Abstract

To re-conceptualize historical materialism, the factor of the historical subject (human being) must be considered. Two main issues are the distinction between rational and irrational elements of consciousness, and the presumed differences between Marx and Engels, as found in several texts, including the original edition of The German Ideology. Rational and irrational levels of consciousness relate, respectively, to the social and natural dimensions of human existence and activity. Marx and Engels addressed the complex interrelation between these dimensions in various ways, but they did not achieve a systematic theorization. The irrational elements of consciousness function both passively and actively together with the rational elements, in a dialectic that can be clarified by comparing the classical edition of The German Ideology with the new test version, and with other classical texts. This reconsideration can be applied to the rethinking of socialism and the transitional experiences among socialist countries