Review by Choice Review
"There is no Marxist philosophy and there never will be; on the other hand Marx is more important for philosophy than ever before." With this somewhat paradoxical thesis, Balibar (Univ. of Paris), one of the leading French structuralist Marxists since the late 1960s and 1970s, opens this short but difficult text. Balibar's thought is that although no systematic philosophical framework can be found in Marx, several of his conceptual gropings remain of value for philosophy in the 21st century. Balibar's Marx is a Marx of theoretical "ruptures" and "conjunctures," a Marx of repeated beginnings, each altering fundamental philosophical concepts in light of new practical circumstances. The text reconstructs several of these beginnings and ruminates over their continued relevance. The work also includes several short, boxed, setoff essays on points of interest ranging from "the determination of the last instant" to biographical sketches of Althusser, Luk'acs, and Benjamin. The work presupposes familiarity with Marx and with debates among Western Marxists in the 20th century. Endnotes; bibliographical guides for each chapter. Graduate; faculty. R. Hudelson; University of Minnesota--Duluth
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
