Ans.: The "Materialistic Conception of History."
8. Name the three great ideas developed by Marx and Engels which now form the bed-rock basis for the socialist philosophy.
Ans.: (1) the Materialistic Conception of History, or, the law of economic determinism, (2) the Law of Surplus Value, and (3) the Class Struggle.
9. Explain, briefly, the "materialistic conception of history."
Ans.: "In every historical epoch, the prevailing mode of economic production and exchange and the social organization necessarily following from it forms the basis upon which is built up and from which alone can be explained, the political and intellectual history of that epoch." The laws, customs, education, religion, public opinion and morals are in the long run controlled and shaped by economic conditions; or, in other words, by the dominant ruling class which the economic system of any given period forces to the front.
10. What is the most important question in life?
Ans.: The problem of securing food and shelter.
11. What bearing does this have on the materialistic conception of history?
Ans.: It gives us the only key by which we can understand the history of the past, and within limits, predict the course of future development.
12. What effect does the prevailing mode of production and exchange in any particular epoch, have on the social organization and political and intellectual history of that epoch?