Emerson / Marx, actualité du spectre

Abstract

Based on a detailed comparison of Marx and Emerson, this article suggests that the frequently contradictory ways in which the two writers explore a shared philosophical vocabulary may be a crucial aspect of what makes them relevant today. Both make frequent use of terms such as “mind,” “thought,” and “action,” all borrowed from the tradition of philosophical idealism yet deployed in such a way that their multiple meanings become apparent, simultaneously recalling the uses to which they were put by earlier writers and allowing the reader to imagine new discursive strategies similar to those employed by Emerson and Marx. Ultimately, in spite of their differences, both thinkers seem equally interested in defining speech and writing as modes of action. This hypothesis will be explored by way of a comparison between key passages from Nature and The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte ; meanwhile, an attempt to work out which of the two writers is the more radical in this respect will lead to an unexpected result.