• DeepPoliSci [none/use name]
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    edit-2
    4 years ago

    imagine two societies with exactly the same distributions of wealth. you can even use the distribution of wealth we currently have. in one, half the population (the poorer half) is PoC; in the other, its perfectly representative of races. pure historical materialism says they’re two of the same worlds

    Historical materialism would say that the base of both these societies are the class relations which exist. Class relations reflect the we produce the necessities of life & surplus. Therefore, it is at the base of human civilization. It fundamentally shapes every aspect of our society - culture, institutions, the state, social norms, etc. The base of civilization and the super structures of civilization influence each other, but the base is predominant.

    Historical materialism does not declare anything about the super structures of a given society. The fact that the super structures reflects class relations, which you are showing in your example, is explained by historical materialism. The social constructs of "white" and "PoC" were a product of our base, Capitalism. Capitalism took root in Europe, and their bourgeoisie amassed wealth by the plundering of the Americas, Africa, and Asia. Our modern conception of race is the product of the conflict between the white bourgeoisie & colonized people. Colonized people are the largest mass of exploited people on Earth.

    Class relations are the base society & class analysis provides the most holistic understanding of civilization. If we want to influence civilization, we need to base our praxis in class struggle. In our time, that means organizing the working class and building towards socialism. A large amount of racism, sexism, etc. would be addressed significantly better under socialism than capitalism. Under socialism, oppressed people will have housing, health care, and steady employment. That will go a long way in reducing the power that reactionary forces have over oppressed people. And the instruments of state power are owned by a class which will gladly strip away any concessions on when convenient.

    The US unionization rate is 10%. Tens of millions of workers have been laid off. But the CIA will hire nonbinary agents & the FBI director is "embarrassed to be a white man." We need to start organizing & winning material concessions for the working class - yes, even the reactionary workers - or else the reactionary workers in the US will slaughter us in the upcoming Depression.