Orthodox Marxists

Orthodox Marxists

Orthodox Marxism is the version of Marxism that emerged after the death of Karl Marx and acted as the official philosophy of the socialist movement represented in the Second International up to the First World War. Orthodox Marxism aims to simplify, codify and systematize Marxist methodology and theory, ironing out the perceived ambiguities and contradictions of Classical Marxism.

The "orthodoxy" in Orthodox Marxism refers specifically to the methodology of historical materialism and dialectical materialism employed - and not to any of the normative aspects inherent to classical Marxism; nor does it imply adherence to the results of Marx's own investigations.

The fundamental characteristics of orthodox Marxism include an understanding that material development (advances in technology and the productive forces) are the primary influence that affects changes in the structure of society and human social relations, and that certain forms of social systems and their relations (e.g.: feudalism, capitalism, etc.) become increasingly contradictory and inefficient as the productive forces advance, resulting in some form of social revolution in response to mounting contradictions. This revolutionary change serves as the vehicle for fundamental society-wide changes and ultimately leads to the emergence of new economic systems.