Final answer:
Karl Marx's 'basic metaphysical principle of dialectics' refers to dialectical materialism, where material conditions and economic class conflicts drive historical change, contrasting with Hegel's idealistic dialectic.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Karl Marx discussed the 'basic metaphysical principle of dialectics,' he was referencing the concept of dialectical materialism, a theory that suggests that all historical change is driven by conflicts arising from material conditions and social relations, especially between different economic classes. Unlike Hegel's idealistic dialectic, which emphasized ideas as the driving force of history, Marx's dialectical materialism places material conditions and economic conflicts, particularly the class struggle between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, at the center of historical development. The process Marx outlined involves an existing condition or thesis that conflicts with a new, opposing force or antithesis, leading to a clash that is resolved through the creation of a synthesis, which then becomes a new thesis, and so the cycle continues until, according to Marx, it culminates in a classless, socialist society.