A Study on the Motivations behind Marx’s Late-Life Writing of the Anthropology Notebooks

Marx’s intellectual development underwent multiple stages and several significant transformations. In his later years, he shifted his focus from a critique of capitalist political economy to an engagement with the history of “ancient societies.” In particular, the composition of the “Anthropology Notebooks” is regarded within academia as an important theoretical “turn,” provoking widespread scholarly discussion: Why did Marx, prior to the completion of “Capital”, dedicate substantial effort to the study of primitive and pre-capitalist social formations? This paper argues that such a “turn” should not be interpreted as a deviation from Marx’s original theoretical trajectory, but rather as a deepening and extension of the logic inherent in historical materialism. The “Anthropology Notebooks” exemplify an expansion of Marx’s social theoretical horizon, with the primary theoretical motivations arising from three dimensions: first, changes in the historical context; second, the development of his theoretical system; and third, the exigencies posed by contemporary social realities. As an integral component of Marx’s social theory, an inquiry into the motivations behind the writing of the “Anthropology Notebooks” holds significant theoretical value for advancing a comprehensive understanding of his theories on social formations, communicative relations, and the concept of civilization.