What Is Historical Materialism?

If we understand cap ism in terms of material conditions and the way those conditions produce exploitation, for example, then we might be less persuaded by capitalism's appeals to lofty ideas like economic freedom and liberty. By insisting that material reality is more important than ideas, historical materialism allows us to see the way that lofty and abstract ideas have been used to distract us from the actual violences and exploitation of capitalism. Allows us to explain why capitalism isn't based on freedom or liberty, but on intense forms of oppression and exploitation.