The German Ideology

The first thesis rejects all existing idealism and materialism. In doing so, Marx clearly indicates that while historical materialism draws from materialist philosophies, it is a distinct method. Historical materialism considers the role of the human subject in shaping and transforming the physical world. The short piece is best known for the last thesis, which includes Marx’s famous maxim, “The philosophers have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it” (574). With this phrase, Marx clearly signals his belief that scholarship must engage with the lived experience of people and contribute to social, political, and economic change.