Marxism
History is driven by material conditions and class struggle.
Overview
Marx argued that the economic structure of society — who owns the means of production — determines politics, law, culture, religion, and ideas. The history of civilization is the history of class struggle between those who own and those who labor. Capitalism, while enormously productive, alienates workers from their labor, their products, and ultimately from themselves. It generates its own destruction through internal contradictions, eventually giving way to a classless society.
Origins
Marxism emerged in the mid-19th century as industrial capitalism transformed Europe, creating unprecedented wealth alongside harsh working conditions. Marx turned Hegel's dialectic 'right side up': instead of ideas driving history, material economic conditions do. His analysis — that economic power shapes all other aspects of society — remains one of the most widely used frameworks in the social sciences.