Or so I believe as a student of Cultural Materialism
http://www.indiana.edu/~wanthro/theory_pages/Materialism.htmI. Basic Idea
Cultural Materialism is a scientific research strategy that prioritizes material, behavioral and etic processes in the explanation of the evolution of human socio-cultural systems. It was first introduced by Marvin Harris in The Rise of Anthropological Theory (1968). Harris is the originator of, and has remained the main figure in, cultural materialism. He insists that the primary task of anthropology is to give causal explanations for the differences and similarities in the thoughts and behaviors of human groups.
ON MARXISM (DIALECTICAL or HISTORICAL MATERIALISM)
Cultural materialists are concerned with causality in socio-cultural systems and believe it may be sought through the study of the material constraints that human societies are subjected. Such constraints act on the need to produce food or shelter
and to reproduce the population. These can be renamed as infrastructure. In that cultural materialists prioritize material constraints to explain socio-cultural systems, they are descendents of Marx, building on his notion of historical or dialectical materialism. However, cultural materialism does not take the position that anthropology must become part of a political movement aimed at destroying capitalism. Cultural materialism allows diverse political motivation. Cultural materialism does not see all cultural change as resulting from dialectical contradictions, but argues that cultural evolution results from the gradual accumulation of useful traits through a process of trial and error.
III. Theoretical Approach
Cultural materialism considers that all socio-cultural systems consist of three levels: infrastructure, structure and superstructure.
Superstructure
1. Behavior
2. Mental
Structure
1. Domestic economy
2. Political economy
Infrastructure
1. Production
2. Reproduction1. INFRASTRUCTURE (this is where Harris diverges significantly from Mrax)
A. Mode of Production: the technology and the practices employed for expanding or limiting basic subsistence production, especially the production of food and other forms of energy.
B. Mode of reproduction: the technology and the practices employed for expanding, limiting and maintaining population size.http://www.indiana.edu/~wanthro/theory_pages/Materialism.htm