The Dialectic, History, and Progress: Marx's Critique of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon

The philosophical dimension of Marx's polemic against Proudhon represents a crucial stage in the development of his dialectical method and his conception of history and progress. The critique of Proudhon demonstrates Marx's hostility toward the very teleological account of social change of which he has himself been accused. In order to redress this imbalance, the break with Proudhon is presented here as a result of Marx's rejection of the speculative Hegelian dialectic. This rejection is an exercise in self-criticism that is highly relevant to our understanding of Marxian theory.