Althusser was especially incensed by the poststructuralist theories that had but recently arisen all of which garbled what althusser held as marxs original intent. In english in 1969 by allen lane, the penguin press. In isr 102, jordan humphreys wrote a critical response. Althussers influential attack on marxism and the concepts of dialectical development in nature and history. Why is it that the proletariat does not revolt as marx predicted. For marx is a text which, if read seriously, will open up a reading of marx and a notion of philosophy that will affect the readers theoretical and practical investigations from that point onward. The concept of hegemony is usually associated with gramsci especially his prison notebooks and interpellation with althusser ideology and ideological state apparatuses. Oktober 1918 in bir mourad rais im departement dalger. Lewis goes on to describe and defend althussers marxism, including the rather tricky business according to which economic practices, although determining in the last instance, are not determining in all cases 172, and the epistemological break between hegel and. Louis al thusser was born in algeria in 1918 and died in. This is the work in which louis althusser formulated some of his most influential ideas.
Unlike most social theorists of his era and since, marx can actually write. Louis althusser was a french marxist philosopher who had a strong following. In reply to john lewis 197273, althusser addressed the criticisms of the english marxist toward on marx and reading capital. For marx, translated by ben brewster, allen lane, penguin press, p. For marx, first published in france in 1968, has come to be regarded as the founding text of the school of structuralist marxism which was presided over by the fascinating and enigmatic figure of louis althusser.
Louis althusser was born in algeria in 1918 and died in france in 1990. Contents to my english readers 9 acknowledgements 17 introduction. Three reading strategies published by oxyscholar, 2014. Etienne balibarlouis althussers 1965 in frankreich erschienener band pour. Althusser for marx these pages are dedicated to the memory of jacques martin, the friend who, in the most terrible ordeal, alone discovered the road to marxs philosophy and guided me onto it. Althusser is an interesting guy but i dont think we gain much in understanding the world by reading just another marxist reductionist philosopher.
State rules by coercion and consent, and hegemony is manufactured consent created through the articulation of intellectuals in a public sphere in which contending articulations are voiced. Structuralism constituted an intellectual revolution in the 1960s and 1970s and radically. Louis althussers epistemological break althusser popularized the conception of an epistemological break between the young marx and the mature marx, that is the point where marx broke with ideology to enter the domain of science, a point generally considered to consist in his break with ludwig feuerbach. The following entry presents an overview of althussers career. Today 21 1 feuerbachs philosophical manifestoes 41. Structuralism constituted an intellectual revolution in the 1960s and 1970s and. Pour marx by louis althusser and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. He taught philosophy for many years at the ecole n ormale superieure in paris and was a leading intellectual in the french communist party. In fact, what is hidden beneath this term is a set of theses and arguments that compose an attempt 1 janik. Taking young marx as an example, in the article referred to above, i suggested that to take over the dialectic in rigorous hegelian form could only expose us to dangerous ambiguities, for it is impossible, given the principles of a marxist interpretation of any ideological phenomenon, to conceive of the place of the dialectic in hegels system as that of a kernel in.
Althusser summarizes the spirit of this revisionist undertaking. In for marx, louis althusser thought that far too many marxists had misunderstood what karl marx wrote and believed. Capital is an ethical theory, the silent philosophy of which is openly spoken in marxs early works. For althusser these two versions of marx are incommensurable. For marx, translated by ben brewster, allen lane, penguin. Althusser and the young marx 2002 viewpoint magazine. Althusser had in fact already been censured in 1963 for on the materialist dialectic, and responded with the aesopian marxism and humanism. The fiftieth anniversary of the publications of for marx and reading indeed calls for celebrations of althussers accomplishments, a marxist legacy endowed by the opening years of the twentyfirst century with renewed timeliness and urgency. Marx explains in the preface to a contribution to the critique of political economy of 1859 zur. Although i read the preface, by fredric jameson, and an interview of althusser, and an essay on lenin, i skipped all the other essays. Louis al thusser was born in algeria in 1918 and died in france in 1990.
Althusser argues that hegels dialectic is inseparable from his idealist system, and thus marxs dialectic, the inversion of hegel, must have different characteristic determinations and structures. For althusser, the rational kernel of hegels dialectic. For marx radical thinkers by louis althusser 21oct. Spanning the years 1964 to 1973, on ideology contains the seminal text, ideology and ideological state apparatus 1970, which revolutionized the concept of subject formation. Louis pierre althusser 19181990 was a french marxist philosopher. Notetaking for learning of culture with lisa stulberg. I have to admit though he has a few interesting points on the generation of subjects via police and state its apparatuses. On marxism, by louis althusser marxists internet archive. Like in for marx, althusser begins all his essays the same way. Lenin and philosophy and other essays by louis althusser. Louis althusser 19181990 french marxist philosopher. Marx and engels often reexamined their relationship to, and disagreement with, hegel. According to lacan, the unconscious is structured like a languagea private, thus unique language that emerges during the oedipus complex it does not exist before this moment when the child makes the transition from what lacan calls the.
Louis althusser and etienne balibar, reading capital. Louis althusser and the helplessness of psychoanalysis adrian johnston abstract. Louis althusser and etienne balibar, reading capital, translated by ben brewster, new left books, p. However, the epistemological break, a concept which althusser drew out of gaston. Althusser ging davon aus, dass es in marx werken einen epistemologischen bruch zwischen dem. Louis althusser, on the reproduction of capitalism. I would not advise anyone to take for marx as a full statement of althussers project, however, nor even supplemented by reading capital. Pdf more than a quarter of a century after louis althussers heyday, one. Marx, althusser and the epistemological break ok i have come across the idea of an epistemological break before in foucault, but also in reference to althusser and marx. Louis althusser and the traditions of french marxism.
Althusser claims that marxs work can be split into two periods, young and mature marx. Gm goshgarian, introduction to louis althusser, the humanist controversy and other writings, trans. Of course, he has the advantage that hes writing a manifesto, so. There was in althussers mind even a question as to how much of. His prose has a rhythm and urgency that feels more like a sermon than a scholarly text.
185 272 785 1167 1683 531 217 165 398 338 1366 178 171 317 374 102 1170 683 514 211 689 720 226 239 1588 1357 459 973 579 199 1300 694 1034 266 339 1351 804 1223 1343 379 389