As in private life one differentiates between what a man thinks and says of himself and what he really is and does, so in historical struggles one must still more distinguish the language and the imaginary aspirations of parties from their real organism and their real interests, their conception of themselves from their reality.

Summary

This quote by Karl Marx suggests that just as individuals may project a certain image of themselves that may not align with their true thoughts and actions, the same applies to historical struggles. It emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between the language, rhetoric, and ideals expressed by political parties or groups, and their actual interests and actions. In order to truly understand and analyze historical movements or conflicts, one must differentiate between the idealized self-perception of these parties and their underlying reality.

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