Later Marx

A scholarly distinction referring to the mature phase of Karl Marx’s thought (typically associated with his later writings such as Capital) in contrast with the early Marx’s more humanistic or philosophical works. The distinction is invoked to characterize Marx’s evolution toward viewing social superstructures as relatively autonomous rather than mechanically determined by the economic base, and away from conceptualizing society as a single expressive totality.

Claims that use this term

• Later Marx saw superstructures as relatively autonomous rather than mechanically determined
• Later Marx abandoned thinking society as one simple expressive totality.