p The philosophical conception of moralit. denotes a set of views, standards of behaviour, and personal traits; the term ethic. denotes the theory of morality.

p Historical materialism, based on the latest data in anthropology, approaches the emergence and historical development of morality from a truly scientific standpoint, starting from (a) the purely social nature of morality and (b) the determining role of labour. Marxism teaches that labour gave rise to social and labour relations, the ability to 157 produce instruments of labour, articulate speech, and intellectual culture: the arts, ethics, etc.

p In primitive communities, relations were regulated by numerous unwritten rules of conduct which reflected the elementary demands of society with respect to the individual. Behaviour complying with these elementary rules was approved of and encouraged, while any violation of the rules was disapproved of. The moral consciousness originated as a direct reflection of primitive man’s relations with other members of the community and the community as a whole and as his consciousness of these relations. In its embryonic form it represented collective concepts of desirable and undesirable, and of permissible and impermissible, conduct.

p Historical materialism rejects the theological theories of morality being generated by "the will of God" and developed by the influence of religion.

p Elementary ethical standards actually preceded religion. It was only later that they became part of religious beliefs, taboos and rites. In primitive communal society there existed moral standards and taboos that had no religious or mystic character.

p Moral qualities or actions do not derive from man’s biological or “animal” nature. This view identifies morality with instinct (female protecting its offspring, herd instinct).

p In actual fact, animal instinctive behaviour has nothing in common with morality or ethical relations among human beings, including the early stage of human society. Historical materialism sees human nature as a sum total of all social relations.

p Marxism-Leninism was the first to produce a scientific understanding of morality as a form of the social consciousness that specifically reflects socio-economic being.

p Morality is of a historical and class nature: it changes with changes in the life of society and in the relations of production.

p At the time when the bourgeoisie came to grips with feudalism and the feudal ideology, bourgeois morality had a certain progressive content. At that time the bourgeoisie and its ideologists were fighting against the morals of the feudal nobility, religious hypocrisy, etc. As time went on, the bourgeoisie became a reactionary class and shunned its early principles and ideas. Nowadays, bourgeois morality is extremely reactionary, cynical and unscrupulous.

p Communist morality, related to socialist ideology and fully developed under triumphant socialism, represents a new set of moral values. Communist morality counters the individualism and egotism of bourgeois morality with collectivism, solidarity, socialist humanism, friendly co- operation and internationalism. Lenin attached tre- 159 mendous importance to education in the spirit of communist morality precisely because it generates and develops new sentiments and traits, and sweeps out survivals of old bourgeois and pettybourgeois psychology - old customs and practices inherited from capitalist society.

p As the successor of the working class’s revolutionary morality, communist morality has the same content, for it teaches workers to suit their conduct to the interests of their class, to dedicate their lives to the cause of revolution. In the conditions of the struggle against Russian tsarism and the bourgeoisie, the working-class morality was primarily spearheaded against the old bourgeois system, against capitalists and landlords. During socialist and communist construction, the communist morality is enriched with new principles and gains a new content: it promotes the education of people in the spirit of communism. The communist morality is centred on "the struggle for the consolidation and completion of communism”.   [159•1 

p The communist morality helps mould the new type of man - a collectivist whose aim is to serve the interests of society, the welfare of all.

p Three stages of the communist morality may be 160 singled out in the first, socialist phase of communism.

p (1) A transitional period starting with socialist revolution in the course of which old morality is rejected and a historically new morality is established. Renouncing bourgeois morality, the moral consciousness of the revolutionary masses elaborated upon the preceding progressive morality, first and foremost the proletarian morality.

p The moral consciousness of the revolutionary masses did not simply renounce the old and accept the new: in the course of the drive for a new life, new principles and standards of behaviour were developed.

p The Great October Socialist Revolution of 1917 made for the development of a new value in man’s moral consciousness, socialist patriotism. It is radically different from the old type of patriotism in that it originates as defence of the idea of socialism and communism and a struggle against imperialism. Socialist patriotism embraces national and international values. Socialist collectivism, also a new moral value, is a continuation of proletarian collectivism, and an expression of friendly socialist mutual assistance and co- operation of people free from exploitation. Socialist collectivism is related to other values brought into being by socialist revolution such as fraternal solidarity among workers everywhere in the world and the friendship and brotherhood of those who 161 fight for communism and freedom, against wars of aggression, and against racial and national discord. Thus, history itself proved the idea advanced by the founders of scientific communism, that revolution is necessary not only because it is the only way of overthrowing the ruling class, but also because it is only in revolution that the rising class gets rid of the old and can build a new foundation for society.

p (2) The second stage, associated with the completion of socialist construction, saw profound changes in the consciousness of the broad masses. The result was the single morality brought about by the socio-political and ideological unity of the Soviet people, a unity created by socialism. Whereas there were antagonistic classes in the period of transition from capitalism to socialism, each with its morality, standards, and rules of conduct, the triumph of socialism resulted in rallying all social groups on the basis of the same essential interests, and made possible the forging of a single, communist morality.

p (3) The third stage is related to the phase of developed socialist society. This is the stage of the moulding of a new type of man: intellectually rich, morally pure, and physically perfect.

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