The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas, i.e., the class which is the ruling material force of society, is at the same time its ruling intellectual force.

Summary

This quote, by Karl Marx, suggests that the ruling class in any given society determines the dominant ideas of that society. The ruling class not only holds economic power but also intellectual power, influencing and shaping the ideas that are accepted and promoted. In other words, those in power not only control the material aspects of society but also the prevailing ideologies and beliefs. This understanding highlights the link between social power structures and the formation of knowledge and ideas.

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