Key terms
Key concepts
Readings
Activities
Discussion questions/points
Key terms
Science
Science of Society
Doctrine
Marxism
Communism
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Key concepts
"Science is systemized knowledge derived from observation, study and experimentation carried on to determine the nature of what is being studied." (from Entering an Epoch of Social Revolution.)
Doctrine is the application of science to particular conditions. There is a difference between Marxism-the-science, and Marxism-the-doctrine.
Marxism-the-science describes the laws that govern the development of societies. Marxism-the-doctrine, on the other hand, describes the application of Marxism-the-science at a given moment, and thus evolves and changes as conditions change.
Marxism-the-science is a method, a way of approaching problems that face revolutionaries. Many people espouse the economic system of communism -- contribution to society based on ability, distribution of social wealth based on need. Marxists are communists who bring a scientific method to bear on the tasks facing communist revolutionaries: what needs to be done to ensure not only the present success of the movement, but the future success as well.
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Readings
"Science and Doctrine" (Institute resource paper #1).
"Marxism as the Scientific Current Within Communism" (Institute resource paper #2).
"Why study?" (Introduction to Institute-in-a-Box)
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Activities
Look up dictionary definitions of the key terms. Discuss the dictionary definitions in relation to the readings.
Have someone do a report on a supplemental reading "The Future of Human History as a Science", the Epilogue from the recent book Guns, Germs and Steel (Jared Diamond, Norton, 1997).
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Discussion questions/points
1. What is science? What is doctrine? How are they different?
2. What is a communist? What is a Marxist? How are they different? Are all communists Marxists? Are all Marxists communists?
3. Why is an ongoing program of study important to a revolutionary?
Ask the Institute staff a question about this unit
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