p In any class society philosophy is always partisan. IE evolves a system of views ol! the world as a whole, of surrounding reality, and at the same time expresses and defends the interests of certain classes or social groups. Through philosophical views, classes and social groups theoretically comprehend their position in society and their relationship with the surrounding world and the processes taking place within it. Philosophy is the basis of the world view of a definite class, and as such it 30 moulds the way of thought and behaviour of this class, shaping its requirements and ideals. “ Recent philosophy,” Lenin wrote, “is as partisan as was philosophy two thousand years ago. The contending parties are essentially-although this is concealed by a pseudo-erudite quackery of new terms or by a weak-minded non-partisanship- materialism and idealism.”  [30•1 

As a rule, materialism is associated with progressive classes and social groups interested in historical advance, whereas idealism is associated with reactionary classes struggling to perpetuate the existing_ardeiv-MateriaIism relies on science and makes use of scientific data; idealism, in contrast, is often bound up with religion and, basing itself on its dogmas, seeks to substantiate the need for it. Lenin stressed the partisanship of bourgeois philosophy and its ties with theology when he wrote: “... Not a single one of these [ bourgeoisAuthot] professors, who are capable of making very valuable contributions in the special fields of chemistry, history or physics, can be trusted one iota when it comes to philosophy. Why? For the same reason that not a single professor of political economy, who may be capable of very valuable contributions in the field of factual and specialised investigations, can be trusted one iota when it comes to the general theory of political economy. For in modern society the latter is as much a partisan science as is epistemology.”  [30•2