Marxist Authors Research Articles

Marx, work, agency and postcapitalist prefiguration

Marx's interpretation of ‘praxis’ as a primary expression of what we are, of self-realisation and what we might achieve as social beings, frames his revolutionary thought. This article connects Marx's unique approach to certain forms of contemporary grassroots resistance and community-based postcapitalist responses to global heating and the totalitarianism of capital. In particular, his appreciation of humans as at one with nature supports a postcapitalist imaginary abolishing the contradiction between humans and more-than-human nature intrinsic to capitalist practices. By reference to critical theorists such as Jasper Bernes and autonomist Marxist authors Harry Cleaver and P.M. (Hans Widmer), the article identifies key principles of a nonmarket socialist form of postcapitalism, i.e. beyond both state and money. Work as waged labour under the rule of capitalists gives way to ecologically and socially constructive activities fulfilling collective sufficiency cogoverned and coproduced by all. Work is freed up as semi-voluntary activity, negotiated within a community mode of production where the product is both predetermined (co-planned) and, later, shared on the basis of satisfying basic needs. In contrast to strictly defined capitalist waged work, now standard across various geographies and cultures, the postcapitalist community mode of production proposed establishes convivial and ecologically appropriate work within local geographies of community sufficiency. Even as universal (global) principles typify the community mode of production, symbiotically respectful relations between humans and nature give rise to unique localised geographies of ecological diversity and pluralism.

The Strictest Taboo: The Marginalization of Marxism in Mainstream Communication Studies

Our study uses big data analysis to examine the influence of Marxism on communication studies throughout its history. We track citations of Marxist authors and the use of Marxist concepts in the titles, keywords, or abstracts of publications in the Web of Science scholarly database in the category of communication. We find that Marxian authors and ideas were almost completely absent from the mainstream of media studies until the end of the Cold War. The end of the Cold War and the Great Recession of 2008 significantly increased citations of Marxist authors. We use network analysis to identify different currents of thought or paradigmatic appropriations of Marxism within communication studies and identify five clusters of appropriation of Marx’s ideas within communication studies: Theories of Democracy, Political Economy of Communication, Critique of Power Relations, Feminism and Antiracism, and Critical Discourse Analysis.

Karl Marx in Brazil: the reading capital of Capital (1958–2014)

ABSTRACT The national appropriations of Marx’s work have received two kinds of approaches. On the one hand, Marxists have dealt with the topic based on their internal disputes, elaborating “genealogies of ideas” in the service of demanding “ideological coherence” from each other or highlighting faithful interpretations and supposed betrayals. On the other hand, the field of historical sociology has neglected to address the transnational circulation of the work of Marx and Marxist authors. This area has accepted the current theoretical hierarchy, in which Marxism has no credibility – therefore, studies about its presence in the scientific field are unnecessary. Contrary to these two trends, the following article does not judge the value of Marx’s work. It focuses on the disputes surrounding its legitimate readings and uses, by addressing the main initiative that lifted this author out of a marginal position and turned him into an unavoidable figure in Brazil: the first university reading circle of Capital in the country started in 1958 at the University of São Paulo (USP). This is followed by an in-depth analysis of the determining factors behind Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s membership in that initiative and his stance on capitalism, slavery, and Marxism. Then, it defines the “reading capital” (in a Bourdieusian sense) of Capital and addresses its fate in current times.

Totality: Decades of Debate and the Return of Nature

"How is it," Helena Sheehan asks, "that classical Marxist authors were able to address such a stunning array of issues"? The answer can be found, she writes, is in the totality of their intellectual efforts: "Marxism is the only intellectual tradition on the scene capable of embracing…what needs to be comprehended to understand and cope with our world."

Currency under War Communism: An example of Gresham's Law?

AbstractThis article covers the consequences of the Bolsheviks' coup d'état in 1917 for the Soviet monetary system. I argue that the episode illustrates Gresham's Law, as three different currencies made an appearance in the Russian economy. This monetary disorder is scarcely mentioned by Marxist authors. It was a failure that would be mitigated by the subsequent New Economic Policy, an amendment to the Bolshevist War Communism programme of nationalisation and intervention in the economy.

On the path of common prosperity with Chinese characteristics

PurposeIn human history, poverty for most and prosperity for few is the norm. Thus, no theory or practice of common prosperity has been developed. Marxism first formulated the theory of common prosperity, and the classical Marxist authors conducted theoretical exploration on the issue of common prosperity, forming a series of scientific conclusions.Design/methodology/approachThe century-long practical history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the great practice of leading the Chinese people in getting rid of poverty, letting some people and regions get rich first and ultimately achieving the goal of common prosperity.FindingsCommon prosperity is the great practice of the CPC that leads all Chinese people in building a modern socialist country in an all-round way in the new era.Originality/valueThe path of common prosperity with Chinese characteristics will certainly arise in the process of the great practice of common prosperity with Chinese characteristics. Based on the anti-poverty theory and the “spirit of poverty alleviation” from the battle against poverty with Chinese characteristics, the theory of common prosperity and its spirit with Chinese characteristics will certainly be formed. The above conclusions constitute the basic principles of the theory of common prosperity with Chinese characteristics.

Восприятие романа «Бесы» Ф.М. Достоевского в русской дореволюционной радикальной критике

The novel “Demons” by F.M. Dostoevsky has a very rich history in terms of its percep­tion in the history of Russian and Soviet culture. Contrary to a popular belief, it was never banned in Soviet times. It was published four times as part of the collected works of Dostoevsky (1927, 1957, 1974, 1982). This article examines how the novel “Demons” was received by the Russian radical criticism during the author’s lifetime. The analysis focuses on the critical articles by N.K. Mikhailovsky, one of the leaders of the narodniks, and P.N. Tkachev, a radical revolutionary, an associate of S.G. Nechaev. They are united by a sharply critical attitude to the novel, its almost complete rejection. Both Mikhailovsky and Tkachev categorically deny that such metaphysical and religious ideas and disputes take place in the revolutionary environment in which the cult of scientific knowledge, positivism and atheism reign, as it is presented in the novel. Mikhailovsky also reproaches Dostoevsky for having overlooked the main demon of Russia at that time – the demon of wealth and its threat for the country. In a dispute that followed be­tween Dostoevsky and Mikhailovsky, the topics of conservative socialism and whether socialism can be non-atheistic were raised. Unfortunately, this dispute did not develop. Tkachev’s criticism of this novel was even more harsh. According Tkachev’s main thesis, Dostoevsky exclusively limited himself to analyzing psychiatric anomalies of human character, painting the inner world of mentally ill people, and ascribing to his characters and to their reality only the inner states of his soul and only his own ideas. These works are only the first stage of the perception of “Demons” by the revolutionary-radical liter­ary tradition. However, for example, in the early Soviet years (1920s), some Marxist authors believed that in “Demons”, on the contrary, Dostoevsky in many respects truth­fully reflected the revolution and its elements (V.F. Pereverzev). And in the early Soviet historical science, at the same time, a trend was formed towards an apology and justifica­tion of Nechaev himself and of his actions.

The Marxian but not Marxist Influence of Albion W. Small’s View of Capitalism: What Matters?

This paper sheds light on the neglected views of Albion W. Small, the founder of the Department of Sociology at the University of Chicago in 1892. As Small wrote during the American Progressive Era and had a background in political economy, it is natural that he was interested in Marx’s ideas. In this paper we explain why we affiliate Small to some extent with Marxian but not Marxist authors. Using Small’s appraisal of Marx’s thoughts, this article examines fundamental issues of both the emergence of overprofit in the workplace and capitalism dynamics. Small called for cooperation between capitalists and workers. For those reasons, Small’s ideas still resonate today.

Aportes de Alexander Chayanov a los estudios de la antropología económica y rural

En este artículo nos proponemos analizar los principales planteos del agrónomo Ruso A. Chayanov (1890-1930) cuyos aportes fueron claves para el análisis de la denominada Economía Campesina o “Unidad Económica Campesina”. En primer lugar, retomaremos el contexto de Rusia a fines del Siglo XIX y principios del XX, fundamental para comprender sus planteos y el debate con los autores marxistas. Luego, estudiaremos los principales aspectos por los cuales su obra tuvo una gran repercusión en la Antropología Económica y Rural. Finalmente, analizamos cómo sus categorías fueron retomadas desde la Antropología en América Latina y, en particular, en Argentina en los años ‘60 y ‘70.

Controversia en el marxismo contemporáneo: financiarización, capital que devenga interés y capital ficticio

<p>En los últimos años, un grupo de autores marxistas ha destacado en sus investigaciones el enorme peso de las finanzas sobre la economía utilizando la noción de financiarización, sin embargo, dentro del seno mismo de esta tradición no se ha llegado a un consenso claro sobre cuál debería ser la definición universal de esta palabra. El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar la financiarización desde una perspectiva marxista, identificando las controversias teóricas que están presentes en las discusiones en torno al marxismo contemporáneo, desde el diálogo entre autores localizados en diferentes latitudes, hasta los debates más personales entre autores que conviven como compañeros de trabajo en la misma institución. Así, frente a este mar de interpretaciones marxianas, buscamos rescatar los elementos clave que podrían dar pauta a la construcción de una teoría marxista de la financiarización. Primero, se analizan diferentes perspectivas sobre el concepto financiarización que han sido propuestas por autores que se identifican a sí mismos como marxistas y después, se aborda la discusión teórica inspirada en el marxismo clásico sobre las categorías capital que devenga interés y capital ficticio.</p><div><div><p> </p></div></div>

The production of knowledge and the ethical-political project of Social Work

Abstract This theoretical essay has as its object the production of knowledge in social work and emphasizes its importance in the current conjuncture. It was written from the analysis of contributions by authors of this area that reflect on this theme and from Marxist authors who analyze the method and the production of knowledge from dialectical historical materialism. To do so, it chooses two premises. The first refers to the production of knowledge as one of the expressions of human activity that, in the movement of reality, seeks the apprehension of particularities as expressions of concrete thought. The second refers to the defense of the necessary linkage of research in the field of social work with the social meaning of this profession, which, in the contemporary era, bears itself in a direction sustained in its current and radically current political ethical project.

The production of knowledge and the ethical-political project of Social Work

Abstract This theoretical essay has as its object the production of knowledge in social work and emphasizes its importance in the current conjuncture. It was written from the analysis of contributions by authors of this area that reflect on this theme and from Marxist authors who analyze the method and the production of knowledge from dialectical historical materialism. To do so, it chooses two premises. The first refers to the production of knowledge as one of the expressions of human activity that, in the movement of reality, seeks the apprehension of particularities as expressions of concrete thought. The second refers to the defense of the necessary linkage of research in the field of social work with the social meaning of this profession, which, in the contemporary era, bears itself in a direction sustained in its current and radically current political ethical project.

Disputas político-econômicas em torno da democratização educacional brasileira no século XXI

Resumo O objetivo do texto é refletir se, atualmente, a prática social em defesa da política de educação no Brasil, sob as atuais condições impostas pelo capitalismo, adquire ou não um novo sentido crítico e contornos anticapitalistas. Para tal, é apresentado um breve resgate histórico das principais lutas sociais travadas neste século ligadas à educação no País, sustentado pelo diálogo com autores filiados à tradição marxista. Os resultados apontam para a necessidade de maior aprofundamento no que tange ao processo de solidificação de um projeto educacional antagônico, articulado com o movimento de superação da ordem capitalista, no qual o Serviço Social tem como compromisso ético inserir-se e fortalecê-lo, orientado por uma concepção ampliada de democracia.

Ainda guardo o direito de algum antepassado da cor: luta quilombola brasileira

Resumo O objetivo do presente artigo é realizar aproximações entre os quilombos originários e os contemporâneos, tentando compreender sua organização e pautas de lutas. Por meio de autores marxistas reconhecidos nas análises sobre a formação histórico-social brasileira como Caio Prado Júnior (1907-1990), Jacob Gorender (1923-2013) e Clóvis Moura (1925-2003) pretende-se, mesmo que inicialmente, debater o significado da escravidão e como os quilombos se colocaram enquanto formas coletivas predominantes de resistência. Por fim, tenta-se apresentar o quanto o racismo presente na sociedade brasileira invisibilizou os instrumentos de luta do povo negro e como ainda hoje ele tem impacto sobre a classe trabalhadora brasileira. Para a construção do presente artigo foram realizadas revisões bibliográficas buscando sistematizar os conhecimentos dos autores citados sobre a temática.

On the relationship between Catholicism and Marxism

This article contains a previously unpublished essay of personal reflections on the relationship between Catholicism and Marxism. The essay includes a critique of the social teaching encyclicals written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and Pope John Paul II in the 1980s. We will see how John Paul II subtly incorporated some of the key ideas of the liberation theologians into the official body of Roman Catholic social teaching after 1986. This article should help younger researchers who might be interested in but are struggling with Catholic social teaching and/or Marxism in either theoretical and/or practical realms. This is especially important given that some Marxist authors within critical accounting are near or past retirement age and there is a real risk that the understandings of Marxist theory which they had will be lost to the discipline. We also look at some potential research topic areas which a developing country-based researcher could profitably explore using a Marxist perspective with a special focus on Fiji Islands, Indonesia and Singapore.

Observações sobre método, teoria política e educação em Antonio Gramsci

Resumo O político, filósofo e militante Antonio Gramsci trouxe contribuições para a teoria marxista ao considerar os elementos históricos que permeavam a Itália em sua época, ampliando, deste modo, as categorias e conceitos marxistas. Nesse sentido, este ensaio tem por objetivo refletir sobre o método em Gramsci, o qual considera método o conjunto traduzido na concepção de mundo e na teoria do conhecimento. Tal compreensão gramsciana eleva a filosofia das práxis acima do materialismo determinístico e supera o idealismo especulativo que concebe a história apenas abstratamente. Portanto, o método em Gramsci consiste em levar adiante as dimensões da subjetividade da filosofia moderna, porém, voltando-se sempre para a transformação das estruturas, da consciência nunca separada dos condicionamentos sociais e dos conflitos de classes no âmbito do processo histórico. A metodologia deste trabalho consiste em uma pesquisa bibliográfica a partir de autores marxistas que possuem suporte teórico gramsciano.

Método, ideologia e Estado: aproximações a partir do legado de Marx

Resumo Este ensaio, fruto de pesquisa bibliográfica, traz aproximações em torno da concepção marxiana de método, ideologia e Estado, objetivando contrapor-se à ideia da existência de um determinismo econômico na obra de Karl Marx. Posteriormente é feito um diálogo com autores marxistas atuais acerca do Estado na era do capitalismo monopolista, reafirmando o legado de Marx como ponto de partida fundamental para o desenvolvimento dos estudos sobre o Estado moderno e contemporâneo.

Teoría crítica y nuevas interpretaciones sobre la emancipación

<p>Este artículo tiene como objetivo discutir la idea de emancipación y praxis en autores marxistas contemporáneos como John Holloway, Theodor Adorno y Walter Benjamin. Asimismo, creemos importante hacer referencia al zapatismo, cuya idea de emancipación implica una propuesta alternativa a la idea clásica de revolución. En este artículo, planteamos que existen dos perspectivas teóricas en la tradición marxista sobre la praxis revolucionaria: una que pone énfasis en el partido y en la toma del poder del Estado y otra que se centra en la autonomía de las luchas y rechaza el centralismo del partido comunista. Más que una polémica de carácter teórico, las dos perspectivas son parte del movimiento histórico de la lucha de clases. La discusión sobre la emancipación y la praxis que presentamos está atravesada por la polémica entre las perspectivas antes mencionadas.</p>

A historiografia do Império Romano tardio: do Estado máximo ao Estado mínimo, e de volta outra vez

Este artigo analisa os modelos conceituais de Estado utilizados pela historiografia sobre o Império romano tardio ao longo do século XX. A argumentação busca demonstrar que é possível observar uma alternância entre concepções opostas de Estado, ora maximalistas, ora minimalistas e que tais concepções quase sempre se apresentam como estruturas explicativas da história do Império romano tardio, considerando a extensão do Estado como causa da desarticulação ou da manutenção do sistema romano no Mediterrâneo. O texto analisa a historicidade dessas concepções, e demonstra sua conexão com o debate entre modernismo e primitivismo na economia antiga; critica igualmente os pressupostos e a quase ubiquidade das categorizações e ideologias liberais na historiografia (mesmo entre autores marxistas). Na conclusão demonstramos como a oposição historiográfica entre concepções minimalistas e maximalistas obscurecem o entendimento das relações de classe desenvolvidas no interior do sistema de governo imperial romano tardio.

Notas críticas sobre O Capital no século XXI de Thomas Piketty

RESUMO Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar alguns aspectos do último livro de Thomas Piketty, O Capital no século XXI, do ponto de vista Marxista. São abordadas as relações que fundamentam sua análise de longo prazo da desigualdade na distribuição de renda e riqueza, seus conceitos de capital e de longo prazo, bem como sua interpretação do pensamento de Marx. Também são levantados alguns problemas existentes em sua base de dados. A análise tem como ponto de partida a crítica realizada por alguns autores Marxistas de renome, tais como Michel Husson, David Harvey e Yanis Varoufakis, bem como Robert Boyer. entre as conclusões do artigo, destaca-se o fato de o estudo de Piketty estar fracamente fundamentado teoricamente.