Making Sense of MarxA systematic, critical examination of Karl Marx's social theories and their philosophical presuppositions. Through extensive discussions of the texts Jon Elster offers a balanced and detailed account of Marx's views that is at once sympathetic, undogmatic and rigorous. Equally importantly he tries to assess 'what is living and what is dead in the philosophy of Marx', using the analytical resources of contemporary social science and philosophy. Professor Elster insists on the need for microfoundations in social science and provides a systematic criticism of functionalism and teleological thinking in Marx. He argues that Marx's economic theories are largely wrong or irrelevant; historical materialism is seen to have only limited plausibility (and is not even consistently applied by Marx); Marx's most lasting achievements are the criticism of capitalism in terms of alienation and exploitation and the theory of class struggle, politics and ideology under capitalism, though in these areas too Elster enters substantial qualifications. The book should take its place as the most comprehensive and sophisticated modern study available. |
Contents
Philosophical anthropology | 53 |
Economics | 119 |
Economics | 125 |
Exploitation freedom and justice | 166 |
Modes of production | 241 |
Modes of production | 249 |
Classes | 318 |
Politics and the state | 398 |
Ideologies | 459 |
Capitalism communism and revolution | 513 |
References | 533 |
549 | |
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Common terms and phrases
agents alienation appears argument arise assert behaviour bourgeois bourgeoisie capi capital capitalist capitalist class causal cited class consciousness class struggle Cohen collective action commodities communism communist Communist Manifesto concept conflict consider consumption contradiction created Critique defined discussion distinction Economic and Philosophical Engels exchange existence explained fact feudal functional explanation G. A. Cohen German Ideology Grundrisse Hence human Ibid idea important individual industrial innovation interest Karl Marx's Theory Kritik labour-power latter Marx believed Marxist material means of production methodological individualism mode of production motivation nature notion objective optimal passage Philosophical Manuscripts political possible pre-capitalist problem productive forces rate of exploitation rate of profit refers relations of production revolution Roemer sense slave social society stage statement structure suggests surplus surplus labour technical change texts Theories of Surplus-Value Theory of History tion wage workers