The Dialectic of History: A Study of Nature and Social Processes

“A major contribution to Marxist theory. Ganesh brings the latest advancements in the study of the physical sciences, evolution, early human history, human migration, the trajectories of civilisations, and the intellectual development of humankind into a seamless narrative. It is like reading Stephen Jay Gould, V. Gordon Childe and Perry Anderson all rolled into one. A magisterial study.” Vijay Prashad “This is a most unusual book based on an intense engagement with certain basic questions thrown up by Marxism by a scholar of great erudition. It embodies long years of thinking and demands serious attention on the part of the readers.” Prabhat Patnaik There has been a resurgence in writings on Marx and Marxism in recent years, particularly after the financial crisis of 2008. However, many of these attempts try to establish Marxism as another social theory, or try to use Marx’s writings to support their own versions of cultural, economic or political arguments. Much of the contemporary writing that goes in the name of Marxism either bypasses the contributions of Marx, Engels and Lenin, or dismisses them as theoretically insignificant and outmoded. Such arguments denigrate or debunk the rich experience of revolutionary Marxism in a number of states, and dissociate Marxist practice from theory. This tendency plays a negative role in the progress of revolutionary movements. Dialectics and historical materialism have been the cornerstones of the theory and practice of Marxism. The Dialectic of History argues that the substantial advances made in the physical and life sciences as well as insights into the history of humanity have provided deeper insights into both historical materialism and dialectics. The dialectical method provides a powerful alternative to formal logic which has reached a dead end trying to solve the problems of scientific enquiry. A dialectical understanding of historical processes helps us in critically understanding revolutionary transitions in a better light and chart pathways to a wholesome human future.…