From Neo Marxism To Democratic Theory

The essays in this volume trace an intellectual odyssey, a search for a genuinely critical theory. The book begins with the question of why the Frankfurt School as well as other neo-Marxist and post-Marxist analysts, both in the West and in dissident circles in the East, failed to produce a critical theory of Soviet socialism or to establish a dynamic relationship with contemporary social movements. As the political struggle in Eastern Europe intensified, the author of this book disengaged from his own efforts to reconstruct a critical Marxism. Instead, he attempts a reconstruction of democratic theory based on civil society rather than class categories, and with a critical relevance not only to the transition from state socialism but more generally to the universal goal of emancipation.

This Dictionary comprehensively surveys major twentieth-century neo-Marxian (non-orthodox) thinkers and activists throughout the world. This thorough research aid contains over 200 biographical essays which include pertinent biographical details; a summary of the entrant's significant and unique contributions to neo-Marxian theory and practice; and a bibliography of relevant primary and secondary works. The essays are prepared by a wide range of qualified and internationally recognized Marxian scholars. Special emphasis is placed on terms, concepts, and perspectives associated with each entrant. In addition to the biographical essays, ten entries concerning groups, movements, and journals judged as crucial to understanding the evolution of Neo-Marxism in a particular country or the West in general are included. The volume contains an appendix that lists the entrants by nationality, and a comprehensive index that lists all names, organizations, parties, journals, etc. Finally, the editor has included an introductory essay wherein he highlights Marx's own contribution to the subsequent proliferation of Marxian theories, by emphasizing the potentially incompatible theoretical premises he embraced.

A comprehensive history of the development of Marxist theory and the parameters of 21st-century politics In this pithy and panoramic work—both stimulating for the specialist and the accessible to the general reader—one of the world's leading social theorists, Göran Therborn, traces the trajectory of Marxism in the twentieth century and anticipates its legacy for radical thought in the twenty-first.

Critical Theories of the State is a clear and accessible survey of radical perspectives on the modern state. By focusing on Marxist theory and its variations, particularly as applied to advanced industrial societies and contemporary welfare states, Clyde W. Barrow provides a more extensive and thorough treatment than is available in any other work. Barrow divides the methodological assumptions and key hypotheses of Marxist, Neo-Marxist, and Post-Marxist theories into five distinct approaches: instrumentalist, structuralist, derivationist, systems-analytic, and organizational realist. He categorizes the many theorists discussed in the book, including such thinkers as Elmer Altvater, G. William Domhoff, Fred Block, Claus Offe, and Theda Skocpol according to their concepts of the state’s relationship to capital and their methodological approach to the state. Based on this survey, Barrow elaborates a compelling typology of radical state theories that identifies with remarkable clarity crucial points of overlap and divergence among the various theories. Scholars conducting research within the rubric of state theory, political development, and policy history will find Critical Theories of the State an immensely valuable review of the literature. Moreover, Barrow’s work will make an excellent textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses in political science and sociology, and can also be used by those teaching theory courses in international relations, history, and political economy.

The spectacular growth in the 1970s and 1980s of the Marxist literature on politics and the state in capitalist society was hailed at the time as cumulative proof of Marxism's success in producing an effective theory of the political superstructure. More generally, it was seen as confirmation of the health and vigor of Marxist theory. Axel van den Berg questions both of these claims. Through comprehensive analysis of Marxist thought on bourgeois politics and the state, from that produced by Marx himself on, van den Berg radically challenges the viability of a distinctly Marxist theory of the state and of recent Marxist theorizing in general. In an exhaustive review of the literature, van den Berg shows that neo-Marxist theories are, for the most part, not empirically testable. To the extent that it is possible to draw any empirical implications from these theories at all, such implications are virtually indistinguishable from those of "bourgeois" theories. Van den Berg proceeds to lay bare the contradiction at the heart of Marxist theory in general: it presupposes the viability and desirability of some ideal socialist society yet its "anti-utopian" insistence that all criticisms of capitalism must rest on foundations immanent in capitalism itself prohibits any open discussion of such a utopia. Now available in paperback, this is a fundamental work for political and social theorists. "This work is brilliant in its polemical courage, its originality, and its detailed and revealing examination of texts. Van den Berg demonstrates that postwar Marxist political theory and sociology is not only vague and contradictory but that it actually makes critical concessions to the bourgeois thought' it claims to surpass. Appearing in the midst of afar-reaching reconsideration of the Marxism project in Europe, this volume crystallizes these issues for North American social science..."--Jeffrey Alexander, University of California, Los Angeles. "Van den Berg has made a major contribution to the long overdue relegation of Marxism to the museum of nineteenth-century ideological antiquities."--Dennis Wrong, Contemporary Sociology. Axel van den Berg is a Dutch-Canadian professor of sociology at McGill University in Montreal. His most recent work is The Social Sciences and Rationality.

Few themes have been as central to sociology as 'class' and yet class remains a perpetually contested idea. Sociologists disagree not only on how best to define the concept of class but on its general role in social theory and indeed on its continued relevance to the sociological analysis of contemporary society. Some people believe that classes have largely dissolved in contemporary societies; others believe class remains one of the fundamental forms of social inequality and social power. Some see class as a narrow economic phenomenon whilst others adopt an expansive conception that includes cultural dimensions as well as economic conditions. This 2005 book explores the theoretical foundations of six major perspectives of class with each chapter written by an expert in the field. It concludes with a conceptual map of these alternative approaches by posing the question: 'If class is the answer, what is the question?'

Originally published in 1988, this is the first systematic account of the writings of Hungarian dissidents and former students of George Lukacs, collectively known as the 'Budapest School'. Dr. Brown demonstrates the importance of their work in contributing to a logically consistent yet realistic theory of socialist mixed economies, and genuine radical democracies. The Budapest Schoool's model of radical democracy represents a critique of both industrial capitalism and existing socialist systems, with immediate political as well as philosophical importance. Dr. Brown is particularly concerned to draw out its significance for the practical realities of political economy, and the logical implications for desirable reform of Western mixed economies.

This edited volume takes a close look at Nicos Poulantzas’s thought as a means of understanding the dynamics of the capitalist, neoliberal state in the 21st century. Nicos Poulantzas has left us with one of the most sophisticated theories of the state in the second half of the 20th century. Poulantzas’s influential theory draws inspiration from Marx, Lenin, Weber, and Foucault, among other thinkers, conceiving of the relationship between capitalism and the state as particularly original. This book aims to use Poulantzas’s theory of the capitalist state in order to understand important political and economic trends that have taken place since Poulantzas’s death in 1979. By entering into a dialogue with current Marxist and critical research in diverse fields such as political science, philosophy, sociology, history, and geography, this volume purports to evaluate the actuality of Poulantzas’s thought.

The current political climate of uncompromising neoliberalism means that the need to study the logic of our culture—that is, the logic of the capitalist system—is compelling. Providing a rich philosophical analysis of democracy from a negative, non-identity, dialectical perspective, Vasilis Grollios encourages the reader not to think of democracy as a call for a more effective domination of the people or as a demand for the replacement of the elite that currently holds power. In doing so, he aspires to fill in a gap in the literature by offering an out-of-the-mainstream overview of the key concepts of totality, negativity, fetishization, contradiction, identity thinking, dialectics and corporeal materialism as they have been employed by the major thinkers of the critical theory tradition: Marx, Engels, Horkheimer, Lukacs, Adorno, Marcuse, Bloch and Holloway. Their thinking had the following common keywords: contradiction, fetishism as a process and the notion of spell and all its implications. The author makes an innovative attempt to bring these concepts to light in terms of their practical relevance for contemporary democratic theory.

Unlock the profound insights of "Neo-Marxism," a pivotal addition to the "Political Science" series. This book serves as your gateway to understanding the evolution, key theorists, and contemporary relevance of Neo-Marxism in political science and socio-economic analysis. By delving into this concise exploration, you'll gain critical perspectives that empower you to navigate modern socio-political landscapes. 1-Neo-Marxism-Explore the foundational concepts, tracing its evolution from classical Marxism and its unique theoretical framework. 2-Dependency Theory-Uncover global inequality dynamics, examining Neo-Marxism's explanation of economic disparities. 3-Marxism-Revisit core Marxist principles to understand how Neo-Marxism builds upon and diverges from them. 4-Monopoly Capital-Analyze Monopoly Capital's implications for understanding concentrated economic power and its impact. 5-Labor and Monopoly Capital-Investigate labor-capital dynamics within monopoly capitalism, focusing on shifts in labor exploitation. 6-Analytical Marxism-Delve into Analytical Marxism, applying rigorous techniques to enhance Marxist theory's explanatory power. 7-Post-Marxism-Examine Post-Marxism, incorporating critiques and elements from other traditions to address contemporary issues. 8-Marxian Economics-Understand Marxian economics' fundamentals, emphasizing its critique of modern capitalist economies. 9-Theories of Imperialism-Explore imperialism theories, highlighting how Neo-Marxism interprets imperialist practices globally. 10-Marxist Cultural Analysis-Investigate how Marxist analysis reveals deep connections between culture and economic structures. 11-Monthly Review-Learn about the Monthly Review school, a platform for Neo-Marxist analysis and critique of capitalism. 12-Paul Sweezy-Discover Paul Sweezy's contributions to Neo-Marxism, particularly his analysis of monopoly capitalism. 13-Environmental Sociology-Link Neo-Marxism with environmental sociology, exploring Marxist thought on ecological crises. 14-Paul A. Baran-Examine Paul A. Baran's insights into economic surplus and its role in capitalist societies. 15-John Bellamy Foster-Understand Foster's contributions to ecological Marxism and his analysis of capitalism's environmental impacts. 16-Criticism of Marxism-Review various critiques of Marxism, offering a balanced perspective on Neo-Marxism's strengths and limitations. 17-Richard D. Wolff-Study Richard D. Wolff's innovative approaches to Marxist economics, particularly worker cooperatives. 18-The Theory of Capitalist Development-Explore capitalist development theories and their critique through a Neo-Marxist lens. 19-A General Theory of Exploitation and Class-Analyze intricate theories of exploitation and class structure, essential to Neo-Marxist thought. 20-Marx's Revenge-Investigate the enduring relevance of Marxist theory in contemporary political and economic discourse. 21-Outline of Marxism-Conclude with a comprehensive outline of Marxism, reinforcing the connections between classical and Neo-Marxist theories.