German Ideology

The German Ideology, written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, explores how society's ideas and beliefs are shaped by its material conditions—such as economy, technology, and social structures. Instead of ideas creating society, Marx and Engels argue that the material world influences ideas, culture, and institutions. They emphasize that history progresses through class struggles between oppressors and oppressed, which ultimately drives social change. The work critiques earlier philosophies for focusing on ideas detached from real economic and social realities, asserting that understanding these material conditions is essential to transforming society.