B T RANADIVE* Place of Ideology in Marxist Theory of Social Change THE CENTENARY year of Marx's passing away witnesses the ever conquering power of his doctrine which he elaborated in collaboration with another master mind, Frederick Engcls. The Marxist understanding of the process of social development and change has not only enabled the people to understand the past, but also to consciously shape history in accordance with the laws of social change. The Socialist revolutions were the first consciously worked out revolutions in history—with the leading forces fully conscious about their aims and objects. ^ The materialist theory of history is often criticised by its opponents for neglecting other factors such as ideology, philosophy, religion, traditions, etc, which undoubtedly influence men's activities in all the epochs. The reproach is not correct as the founders of Marxism, in their elaboration of their doctrine, never failed to take note of these influences. Had they thought that mankind automatically hopped from one island of ideology to another with change in relations of production, had they thought that the old ideological-political order smoothly yielded to the new, they would not have waged an ideological battle against old concepts and would not have called for the organisation of the political party of the working class to overthrow the capitalist State and establish a state of the-dictator-ship of the proletariat They explained in full the active role of the current superstructure and ideology in fighting the new emerging relations. They emphasised that the battle against current ideology and political power was inevitable because the ruling power and •ideology represented the interests of the dominant classes adversely affected by the new changes. They also explained that the ma^s of people interested in a ch.inge, fighting against the old order, does not immediately give up its old concepts and often becomes the victim of reactionary and diversionary ideologies which obstruct and delay the consolidation of *Mcmb:r of the Pol t Dur.'au of the Communist Party of Ind''a (Marxist)