What determines class consciousness?

[enigma2517]

Marx said material being determines consciousness....what kind of material being is this?

What has it been throughout history?
What form can it possibly take in the future?

I'm wondering because I've been reading about immigration lately. On one hand it seems like class consciousness would be more prevelant in a time of crisis (i.e. the collapse of a comfortable middle class). On the other hand, perhaps it is the opposite, when capitalism and consumerism "flourish" to a point where they can no longer offer people anything more fulfilling.

So which is it? Do things have to get worse (capitalism depression) before they get better (classless society)?

[Vanguard1917]

On one hand it seems like class consciousness would be more prevelant in a time of crisis (i.e. the collapse of a comfortable middle class).

Capitalist crisis often gives way to spontaneous protests against capitalism. However, from a Marxist perspective, and in the words of Georg Lukacs, 'whether the crisis is fatal or surmountable for the bourgeoisie depends entirely on the class consciousness of the proletariat.' In other words, the working class needs to reach a level of communist consciousness, and this can only be possible with the intervention of a communist party.

This was discussed in this thread: http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php...topic=44038&hl= (http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=44038&hl=)

[piet11111]

class consciousness well to me that means when the proletariat acknowledges that the current capitalist society is not working in our favour and/or when the proles acknowledge that its unsustainable and needs to be replaced.

(and the need for replacement will be violently delayed by the capitalists forcing the proles into a revolution)

[anomaly]

Originally posted by enigma2517
what kind of material being is this?
Economic reality.


Do things have to get worse (capitalism depression) before they get better (classless society)?
I think so. I also think things will begin to 'get worse' (at least in the old capitalist countries) rather soon.