William H. Shaw’s Interpretation of Marx’s Historical Theory

Abstract

Centering on the two core concepts of productive forces and relations of production, William H. Shaw offers a renewed interpretation and systematic reorganization of Marx’s historical materialism based on a close reading of the classical texts. In his 1978 book Marx’s Theory of History, Shaw reconstructs Marx’s historical theory into a form of “technological determinism.” Following the logical structure of this book, the veil of technological determinism can be lifted from three analytical levels: conceptual dissection, essential reinterpretation, and empirical explanation. From the standpoint of the dynamics of productive forces, Shaw probes the essence of Marx’s historical theory and employs technological determinism to analyze changes in socio-economic formations. A scientific understanding of technological determinism not only helps us to accurately grasp Shaw’s thought and his analytical Marxism, but also enables us to reconsider historical materialism and the role of science and technology in contemporary practice.