Final answer:
In the Marxist view, a theory misunderstands human culture when it ignores the influence of the dominant economic forces and class relations on culture, leading to false consciousness among the working class. Marx emphasized the need for empirical observation and study to uncover the truth behind social structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the Marxist view, a theory misunderstands human culture when it fails to recognize how the dominant economic forces and class relations shape culture and perpetuate systems of oppression. This misinterpretation is often referred to as false consciousness, a term used to describe a situation in which the working class (proletariat) adopts the ideology of the ruling class (bourgeoisie) to the detriment of their own class interests.
Marxist theory posits that cultural ideas that serve the interests of the ruling class, such as consumerism or the notion that hard work is its own reward, distract the proletariat from recognizing their exploitation. Thus, a theory that ignores the class struggle inherent in capitalist societies is said to misunderstand human culture by failing to apprehend the underlying social conflicts and economic forces that drive cultural norms and beliefs.
Marx and his collaborator Friedrich Engels advocated for a revolutionary overthrow of capitalism, driven by the proletariat. They were influenced by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel's dialectic method, which contextualizes changes in ideas and societal structures as ongoing conflicts that result in the evolution of new syntheses. Hegel's influence helped Marx to define his materialist conception of history. Ultimately, Marx believed that careful empirical observation and study are necessary to reveal the realities of social structures and to expose ideological biases perpetuated by the ruling class.