Tha sto say, at this point new things begin to happen, new cae operate and new els ate produced, new ls of "Theis the wale qualitative “eep" the fist appearance ofthe new which was not there Before pa ‘Thus qualitative changes preceded by a proces of working ap to the emergence of new quali, Dusing tie proces ‘Sntradictions are werking ou, 3 to speak, nseen—vilout uiketaton in qualia change. Ate teriatin of thr phase, the phase ofthe emergence of new quality Begins throplyorsuddeny, and came but down For example, when waterisheated a movement takes place whieh suddenly urna into a boling proces. When a child [poring in dhe womb a movement akes place which sddenly irs ito the proces of bith Ta scety movement tket plice amongst the clane,conficts are starpenedy opinions fhatare and suddenly here begins a deciive revedonary change ‘Aer that, how qualitative change proceeds, the swiftness slowness and in genera the manner of completion, tends ently on the circumstances of particular ean (Once anew quality emergesonce ts leaped into being — then a proce of nev qualiadive character beings fa which ep ay rd pin ho While, therefore, qualia change begins suddenly, i tinue gradual. How guy ot ho dow te ‘ew tipplant the od depend onthe mature ofthe proces and th ‘Ondo nde winch foceur kemewies For instance, plyscal changes of sate, uch as water ‘coming to the bl, are sulde, beease pot is sdenly tracked when a new thing, seh, begs to be formed But the conversion of water into scam isa gradual proces Tes tie ste with chemical changes. And its the sme agin wits quattative changes in soit. A point is reached inthe Working out of social contradictions where the qualitative thange begins—the change fom the power of one cas 10 the power of another cas, fom one seem of production 105, relation to anther aie that, thi change may ake a oager tr hore tine fo be completed “Tae, or example, the plies npect of socal revolutions that the conquest of tte power: Inthe Ruan socialist Fevston thi took place bys single Blow—hich means, emmpuatvlyqucly Ins fy doyle deve pestons Sf power paaed into te hands of the working lac In the ewe round of scl revluons—thos im the present ss demoeraci—it oak place oer slong perio, by = Ents of op ia wih i one and then anotheepsicon of power war songuered If we lookback tothe realtons rough which the Dourgec ormely won power om the feudal vd then tse ook pace over longer petied. ellen carenting over any yea (Or we coms econre changes, thee tnd to become pantvely slow, taking pnce through ever of pe For Extanc, capitis reo, once they emerged ln fda seed ar py soe og ‘Azan’ the clacement ‘of cals by socal, once ‘buns another gradual proces, though taker place more ply tha to daplaccmene of adam by expat (Glial place ore ply radii eon, marcy, at ‘Selatan cannot begin to iplace capitaiom un ar the ‘Working cla has won ste power and then the power of the ate operates fo dvetsod'gpeed up economis change The ‘Ghnge fom fedalsm to capital, en the other hand, {Evel gis long before state power pases into he hands EF te capa cla, aod mesnwtile the fal sae aca father tolow dowa than to peed up the change) “Pci examples show that there © quanta side to aualitve change, ame, the power and speed with wich it Cope cle And tially under een nfovourble Gireumtances it may never be completed at all Tn erin taseitis pane he change to begin ad ten be tarmed fact agin and csppeae ‘The dlectal matesait encepion of contain incu both the suddenness and gruatoes of qualitative ange, The difirence between ths conception of change 104 and that of many other philoophie ia not that dialectical ‘aerials lays it down that all qualitative changes are sudden, wheres the other say they are gradual, It's thet Aislectical materialism understands change as coming from the struggle of opposites, from dhe working out of entrar ition where the others overlosh or deny this, They appre that change comin smooth way, without cont, (rele by merely external conics ein and Novara in Coticins The working ou of contradictions always fvaves one side struggling with and overonming the oie, But according t9 the nature ofthe contradiction, thi pros may take place in Alerent way. And in socety fa particular a degen ust tye drava between convadicdone the slaton of wire ine ‘iver the orl sprenion or dessecin af ooa tide BY te te ad te wh son dees ot requ eh “The change fom capa to sali, fer example thes pli tough th fie soppreson ofthe exptaly eat by de working cas. But the Coming change fom vcs {0 communis doer not require tence suppeesion ot anyone The fener change fected by mena oe seuggle tele, mri sstgmis fy nines na antagonions have tobe ought otto ef! theater change, Ingeneral orl eoaieon are antagonist when tay init confit of exonomic interest Inet exe one prov inposs ts own iteres on another, and one group suppres awther by freble methods. Bat when confi of som intrest rent iveve, there no atagonian end therefore oer the ote sepreion of ay group by any eter Ones clas antago re done swf wilh fa okt Jocey all ola quenions can be ted by dcasion and Ingunent, by exis and selfcicsm, by persuasion, cone Wisin ae agreement. asi ei, i not the ee hing a cate ison, Nori the same thing a te sogee of eppaiea Wikina contradiction, The toggle of oppo a unreal, 105, necrnary feature of every cootadicton adit may take an Antagontc form or it may noe, depending onthe paral ‘ate ofthe pariular cutratton. ‘So Lenn renaed that “antagonism and contradiction are wert diferent. Under soca antago diappears bat oncadicton remains” (Gra aus on Babli "aos Ge Trnton Pod), ‘AS Mao Tue-eng pt it “Actagoniam i only one form of sual within a contradiction, but no is universal ern “Thedatiction between antagonism and norantagoian in the contradietions of society i of great practal ingertance. ‘There are many conteadictons in oie, and iti racially important fo dings which are antagonistic and which ae ‘ot inorder ond the right method of dealing with the, If 4 contadicton ofthe one kind is mstaken for contadtion ofthe other ind then wrong action taken which cannot ead to the desired rent. For sample, reformist socal think there i no need for the neh cha ewe and fo ste te capital ln, whereas Mars recognise that capitalism can Seended and toil achieve by no other method. Bat when social i eablabed canes abd’ clas antagoniss

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