Vejas Liulevicius

I think there were several key ideas that Marx deployed that were destined to have such an impact. And in some ways, they were actually kind of contradictory. On the one hand, Marx insisted that history has a purpose, that history is not just random events, but that rather it's history, we might say, with a capital H. History moving in a deliberate direction.

I think there were several key ideas that Marx deployed that were destined to have such an impact. And in some ways, they were actually kind of contradictory. On the one hand, Marx insisted that history has a purpose, that history is not just random events, but that rather it's history, we might say, with a capital H. History moving in a deliberate direction.

I think there were several key ideas that Marx deployed that were destined to have such an impact. And in some ways, they were actually kind of contradictory. On the one hand, Marx insisted that history has a purpose, that history is not just random events, but that rather it's history, we might say, with a capital H. History moving in a deliberate direction.

History having a goal, a direction that it was predestined to move in. At the same time, in the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and his colleague Friedrich Engels also suggested that there was a role for special individuals who might, even if history was still moving in this predetermined direction, might... given an extra push, might play a heroic role in that process.

History having a goal, a direction that it was predestined to move in. At the same time, in the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and his colleague Friedrich Engels also suggested that there was a role for special individuals who might, even if history was still moving in this predetermined direction, might... given an extra push, might play a heroic role in that process.

History having a goal, a direction that it was predestined to move in. At the same time, in the Communist Manifesto, Karl Marx and his colleague Friedrich Engels also suggested that there was a role for special individuals who might, even if history was still moving in this predetermined direction, might... given an extra push, might play a heroic role in that process.

And I think that these two ideas added together, the notion that there is a science of revolution that suggests that you can move in a deliberate and meaningful, rational way towards the end of history and the resolution of all conflicts. a total liberation of the human person, and that moreover, that was inevitable, that that was pre-programmed and destined in the order of things.

And I think that these two ideas added together, the notion that there is a science of revolution that suggests that you can move in a deliberate and meaningful, rational way towards the end of history and the resolution of all conflicts. a total liberation of the human person, and that moreover, that was inevitable, that that was pre-programmed and destined in the order of things.

And I think that these two ideas added together, the notion that there is a science of revolution that suggests that you can move in a deliberate and meaningful, rational way towards the end of history and the resolution of all conflicts. a total liberation of the human person, and that moreover, that was inevitable, that that was pre-programmed and destined in the order of things.

When you add to that the notion that there's also room for heroism and the individual role, this ended up being tremendously powerful as a combination. Earlier thinkers who were socialists had already dreamt of or projected futures where all conflict would be resolved and human life would achieve some sort of perfection.

When you add to that the notion that there's also room for heroism and the individual role, this ended up being tremendously powerful as a combination. Earlier thinkers who were socialists had already dreamt of or projected futures where all conflict would be resolved and human life would achieve some sort of perfection.

When you add to that the notion that there's also room for heroism and the individual role, this ended up being tremendously powerful as a combination. Earlier thinkers who were socialists had already dreamt of or projected futures where all conflict would be resolved and human life would achieve some sort of perfection.

Marx added these other elements that made it far more powerful than the earlier versions that he decried as merely utopian socialism.

Marx added these other elements that made it far more powerful than the earlier versions that he decried as merely utopian socialism.

Marx added these other elements that made it far more powerful than the earlier versions that he decried as merely utopian socialism.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, first of all, one has to stress Marx would have gotten extremely upset at this point in the conversation because to call someone a utopian was precisely to argue that you're not scientific, you're not rational, you're not laying out the iron laws of history, you're merely hoping for the best. And that might be laudable, but it was fundamentally unrealistic.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, first of all, one has to stress Marx would have gotten extremely upset at this point in the conversation because to call someone a utopian was precisely to argue that you're not scientific, you're not rational, you're not laying out the iron laws of history, you're merely hoping for the best. And that might be laudable, but it was fundamentally unrealistic.

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, first of all, one has to stress Marx would have gotten extremely upset at this point in the conversation because to call someone a utopian was precisely to argue that you're not scientific, you're not rational, you're not laying out the iron laws of history, you're merely hoping for the best. And that might be laudable, but it was fundamentally unrealistic.

That said, hidden among Marx's insistence that there are laws and structures as history moves through class conflict modes of production towards its ultimate goal of a comprehensive final revolution that will see all exploitation overthrown and people finally being freed from necessity in in. smuggled in among those things are most definitely utopian elements.

That said, hidden among Marx's insistence that there are laws and structures as history moves through class conflict modes of production towards its ultimate goal of a comprehensive final revolution that will see all exploitation overthrown and people finally being freed from necessity in in. smuggled in among those things are most definitely utopian elements.