A collection of essays by leading practitioners of 'analytical Marxism'.

A beautifully written exploration of identity and memory in a journey through Ireland. Enriched by cross-cultural comparisons with the history of the American West, A BOOK OF MIGRATIONS carves a new route through Ireland's history, literature and landscape. Rich with historical reflections, the book combines the virtues of the finest travel writing with a critical acuity.

The last two decades have seen Marxism's academic renascence. In fields as diverse as law, literary criticism, history, and philosophy, Marxism once again captivates no small number of scholars. In part, this reassessment is driven by the efforts of a group of philosophers and economists to reconstruct Marx from the ground up on a more rigorous basis. The work of these "Analytical Marxists" -- who include G.A. Cohen, Jon Elster, and John Roemer -- is given a sustained examination and critique in David Gordon's Resurrecting Marx. The charge of the Analytical Marxists that capitalism is inherently exploitative and unjust is the primary subject of Gordon's book. Gordon takes issue with that contention; he argues that the Analytical Marxists' withering criticism of classical Marxism is essentially correct, but that they fail to replace it with a superior theoretical edifice. Gordon also analyzes the Analytical Marxists' reformulation of the Marxian notion of exploitation, the implications of their rejection of the labor theory of value, their differences over what rights people have, and their arguments for the compatibility of markets with socialism.

First published in 1978, this book rapidly established itself as a classic of modern Marxism. Cohen's masterful application of advanced philosophical techniques in an uncompromising defense of historical materialism commanded widespread admiration. In the ensuing twenty years, the book has served as a flagship of a powerful intellectual movement--analytical Marxism. In this expanded edition, Cohen offers his own account of the history, and the further promise, of analytical Marxism. He also expresses reservations about traditional historical materialism, in the light of which he reconstructs the theory, and he studies the implications for historical materialism of the demise of the Soviet Union.

Marxism as an intellectual movement has been one of the most important and fertile contributions to twentieth-century thought. No social theory or political philosophy today can be taken seriously unless it enters a dialogue, not just with the legacy of Marx, but also with the innovations and questions that spring from the movement that his work sparked, Marxism. Marx provided a revolutionary set of ideas about freedom, politics and society. As social and political conditions changed and new intellectual challenges to Marx's social philosophy arose, the Marxist theorists sought to update his social theory, rectify the sociological positions of historical materialism and respond to philosophical challenges with a Marxist reply. This book provides an accessible introduction to Marxism by explaining each of the key concepts of Marxist politics and social theory. The book is organized into three parts, which explore the successive waves of change within Marxist theory and places these in historical context, while the whole provides a clear and comprehensive account of Marxism as an intellectual system.

Marxism and Social Movements is the first sustained engagement between social movement theory and Marxist approaches to collective action. The chapters collected here, by leading figures in both fields, discuss the potential for a Marxist theory of social movements; explore the developmental processes and political tensions within movements; set the question in a long historical perspective; and analyse contemporary movements against neo-liberalism and austerity. Exploring struggles on six continents over 150 years, this collection shows the power of Marxist analysis in relation not only to class politics, labour movements and revolutions but also anti-colonial and anti-racist struggles, community activism and environmental justice, indigenous struggles and anti-austerity protest. It sets a new agenda both for Marxist theory and for movement research. Contributors include: Paul Blackledge, Marc Blecher, Patrick Bond,Chik Collins, Ralph Darlington, Neil Davidson, Ashwin Desai, Jeff Goodwin, Chris Hesketh, Gabriel Hetland, Elizabeth Humphrys, Christian Høgsbjerg, David McNally, Trevor Ngwane, Heike Schaumberg and Hira Singh.

Delve into the intellectual rigor of Analytical Marxism with this essential guide. "Analytical Marxism" provides a deep dive into a school of thought that has influenced political theory and practice. This guide meticulously explores the philosophical insights and methodological precision defining Analytical Marxism, making it vital for professionals, students, and anyone seeking to understand beyond traditional Marxist discourse. 1-Analytical Marxism-Foundational principles and methods of Analytical Marxism, emphasizing rigorous analysis and contemporary impact. 2-Jon Elster-Contributions of Jon Elster, integrating rational choice theory with Marxism to enhance understanding of human behavior and social change. 3-Marxism-Analytical Marxism in the broader Marxist context, including critiques and reinterpretations of classical doctrines. 4-G. A. Cohen-G. A. Cohen’s critiques and advancements, focusing on equality and justice within Analytical Marxism. 5-Criticism of Marxism-Critical assessments of Marxism and Analytical Marxism’s responses, highlighting contemporary relevance. 6-Marxist schools of thought-Various Marxist interpretations and Analytical Marxism’s unique contributions. 7-Karl Marx's Theory of History-Analysis of Marx’s historical materialism through an analytical perspective. 8-Neo-Marxism-Evolution into Neo-Marxism and Analytical Marxism’s engagement with this intellectual movement. 9-Historical Materialism-Materialist conception of history and Analytical Marxism’s methodological innovations. 10-Outline of Marxism-Overview of key Marxist concepts, emphasizing Analytical Marxism’s analytical approach. 11-Means of Production-Role of means of production in Marxism and its relevance to Analytical Marxism. 12-Private Property-Marx’s theory of private property and Analytical Marxism’s perspectives on property relations. 13-Marx's Theory of Alienation-Marx’s theory of alienation and Analytical Marxism’s contemporary interpretations. 14-Surplus Labour-Concept of surplus labor in Marxist economics and Analytical Marxism’s insights into exploitation. 15-Marx's Theory of Human Nature-Marx’s view of human nature and Analytical Marxism’s contrasting interpretations. 16-A General Theory of Exploitation and Class-Analytical Marxism’s formulations of exploitation and class dynamics. 17-Marxist Humanism-Humanistic dimensions within Analytical Marxism and its implications for ethics and practice. 18-Immiseration Thesis-Examination of the immiseration thesis and Analytical Marxism’s assessments of its relevance. 19-Exploitation of Labour-Analytical Marxism’s views on labor exploitation and implications for policy and justice. 20-Capitalist Mode of Production-Capitalist production through Analytical Marxism’s lens, including critiques and proposals. 21-Marxian Economics-Overview of Marxian economics and Analytical Marxism’s contributions to economic theory. This volume addresses fundamental questions about Analytical Marxism and provides insights into its enduring relevance in political discourse.

Reconstructing Marxism explores fundamental questions about the structure of Marxist theory and its prospects for the future. The authors maintain that the disintegration of the old theoretical unity of classical Marxism is in part responsible for what is commonly called the "crisis of Marxism." Only a reconstructed Marxism can come to terms with this disintegration. Addressing a range of problems in historical materialism and class analysis, the authors compare historical materialism with Darwinian evolutionary theory, and identify what is distinctively "historical" in Marx's theory of history. Through an evaluation of G.A. Cohen's defense and Anthony Giddens's critique of historical materialism they suggest what a plausible, yet still Marxist. theory of history might be. They analyze the relationship of microanalysis to macro theory and the assignment of causal primacy in explanations, and present a general assessment of the current state of Marxist theory and the prospects for its analytical reconstruction. Distinguished by the clarity of its presentation, the analytical rigour of its argument and its concern with fundamental philosophical and sociological issues, Reconstructing Marxism advances, at this critical juncture in the history of Marxism, a challenging new research programme.

This book brings together some of the more prominent recent analyses within the Marxian tradition that bear on the topics of class formation and social conflict in contemporary capitalism. After examining debates over historical agency, class structure, and electoral dynamics, it explores the provocative arguments of analytical Marxists, Claus Offe, Jürgen Habermas, and Immanuel Wallerstein. In light of these discussions, the author concludes that even if the variety of forces contemporary capitalism structurally generates do not promote the formation of a revolutionary "proletariat," class relations continue to be important for analyzing the historical trajectory of, and challenges to, capitalism—although not in the way that Marx imagined.

This book gives a rigorous view of classical Marxian economic theory by presenting specific analytic models.