Theory of Equation

A historical idealist viewpoint put forward by Bogdanov, a Russian Machist, which equates social consciousness with social existence. In his article “The Development of Life in Nature and Society” (1902), Bogdanov criticized the basis of historical materialism put forward by Marx in The Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy.

He said: “Old formulation of historical monism, without ceasing to be basically true, no longer fully satisfies us.” Therefore, he attempted to correct the theory, and argued, “in their struggle for existence men can unite only with the help of consciousness: without consciousness there can be no intercourse. Hence, social life in all its manifestations is a consciously psychical life… Society is inseparable from consciousness. Social being and social consciousness are, in the exact meaning of these terms, identical.”