Customer Reviews

Main Currents of Marxism: Its Rise, Growth and Dissolution Volume 1: The Founders (Oxford Paperbacks)

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Although there is no biography in any volume of this work, I was able to find out a little about its author, Polish philosopher Leszek Kolakowski, from an encyclopedia, which describes him as a Marxist revisionist. After being expelled from the Communist Party, he left Poland and began working on his three-volume 'handbook' of Marxism: "Main Currents of Marxism: Its Origin, Growth, and Dissolution," which was completed in the 1970s.

This volume - the first - deals mainly with the works of the founders of Marxism, namely Marx and Engels. Kolakowski begins his discussion of Marxism by considering "the question whether modern Communism, in its ideology and institutions, is the legitimate heir of Marxist doctrine... The argument of the present work is that the question is wrongly formulated and that attempts to answer it are not worth while." Instead of considering whether Marx would approve of the Soviet Union, Kolakowski in "Main Currents of Marxism" to attempt to trace how the original idea came to serve as a rallying point for multiple mutually hostile forces. The question he seeks to answer is, "What were the ambiguities and conflicting tendencies in the idea itself which led to its developing as it did?"

Kolakowski begins by considering the history of some of the philosophical issues and questions that Marx addressed and that helped to shape his thinking. The first chapter traces the history of some important issues in Western philosophy from Plotinus through Hegel. Among the issues considered are the contingency of human existence, the unity of subject and object, and how humanity can achieve reconciliation with itself and with the world. Following this discussion are deeper looks at some of Marx's main influences, Hess, Feuerbach and the Hegelian Left.

After a chronological survey of Marx and Engels's early work of the 1840s, Kolakowski spends some time analyzing other socialist ideas in the first half of the nineteenth century. Among those considered are Saint-Simon, Owen, Fourier, Proudhon, Blanc and Blanqui. Kolakowski then outlines Marx's major struggles following the publication of "The Communist Manifesto," including the 1848 revolutions and the Paris Commune. The First International and Marx's conflict with Bakunin receive especially detailed consideration.

The final major section of this volume is a thematic treatment of Marx's general philosophy. Kolakowski takes the view that there was not a break between Marx's early and later writings and makes extensive use of the Paris Manuscripts and the "Grundrisse" as well as "Capital" in this final section. In general Kolakowski's conclusions are critical: he considers Marx's labor theory of value and 'historical materialism' to be essentially useless. Specifically, Kolakowski notes that these ideas can be interpreted in a number of fashions, and can be used to support conclusions that range from absurdity to truism.

Toward the end of this volume is a chapter on Engels and his contribution to Marxism following Marx's death. The final chapter is a recapitulation and philosophical commentary in which Kolakowski addresses three final questions: the differences between Marx's Marxism and that of Engels; the motifs of Romanticism, Faustian Prometheanism and Enlightenment rationalism in Marx's thought; and the issue of Marxism as a source of Leninism. Considering the latter, he concludes that "the Leninist-Stalinist version of socialism was a possible interpretation, though certainly not the only one, of Marx's doctrine." A complete discussion of this issue is reserved for the second volume in the series.

Although there is a lot of good stuff in "Main Currents of Marxism," I can't give it five stars. Essentially, the work is too philosophical for my tastes. I picked it up out of a historical interest in the development of Marxism and found myself somewhat unprepared for its philosophical aspects. It made for tough and occasionally frustrating reading for me, since I don't have an extensive background in philosophy. All in all, "Main Currents of Marxism" is a tough read, especially for those who aren't philosophically inclined. In the end, however, those who make it through will be rewarded with extensive knowledge of the origins of Marxism, its essential features, original form and major flaws.

Contents:
I. The Origins of Dialectic
II. The Hegelian Left
III. Marx's Thought in its Earliest Phase
IV. Hess and Feuerbach
V. Marx's Early Political and Philosophical Writings
VI. The Paris Manuscripts. The Theory of Alienated Labour. The Young Engels
VII. "The Holy Family"
VIII. "The German Ideology"
IX. Recapitulation
X. Socialist Ideas in the First Half of the Nineteenth Century as Compared With Marxian Socialism
XI. The Writings and Struggles of Marx and Engels After 1847
XII. Capitalism as a Dehumanized World. The Nature of Exploitation
XIII. The Contradictions of Capital and Their Abolition. The Unity of Analysis and Action
XIV. The Motive Forces of the Historical Process
XV. The Dialectic of Nature
XVI. Recapitulation and Philosophical Commentary

This is most certainly the ultimate history of Marxism as a philosophical-economic-political doctrine. (The trilogy was published before the ascendancy of the school of the so-called "analytical Marxism" in the 1980s, but it is a matter of dispute how closely the members of this movement have remained faithfull to Marxism as traditionally understood.) Kolakowski surveys a vast literature without ending up overwhelmend by it or overwhelming the reader. He succeeds in clarifying doctrines and theses that are sometimes obscure and loose. The general tenor of his assessment is negative, but he is never disrespectful to any author he discusses, including the nightmarish figures like Stalin or Mao. Kolakowski always tries to concentrate on whatever cognitive value can be found in their statements. Sometimes his tone is grave, but he can be also greatly entertaining.

Also, I would like to respond to the previous reviewer, who complains that Kolakowski's history concentrates too much on philosophy, presumably at the expense of saying more on the history of the Marxist political movememt. The previous reviewer should read more carefully, because Kolakowski says on the very first page of his book (MAIN CURRENTS, Vol. 1, p. v):

"This book is an attempt at a history of Marxism, i.e., the history of a doctrine. It is not a history of socialist ideas, nor of the parties or political movements that have adopted one or another version of the doctrine as their own ideology."

This is an outstanding description and analysis of the initial development of Marxism as a philosophic enterprise and doctrine. Kolakowski's goal here and in the subsequent volumes of this series is a fair and lucid history of Marxism as an intellectual enterprise. This is a highly ambitious undertaking requiring familiarity with a huge range of writers and thinkers, ranging from famous figures like Marx and Hegel to obscure 19th century ideologues. Kolakowski also appears to be remarkably well versed in the secondary literature on Marxism as well. The breadth and depth of scholarship is remarkable and is matched by Kolakowski's lucid exposition. Some credit has to be given to the translator, PN Falla, for the solid and unobtrusive writing style.
Kolokowski begins in a surprising place; the Neoplatonism of the Classical world. He points out that some of of the themes implicit in Marx have very deep roots. The ideas of man alienating aspects of his essence and then being restored to completion in a dramatic and catastrophic event are ancient. Kolakowski traces these ideas and the accompanying aspects of eschatology and soteriology through major philosophers and theologians of both the Classical and Medieval period into the end of the 18th century. He then moves to a brilliant description of the Hegelian - Idealist tradition that forms the immediate background of Marx's work. Kolakowski's analysis of Marx's wholesale modification of Hegel's concepts and his synthesis of Hegelian thought with the Romantic ideals of early 19th century socialism and economic ideas is simply the best decription of this difficult subject I have ever encountered. He then moves through a careful chronological reconstruction of Marx's thought, emphasizing the continuity from Marx's earliest substantial work to the last completed parts of Capital. Kolakowski particularly highlights the key role of the concept of alienation in Marx's thought. The description of Marx is lucid and evenhanded. Kolakowski is very respectful of Marx's brilliance as a thinker and provides outstanding discussions of difficult concepts like Marx's concept of surplus value and his concept of history. Kolakowski's exposition gives a very strong sense of why Marx's system was so attractive to generations of intellectuals. This is not to suggest that Kolakowski is uncritical. Quite the opposite. Kolakowski's critique of key issues in Marx such as the concept of surplus value or the claims of historical materialism are ruthlessly effective.
This is a subject that in most hands would be dry and difficult. I can describe this volume only as exciting.

Kolakowski, as a Pole and an anti-Marxist from the dark days before Solidarnosc, knows of what he speaks. The whole three-volume set is indispensable to an understanding of how our eraa reached its present state of decadence and dissolution. The two "founders" of Marxism were both contributors to, and symptoms of, that decay.