Base and Superstructure: Understanding Marxism's Second Biggest Idea

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels bequeathed us an imposing arsenal of concepts with which to understand and master our world – the labour theory of value, modes of production, class struggle, and many more. These concepts gave us the tools with which to analyse – and transform – society as a whole.But one pair of concepts, which Marx and Engels could only sketch out, eluded both Marxism’s founders and their successors – and it is a pairing without which it is impossible to understand society in all its complexity and richness.What is this elusive coupling?Base and superstructureThe theory of ‘base and superstructure’ is simple enough: parts of society that are far removed from its economic ‘base’ are still affected by that base. Indeed, there is an important sense in which the base determines them. Art, politics, the state, philosophy, religion, the family – all orbit the mode of production.But what does ‘determines’ mean? If, as Engels argued, superstructures are determined only ‘in the last instance’, what does that mean? If superstructures retain a certain ‘relative autonomy’, what does that mean? Likewise for the many interpretations that have followed – countless delicate hints and bold hypotheses but, as yet, no final answer.Plainly, the problem is more profound than many imagine. Yet ‘base and superstructure’ remains a core idea, without which Marxism cannot complete its analysis of history and society – or take effective action to change them.Hence RJ Robinson’s Base And Superstructure – a radical new analysis, grounded in core principles of Marxism, yet setting human action and consciousness firmly at its centre.

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