▁the ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁product ive ▁forces , ▁which ▁Marx ▁conce ives ▁of ▁as ▁the ▁driving ▁force ▁of ▁history . ▁Second ly , ▁the ▁particular ▁needs ▁and ▁drives ▁of ▁humans ▁explain ▁the ▁class ▁ant agon ism ▁which ▁is ▁generated ▁under ▁capital ism . ▁ ▁Human ▁nature ▁and ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁product ive ▁forces ▁It ▁has ▁been ▁held ▁by ▁several ▁writers ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁Marx ' s ▁conception ▁of ▁human ▁nature ▁which ▁explains ▁the ▁' development ▁th esis ' ▁( C ohen , ▁ 1 9 7 8 ) ▁concerning ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁product ive ▁forces , ▁which ▁according ▁to ▁Marx , ▁is ▁itself ▁the ▁fundamental ▁driving ▁force ▁of ▁history . ▁ ▁If ▁true , ▁this ▁would ▁make ▁his ▁account ▁of ▁human ▁nature ▁perhaps ▁the ▁most ▁fundamental ▁aspect ▁of ▁his ▁work . ▁Ger as ▁writes , ▁( 1 9 8 3 , ▁pp .   1 0 7 – 1 0 8 , ▁ital ics ▁in ▁original ) ▁historical ▁material ism ▁itself , ▁this ▁whole ▁distinct ive ▁approach ▁to ▁society ▁that ▁origin ates ▁with ▁Marx , ▁rest s ▁square ly ▁upon ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁a ▁human ▁nature . ▁It ▁highlight s ▁that ▁specific ▁ne x us ▁of ▁universal ▁needs ▁and ▁capac ities ▁which ▁explains ▁the ▁human ▁product ive ▁process ▁and ▁man ' s ▁organized ▁transformation ▁of ▁the ▁material ▁environment ; ▁which ▁process ▁and ▁transformation ▁it ▁tre ats ▁in ▁turn ▁as ▁the ▁basis ▁both ▁of ▁the ▁social ▁order ▁and ▁of ▁historical ▁change .' ▁G . A . ▁C ohen ▁( 1 9 8