HIS109Y1 Lecture Notes - New Imperialism, Social Darwinism, Erasmus Darwin
Document Summary
Darwin rose out of & engaged w/ the intellectual climate of modern europe. Darwin spoke about biology, species, changes in natural world over a long period of time. Origin of species was published in 1859, the year marx published critique of political economy, engaging w/ the same intellectual climate & same ideas about how the world works & doesn"t work. Marx believed material relations were the driving force of humanity (position in relations of production) which creates ideas (your consciousness, ideology, etc. ) Darwin, marx, wagner connected darwin & marx as part of the same cultural intellectual moment (through the idea of material forces operating mechanically; laws of nature & society are the driving forces of society that operate mechanically) scientism. Marx & darwin created idea of an alien, chaotic & cold world, thinking scientifically (morals, religion, art, etc. are produced by one"s place in relations of production) History moves forward, human progress is inevitable & a moral & social good.
