Historical Materialism Overview

The idea that historical events are primarily shaped by economic factors and the way resources are produced and shared.

Resources (money or things) used to make things and create income.

A person or group that owns "capital" and makes money from it.

Wage earners who sell their labor for money.

Workers recognizing they are part of a group with common interests.

The idea that the economy drives social and political changes.

A way of producing goods and services, including the type of work and the division of labor.

A simple, hunter-gatherer society with no private ownership.

A philosopher who studied how economic systems lead to changes in society.

The idea that a product's worth comes from the work needed to make it.

A policy or practice by which a country increases its power by gaining control over other areas of the world, driven by the need for resources and markets.

Capitalism requires access to raw materials and markets to fuel growth.

The finite nature of raw materials and global markets leads to competition.

Competition for resources and control often leads to conflicts between imperialist powers.

A theory suggesting that economic systems shape social relations, including conflict and resistance.

A major war resulting from the complex web of alliances and competing imperial ambitions.

Historical materialism predicted that workers would resist imperialist wars due to their exploitative nature.

Contrary to expectations, workers in Europe participated and died in WWI.

Lenin was puzzled by worker participation in WWI, contrasting it with the expected resistance.

Imperialist powers benefitting from the exploitation of workers in other countries, distracting workers from their own conditions.

Gramsci's theory argues that capitalist control goes beyond economic and political power; it also involves shaping the culture and ideas of society as a whole.

A theory suggesting underdeveloped countries lag behind developed ones due to their inability to adopt modern methods and institutions, lacking the spirit of entrepreneurship.

A theory arguing that underdeveloped countries are trapped in a cycle of dependence on developed nations, hindering their own growth.

A theory stating that capitalism is a global system, dividing nations into core, periphery, and semi-periphery based on economic roles.

In the world-system, core nations are the most developed, controlling advanced manufacturing, finance, and technology.

Periphery nations in the world system are less developed, often providing raw materials to core nations.

Semi-periphery nations in the world system are those with some but not all advanced economic production. They act as a link between core and periphery.

Least developed countries or developing countries that have experienced unexpected or delayed development.

The variations in development experienced by different countries around the world. Third-world countries or developing countries have had unanticipated development.

Italian revolutionary and theorist, known for his theory of Hegemony. Emphasized the importance of ideological control by the ruling class.

The period after colonial rule, where strategies to retain colonial power and influence persist.

A concept by Edward Said, exploring how the West viewed and represented the East, often in a stereotypical manner.

A feminist perspective arguing that men and women are essentially the same, and their differences are insignificant.

A feminist perspective acknowledging the unique qualities of women and men, but highlighting how patriarchal societies devalue femininity.

Emphasizes men's control of labor and the exclusion of women from paid work.

A feminist approach focusing on analyzing gender through language and structures that limit women's power.

Institutions maintaining hierarchical relations between former colonial powers and colonies.

The act of one country controlling another.

The countries that had power and influence in colonial periods.

The countries that were controlled by other nations.