Rob Sewell discusses Engels’ famous text on the ‘Origins of the Family’ – a powerful example of the Marxist method of historical materialism, which traces the beginnings of the family, women’s oppression, and class society.

John Pickard, former editor of the British Marxist newspaper “Militant”, speaks at the ULU Marxist Summer School 2012 on the role played by labour in the transition from ape to man and the Marxist analysis of human evolution.

Modern scientific research has
identified the major physiological, neurological, and genetic
differences between humans and our biological ancestors. In particular,
it has been found that the human brain is qualitatively different in
terms of the development of the parts of the brain that control abstract
reasoning, social behaviour, and manual abilities.