isn't this similar to dialectical materialism? It is a theory (adopted as the official philosophy of the Soviet communists) that political and historical events result from the conflict of social forces and are interpretable as a series of contradictions and their solutions. The conflict is believed to be caused by material needs. Or that there are driving factors in the world which cause similar things to happen, and all that we have to do is to recognize and use those factors.
Good point. Marxism was (is) determinative. There were "forces" at work in history. And Adam Smith's "unseen hand" - what is that? By the way, I note that Stanley Fish is now identified as a "philosopher," a guy who has deconstructed (wrecked)English departments across the country.