Abstract

Marx did turn Hegel right side up. He substituted material forces as the basic determinant of history in place of Hegel’s claim that spiritual forces dialectically shape matter. Yet on reflection, it is amazing to see how conservative Marx really was where Hegel is concerned. He did not really “revolutionize” Hegel. In fact, Marx accepted many of Hegel’s premises and radically amended only some—although admittedly important —aspects. The time may have come to revolutionize both thinkers. We should look carefully at their basic assumptions and conclusions and ask whether these should be dogmatically proclaimed. Perhaps other and less rigid principles are open to us and better suited to our present experience.