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The relation between quantity and quality addresses the dialectical nature of motion, the process of the destruction of the old and development of the new, and how change comes about.
We speak of quality in the sense of a process and quantity in the sense of the stages of development of the process. It is important to make the distinction between quantity in this sense and quantity in the sense of numbers or amount. Change is not a simple shift in the balance of forces or the simple increase or decrease of the old. While contradiction is the basis for growth and development, antagonism is the basis for destruction and the rise of something new. The quantitative introduction of a new quality (a quality antagonistic to the process) begins the leap. The new quality develops quantitatively and, through a step-by-step process, disrupts and destroys whatever previously held the process together.
Understanding the relation of quantity and quality allows revolutionaries to understand the line of march of the revolution. This is the interrelation between the objective and the subjective aspects of the revolutionary process through the stages of its maturing — from the initial economic disruption of society, through the stages of the destruction of what held society together, to the point of such general instability that political revolution is possible. The outcome of revolution depends, above all, on the consciousness of the combatants. Understanding the quantitative stages of the objective aspects of the revolutionary process allows revolutionaries to aim and focus their efforts to develop the subjective aspects of the process.
Implications for Today
The current epoch provides a rich context in which to see how this works. Today, labor-replacing technology is being applied to production within an economic system that is premised on the buying and selling of labor power. The introduction of this qualitatively new technology initiates the step-by-step destruction of the connection between the working class and the capitalist class and everything that stands on the capitalist system of exploitation. But the consciousness required to build a new society will not grow automatically from that social destruction and social struggle. To ensure the outcome of the social revolution already underway, we need to introduce the qualitatively new ideas of revolution and the reconstruction of society.
Like other concepts in philosophy, the question of quantity and quality helps us navigate our way through various problems that have historically confronted revolutionaries. For example, an understanding of quantity and quality helps explain why the simple intensification of the social struggle doesn't lead to political revolution. The relation of quantity and quality is indispensable to helping revolutionaries identify the actual stages and steps in the line of march of the revolution of our time and the tasks of revolutionaries at each of those stages.
Discussion Questions and Readings
1. Define quality. Define quantity. Is "quantity" simply "amount"? What do we mean by the quantitative stages of development of the process?
Readings
- Frederick Engels, "II. Dialectics," Dialectics of Nature. (From "It is therefore, from the history" to "all his life without the slightest inkling of it.") http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1883/don/ch02.htm
- J.V. Stalin, " Anarchism or Socialism?," Collected Works, Vol. 1. (See "The Dialectical Method.") http://www.marx2mao.org/Stalin/AS07.html (pp. 300-304, especially 303-304)
- Nelson Peery, "Dialectics: Quantity, Quality and the Antagonistic Element," Entering an Epoch of Social Revolution. (pp. 12-13 in printed text
- The Institute for the Study of the Science of Society, "How and Why Things Change," Institute Resource Paper, #3. (From "Early on" to "wherein one quality is transformed into another.") http://www.scienceofsociety.org/inbox/res3.html
- Miller, Steven. "Water, Ice and Steam – How Changes in Quantity Lead to Changes in Quality." (Section "Hydrogen Bonds"; Section "Development" from "The laws of dialectics" to "cause the leap to take place.") http://www.scienceofsociety.org/discuss/dialectics/miller2.html
2. What is the relation between quantity and quality? How is that relation reciprocal? Discuss the distinction and relation between quantitative development based on contradiction and the quantitative stages of the leap based on the introduction of a new quality into the old process?
Readings
- Frederick Engels, "On the Mechanical Conception of Nature," Dialectics of Nature, pp. 147-150. http://www.scienceofsociety.org/philo/texts/engels2.pdf
3. Describe the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the growth of the productive forces that finally led to the "bursting asunder" of the feudal relations of production.
Readings
4. Choose the historical situation described in one of these three readings:
Readings
- Karl Marx, "The British Rule in India," June 10, 1863, pp. 35-41. http://www.scienceofsociety.org/philo/texts/marx1.pdf
Use that example from history to discuss the relation of quantity and quality in change: How does the quantitative introduction of a new quality lead up to its incompatibility with the old? In what part of the process does the quantity of the new quality begin to grow? How does it finally become incompatible with the old?
For specific reference on the concepts of quantity and quality, see:
5. Through the quantitative stages of the leap, the introduction of a new quality destroys the connections in society (e.g., between the capitalist class and the working class). Discuss the significance of this for the preparation for political revolution within the social revolution.
6. Why doesn't the intensification of the social struggle become the political struggle for power? What does it mean to say we anticipate and rely on objective aspects of the revolution in order to develop its subjective/conscious side? Use the understanding of quantity and quality to discuss this.
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