Gilbert, Alan. “Salvaging Marx from Avineri.” Political Theory, Vol. 4 (1976), pp. 9–34.

Excerpt:

“UNDERLYING THE “CLASSIC” scholarly interpretation of

Marx is what might be called the economic determinist hypothesis, namely
that Marx viewed the course of social development as entirely governed by
the development of the productive forces (in conflict with production
relations) and that revolutionary political activity was unnecessary or at
best secondary. This point of view, taken over from German Social-
Democracy, denies the importance of class struggle and violent revolution,
and argues that socialism, according to Marx, can be achieved peacefully in
advanced capitalist countries (at least democratic ones) through a gradual
development of productive forces and an accumulation of reforms.”

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