When Americans think of Karl Marx, they probably think of the self-proclaimed Marxist governments whose rivalry with the US & Western Europe defined the 20th Century.Marx, however, formulated a theory of historical change and social relationships under capitalism that was more productive than the Communist governments who ruled in his name. In this episode, Bob and Ben talk about how Marx viewed history, what we can learn from it, and the ways Marx’s theory has both contributed to, and limited, historical research.

This is part of an ongoing conversation between Bob and Ben on history and methodology that began on our Patreon page. To get our episode on Historical Narratives & Power and many others, as well some Road to Now swag, click here and become a Patron!

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.