Question

Whose theory of social change is called historical materialism ?

• A. Marx
• B. Pareto
• C. Merton
• D. Sorokin

Hint:

Associate core concepts with major theorists: Marx → Historical Materialism, Class Conflict; Durkheim → Social Facts, Anomie; Weber → Bureaucracy, Verstehen; Merton → Strain Theory, Manifest/Latent Functions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to identify the theorist associated with the concept of 'historical materialism'. This is a specific theory of history and social change.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Historical materialism is the methodological approach to the study of society, economics, and history first articulated by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
- The core idea is that the material conditions of a society's mode of production (i.e., the way humans collectively produce the means of subsistence) fundamentally determine its social, political, and intellectual superstructure.
- For Marx, the history of society is the history of class struggles, which are driven by conflicts rooted in these material, economic conditions. This theory is the cornerstone of Marxist thought.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The theory of social change called historical materialism belongs to Karl Marx.