Inspired by Enlightenment thinkers, especially Condorcet, the Utopian socialist Henri de Saint-Simon (1760-1825) formulated his own materialist interpretation of history, similar to those later used in Marxism, analyzing historical epochs based on their level of technology and organization and dividing them between eras of slavery, serfdom, and finally wage labor. The 'great man' and occasionally 'great women' view of historical change was popularised by the 19th century Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) who wrote вЂthe history of the world is nothing but the biography of great menвЂ™. According to Marx this conception of history amounted to nothing more than a collection of 'high-sounding dramas of princes and states'. Marx rejected the view that ideas alone were the driving force in society or that the underlying cause for the rise and fall of kingdoms, empires and states, was due to the actions of people at the top of society: kings, queens, emperors, generals, or religious leaders. This commonsensical view of history remains popular today. History was the gradual advance of the вЂspirit of libertyвЂ™ or the growth of nationalism or democracy, rationality and law. For many Enlightenment philosophers ideas became the mainspring for understanding historical change and the rise and fall of civilizations. Some philosophers for example Vico (1668вЂ“1744), Herder (1744-1803) and Hegel (1770-1831), sought to discover an organizing theme, meaning, or direction in human history.

A whole swathe of thinkers including Hobbes (1588-1679), Montesquieu (1689вЂ“1755), Voltaire (1694вЂ“1778), Smith (1723вЂ“1790), Turgot (1727-1781) and Condorcet (1743-1794) broke with the ecclesiastical interpretation of the world and offered new scientific studies of human nature, history, economics and society. The 'spirit of liberty' Д®nlightenment thinkers responded to their changing world by promoting individual liberty and attacking religious dogmas and the divine right of kings.

Marx's view of history is indelibly shaped by his engagement with the intellectual and philosophical movement known as the Age of Enlightenment and the profound scientific, political, economic and social transformations that took place in Britain and other parts of Europe in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. 4 Key implications in the study and understanding of history.2 HegelвЂ™s contribution to MarxвЂ™s theory of history.

Karl marx dialectic