Name:

1. Which Philosopher influenced Marx fundamentally?

Marx was most influenced by Georg Hegel. This is because Hegel believed that the masses lacked
the experience and political education to be directly involved in national elections and policy
matters. Hence, small group of chosen individuals should control these events.

2. What does the phrase “Economics Rules Everything” mean? Explain this clearly and in detail.

The phrase clearly shows that the economy influences various domains of human existence. This
is because it provides a framework for understanding and analysing the complex interactions
between individuals, businesses, governments, and societies.

3. According to Marx, the ruling/dominant ideas of our society are those that support the
existing power structures. Could you explain what does he mean by it?

Marx suggests that ideas or in his words dominant/ruling ideas of our society are
shaped mainly by the ruling class, which in this case are positioned higher in the
hierarchy. The proletariat does not have much say. This suggests that there is are
social and economic inequalities.

4. How does Marx characterise history? What is history the story of?

Marx characterized history as a series of class struggles driven by the contradictions between the
productive forces and the relations of production. Marx’s history regards the story of the rise and fall
of different socio-economic systems and the struggle for control over the means of production.
History is the story that emphasizes the centrality of economic factors and the class struggle in
shaping historical development.

5. Marx had a deterministic view of history, what does this mean?

Marx's deterministic view of history says that historical development follows a predetermined
path driven by economic forces and internal contradictions within socio-economic systems. It
suggests that the progression from one stage to another is not random but rather shaped by the
inherent tensions and conflicts within the existing social order.

6. How will capitalism undermine itself and lead to communism? According to Marx, what
makes communism inevitable?

Marx listed factors that lead to transition to Communism. These are: exploitation, class
conflict, internal contradictions, immiseration of the Proletariat, the concentration of capital,
historical materialism. Marx’s conclusion is that contradictions inherent in capitalism would lead
to a revolutionary crisis, this implies that these factors are inevitable.