Marx and Nietzsche

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the historical interpretations of Marx and Nietzsche differ fundamentally in that Marx saw history as conforming to particular order and laws, while Nietzsche saw human history as a series of errors, accidents, oppositions, and general chaos. The author points out that Marx?s historical materialism saw humans as being the center of history with the ability to create themselves and their histories. The paper relates that Nietzsche believed that errors and accidents are inscribed on humans without choice by the individuals themselves.

From the Paper:

"According to Marx, humans have the ability to create history through production. Marx suggested three stages of history that exist simultaneously and continuously interact with each other in a sort of hierarchy. The first historical act was to produce materials to satisfy basic needs and to establish relation to the rest of nature, which was considered the basic condition of all history since it was necessary for survival. Once these needs were provided for, history moved to a second fundamental point in which new needs were created, and more materials needed to be created to satisfy these new needs. The third historical act was that humans produced not only their own lives, but produced new lives through reproduction. This family structure is the base of social relations from which social relationship starts."

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