Dialectical and Historical Materialism

Dialectical and Historical Materialism (Russian: О диалектическом и историческом материализме), by Joseph Stalin, is a central text within Soviet political theory, such as Marxism–Leninism and Stalinism.

The work first appeared in 1938, drawing heavily upon both Vladimir Lenin's philosophical works and the then-new Short Course in the History of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). It later became the state doctrine of the Soviet Union. The title refers to dialectical materialism and historical materialism.

Stalin's writing is divided into three parts, and very systematically presented:

A: outline of the Marxist dialectical method, in contrast to metaphysics

B: outline of the Marxist philosophical materialism in contrast to idealism

C: Historical materialism

A. Primitive communal / primitive communism