c/pravda_news · by rss@news.abolish.capital · 5d

Where did we come from? How did we get here?

https://mronline.org/2026/09/03/where-did-we-come-from-how-did-we-get-here/

An employee of the Natural History Museum in London looks at model of a Neanderthal male in his twenties

Humans are part of the ‘animal kingdom’–and of nature in general – but also distinct from it and labour (work) is part of what makes us unique, declared Engels. His insights 150 years ago into how our species came to be and how we differ from the rest of nature, are as important today as they were then, says the MARX MEMORIAL LIBRARY.

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bran_buckler@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 5d

I’m all about this subject matter, but this article is written in such a weird way, both on its style and structure.

A short and unfinished essay of about 5,000 words, written in 1876, shortly after the publication of Darwin’s The Descent of Man (1871), the title is a gendered mistranslation from the original German: “Anteil de Arbeit an der Menschwerdung des Affen”–“Menschwerdung” means “incarnation” or “becoming human,” not “man.”

Ok, yes, Man with a capital M back then was a stand in for human. That seems kind pedantic to point out when the article isn’t about that.

Today recognised as a foundational text, it builds on the recognition by earlier classical economists such as Adam Smith and David Ricardo, that alongside nature itself, human labour is the only source of value–an analysis that was developed by Marx in Capital.

Engels takes this further: much further.

Ok, I guess you’re going to tell me how Engels takes it further in the next paragraph…

Marx and Engels were enthusiastic about Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species published in 1859. Marx declared that “Darwin’s book is very important and serves me as a basis in natural science for the class struggle in history.’”

Wait. Marx declared? What about Engels?

Darwin’s essentially materialist explanation for the variety and complexity of life challenged religious dogma. His sequel in 1871, full title The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex applies evolutionary theory to humans. It was particularly inspirational to Engels.

Oh, Engels took it much further because he was inspired by Darwin in particular. Oh wait, I still don’t know what the hell they’re trying to say…