Combining Philosophers

Ideas for Geoffrey Gorham, R Feldman / E Conee and K Marx / F Engels

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4 ideas

25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / b. Education principles
Communists want to rescue education from the ruling class [Marx/Engels]
     Full Idea: Communists seek to rescue education from the influence of the ruling class.
     From: K Marx / F Engels (The Communist Manifesto [1848], §2)
     A reaction: Someone has to control education, and I would personally prefer it if the controllers were well educated themselves. Neutral education is an idle dream. We must educate for democracy, if we really want democracy.
25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 5. Education / d. Study of history
Human history must always be studied in relation to industry and exchange [Marx/Engels]
     Full Idea: The 'history of humanity' must always be studied and treated in relation to the history of industry and exchange.
     From: K Marx / F Engels (The German Ideology [1846], §1.A)
     A reaction: There is a lot of truth in this, but why did the Greeks produce Pythagoras, or the Jews produce Jesus, or the British produce Sid Vicious? Two very similar industrial societies can produce very different cultures. Individuals can make a difference.
Most historians are trapped in the illusions of their own epoch [Marx/Engels]
     Full Idea: Most historians see in history just the political actions of princes and states, religious and all sorts of theoretical struggles, and in particular in each historical epoch have had to share the illusion of that epoch.
     From: K Marx / F Engels (The German Ideology [1846], §1.B)
     A reaction: Is it an illusion of our epoch that we share the illusions of our epoch? It seems unfair to say that Marx and Engels can see beyond the illusions of their epoch, but some historian writing about the Wars of the Roses can't. Princes were important.
The history of all existing society is the history of class struggles [Marx/Engels]
     Full Idea: The history of all existing society is the history of class struggles.
     From: K Marx / F Engels (The Communist Manifesto [1848], §1)
     A reaction: This seems to make, say, the English Peasants' Revolt of 1481 crucial, and the building of Lincoln Cathedral fairly minor. Where does the advent of the telephone figure? Etc. Still, we must concede his point. Most medieval history is about power.