Karl Marx and the Three Faces of Technological Determinism

Abstract

The literature on Marx reveals conflicting claims about the role of technology in social change. Much of the debate is attributable to confusion over what is meant by `technological determinism' (TD). There are several approaches to this concept: `Norm-Based Accounts' interpret TD as a chiefly cultural phenomenon; `Unintended Consequences Accounts' view it in terms of unexpected social outcomes of technological enterprise. Neither of these two approaches make claims which are strictly deterministic, and which rely upon features of technology itself; they should not be considered to be TD. `Logical Sequence Accounts', on the other hand, make an ontological claim, viewing TD in terms of universal laws of nature; these deserve the `TD' label, and suggest criteria for assessing Marx's views about technology. Marx's arguments about the forces of production do not represent a Logical Sequence Account. The primary factors in the development of the forces of production are human, involving drives for self-expression, resistance to alienation, and expanding needs. Technology plays only a facilitating role in this process, which is essentially non-technological in character.