Productive Forces and the Forces of Change: A Review of Gerald A. Cohen, Karl Marx's Theory of History: A Defense

Abstract

In the fifties and sixties, the point of most Anglo-American Marx studies was to show that Marx's theories were not worth studying, except as historically important relics. Acton, Berlin, Popper, and Plamenetz are just a few of those who argued that Marx's ideas were too confused, unclear, metaphysical, or obviously mistaken to merit further empirical investigation. In philosophy, Gerald Cohen has been a leader, probably the leader, in turning this tide. In a series of articles written over the last ten years, he has defined and defended Marx's views with the analytic resourcefulness of the best Anglo-American philosophy, and with grace, wit, and good humor that are altogether rare. In his articles, he was necessarily discussing small fragments of Marx's extremely synoptic social theory. His book on Marx's general theory of society and social change, Marx's Theory of History: A Defense, ' has, therefore, been eagerly awaited. Cohen's skill, style, and influence make it likely that his book will be the most widely read sympathetic exposition of Marx, among philosophers, for the next several years. Two groups of readers will find it of special use. Those who fear that sympathetic discussions of Marx must make his theories obscure or utterly implausible, or, otherwise, reduce them to platitudes will find this book an impressive counterexample. Those with their own interpretations of Marx will find that their thinking about him is enriched, clarified, and stimulated, even if their final thought about Cohen's book is that it is deeply wrong.