Analyse Marxian theory of social change. Is it useful to comprehend the changes in the developing societies?

Karl Marx believed that the history of hitherto existing societies are the history of struggle. And thus his study of society as a comprehensive whole , was not only to understand it but also a pursuit to change it.

Marx argued , through his approach of historical materialism , about the ills of capitalist society being exploitative and sowing its own seeds of destruction. He says that the emergence of every historical epoch ( from primitive communism to capitalism ) has been the result of internal contradictions within the system. With growth of new forms of energy there is always a struggle between new means of production and old relations of production. This struggle between minority and minority makes way for new mode of production.

Similarly in a capitalist society , labor power has been exploited in relentless pursuit of profit. Proletariats , though alienated , with the fear of going to reserve pool and being jobless are under the influence of bourgeois. However , Marx believed that the modern factory system of production will render homogenization of working class.

Once they come together and realize common problems due to the existing objective conditions , class consciousness replaces false consciousness. This phenomena transforms a situation of class in itself to class for itself.Consequently , the proletariats assemble to overthrow capitalism through revolution.This , Marx argued , would make way for establishing communist classless society.

However , the communist utopia envisaged by Marx has not been turned into reality . His theory had great impact in early part of 21st century when communism was adopted my many countries led by USSR. However , with the fall of USSR and success of capitalism , his dream has few takers.

Nevertheless , the core ideology of Karl Marx is a brilliant methodological tool to comprehend changes in developing societies. The existence of power relations , conflict and dialectics of change can be seen in Indian national movement. A.R Desai opined that it was the material conditions created by Britishers which eventually led to their fall. The revolutionary tendencies are witnessed in Hong Kong , Egypt , Syria and other countries owing to exploitative nature of people in power , albeit their demands are quite different from what Marx thought of.