It is in fact not the consciousness dominating life but the very life dominating consciousness.
• Vol. III, 27.
• Vol. III, 27.
“
Nicht das Bewußtsein bestimmt das Leben, sondern das Leben bestimmt das Bewußtsein.
— Karl Marx
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "Nicht das Bewußtsein bestimmt das Leben, sondern das Leben bestimmt das Bewußtsein." in the context of "It is in fact not the consciousness dominating life but the very life dominating consciousness.
• Vol. III, 27." to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Karl Marx" (Quotes: Sorted chronologically, The German Ideology (1845-1846): Die Deutsche Ideologie by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels – Full text online)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx (5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German political philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, journalist and revolutionary socialist. Marx's work in economics laid the basis for labor theory of value, and has influenced much of subsequent economic thought. He published many works during his lifetime, including The Communist Manifesto (1848) and the first volume of Das Kapital (1867), the two later volumes being completed by his collaborator Friedrich Engels.
About Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx (5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German political philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, journalist and revolutionary socialist. Marx's work in economics laid the basis for labor theory of value, and has influenced much of subsequent economic thought. He published many works during his lifetime, including The Communist Manifesto (1848) and the first volume of Das Kapital (1867), the two later volumes being completed by his collaborator Friedrich Engels.
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