Why Read Marx Today?

Zusatztext In splendidly lucid prose! Jonathan Wolff explores the continuing appeal of Marx today. Deftly sifting the living from the dead in Marx's thought! Wolff shows how his criticisms of capitalism and liberalism have lost none of their urgency! even if his communist solutions prove unconvincing. Informationen zum Autor Jonathan Wolff is Professor of Philosophy at University College London. His books include the successful An Introduction to Political Philosophy, OUP. Klappentext The fall of the Berlin Wall had enormous symbolic resonance, marking the collapse of Marxist politics and economics. Indeed, Marxist regimes have failed miserably, and with them, it seems, all reason to take the writings of Karl Marx seriously. Jonathan Wolff argues that if we detach Marx the critic of current society from Marx the prophet of some never-to-be-realized worker's paradise, he remains the most impressive critic we have of liberal, capitalist, bourgeois society. The author shows how Marx's main ideas still shed light onwider concerns about culture and society and he guides the reader through Marx's notoriously difficult writings. Wolff also argues that the value of a great thinker does not depend on his or her views being true, but on other features such as originality, insight, and systematic vision. From thisperspective, Marx still richly deserves to be read. Why Read Marx Today? reinstates Marx as an important critic of current society, and not just a figure of historical interest. Zusammenfassung 'All too often, Karl Marx has been regarded as a demon or a deity - or a busted flush. This fresh, provocative, and hugely enjoyable book explains why, for all his shortcomings, his critique of modern society remains forcefully relevant even in the twenty-first century.' Francis Wheen, author of Karl MarxIn recent years we could be forgiven for assuming that Marx has nothing left to say to us. Marxist regimes have failed miserably, and with them, it seemed, all reason to take Marx seriously. The fall of the Berlin Wall had enormous symbolic resonance: it was taken to be the fall of Marx as well as of Marxist politics and economics.This timely book argues that we can detach Marx the critic of current society from Marx the prophet of future society, and that he remains the most impressive critic we have of liberal, capitalist, bourgeois society. It also shows that the value of the 'great thinkers' does not depend on their views being true, but on other features such as their originality, insight, and systematic vision. On this account too Marx still richly deserves to be read. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface Introduction Marx's Life and Works The Plan of This Book 1: Early Writings Introduction Religion The Philosophy of Historical Materialism Labour and Alienation Money and Credit Liberalism Emancipation 2: Class, History, and Capital Class History The Economics of Capitalism The Transition to Communism The Nature of Communism 3: Assessment Introduction Early Writings Theory of History Economics Communism Human Nature Conclusion Guide to References and Further Reading Index ...

In splendidly lucid prose, Jonathan Wolff explores the continuing appeal of Marx today. Deftly sifting the living from the dead in Marx's thought, Wolff shows how his criticisms of capitalism and liberalism have lost none of their urgency, even if his communist solutions prove unconvincing.

Auteur
Jonathan Wolff is Professor of Philosophy at University College London. His books include the successful An Introduction to Political Philosophy, OUP.

Texte du rabat

The fall of the Berlin Wall had enormous symbolic resonance, marking the collapse of Marxist politics and economics. Indeed, Marxist regimes have failed miserably, and with them, it seems, all reason to take the writings of Karl Marx seriously.
Jonathan Wolff argues that if we detach Marx the critic of current society from Marx the prophet of some never-to-be-realized worker's paradise, he remains the most impressive critic we have of liberal, capitalist, bourgeois society. The author shows how Marx's main ideas still shed light on
wider concerns about culture and society and he guides the reader through Marx's notoriously difficult writings. Wolff also argues that the value of a great thinker does not depend on his or her views being true, but on other features such as originality, insight, and systematic vision. From this
perspective, Marx still richly deserves to be read.
Why Read Marx Today? reinstates Marx as an important critic of current society, and not just a figure of historical interest.

Résumé
'All too often, Karl Marx has been regarded as a demon or a deity - or a busted flush. This fresh, provocative, and hugely enjoyable book explains why, for all his shortcomings, his critique of modern society remains forcefully relevant even in the twenty-first century.' Francis Wheen, author of Karl Marx In recent years we could be forgiven for assuming that Marx has nothing left to say to us. Marxist regimes have failed miserably, and with them, it seemed, all reason to take Marx seriously. The fall of the Berlin Wall had enormous symbolic resonance: it was taken to be the fall of Marx as well as of Marxist politics and economics. This timely book argues that we can detach Marx the critic of current society from Marx the prophet of future society, and that he remains the most impressive critic we have of liberal, capitalist, bourgeois society. It also shows that the value of the 'great thinkers' does not depend on their views being true, but on other features such as their originality, insight, and systematic vision. On this account too Marx still richly deserves to be read.

Contenu

• Preface

• Introduction

• Marx's Life and Works

• The Plan of This Book

• 1: Early Writings

• Introduction

• Religion

• The Philosophy of Historical Materialism

• Labour and Alienation

• Money and Credit

• Liberalism

• Emancipation

• 2: Class, History, and Capital

• Class

• History

• The Economics of Capitalism

• The Transition to Communism

• The Nature of Communism

• 3: Assessment

• Introduction

• Early Writings

• Theory of History

• Economics

• Communism

• Human Nature

• Conclusion

• Guide to References and Further Reading

• Index