Karl Marx - Part 1

For this session, we’ll read and discuss Marx’s Theses on Feuerbach and Part I of The German Ideology. The Theses are a set of brief but pivotal notes where Marx critiques Feuerbach’s contemplative materialism and sketches the foundations of his own praxis-oriented historical materialism. The German Ideology builds on this, offering a systematic account of history and social change grounded in material life, labor, and the development of productive forces.

These texts mark a decisive break from both Hegelian idealism and Feuerbach’s abstract materialism. Marx and Engels argue that consciousness does not determine life; rather, life determines consciousness. They lay the groundwork for a theory of history rooted in real human activity, particularly labor, and criticize prior philosophy for detaching itself from the conditions of material existence. These readings set the stage for all later Marxist theory.

Check out the book here.

You can also find the texts for free on the Marxists Internet Archive:

Theses on Feuerbach

The German Ideology

We also have a Discord where we discuss Marx and other philosophical topics—join us anytime!