Marx’s historical method centers capitalism as the primary lens by 1847.

Evidence

History, for Marx, became the antagonistic play of the relations of living social categories whose existence was predicated on the particular characters of production and property that had been the basis of social life. Political economy was thus the most fundamental of historical inquiries. The materialist conception of history situated the objective and necessary forces of a society, distinguishing their significance from those categories of human activity that were the result of pure speculation (idealism) and ideology. As Marx’s theoretical work proceeded, the progressive tendency to place the study of capitalist forms of production, exchange, and distribution at the center of his work became more and more pronounced. By 1847, capitalism had become his primary subject. — Cedric J. Robinson, Black Marxism_ The Making of the Black…, 315

Categorization

• XREF: Sets up the book’s core thesis that Marxism itself is a product of European historical conditions; connects to the Black radical tradition critique Robinson builds toward. — connects to: Class position shaped rival explanations of the 1847-8 crisis. — David Harvey, The Condition of Postmodernity: An…, 1646; The 1847-8 crisis proved capitalism generates crises from its own internal workings. — David Harvey, The Condition of Postmodernity: An…, 1643