Written in 1970 by a prominent Marxist philosopher and student of Georg Lukács, this book argues that alienation is the central idea in all of Karl Marx's work. To distinguish Marx's original concept from its use by other writers over the years, the topic is approached in three different ways. First, the origin of the idea of alienation is discussed along with an analysis of the way Marx structured it into a theory. Then alienation is explored beyond its political aspect, (...) as it has been used in economics, ontology, moral philosophy, and aesthetics. The contemporary usefulness of the term is covered in the last section of the book, which concludes that current debates about the individual in society and the role of education can be fruitfully discussed in terms of alienation. (shrink)

"Not only profound in its analysis, but also so passionately inspired by sympathy for the downtrodden and their struggle for liberation..." --Daniel Singer, The Nation "This is an important book, heavy in size and tone. It belongs in every serious library." --Choice --This text refers to an alternate edition.

In Marxism, the material base of society is responsible for a number of structural restraints on the appearance, functioning, and evolution of the superstructure. At the same time, the superstructure, too, and especially ideology, exercises considerable influence on developments in the base, and in certain conditions can prove decisive in transforming the relations that constitute the base. While history is radically open ended and, therefore, nothing is absolutely certain, knowledge of such conditions is a necessary first step toward a socialist (...) reordering of society. (shrink)

István Mészáros; IX—Metaphor and Simile: Preliminary Notes to a Discussion of Norms and Values, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Volume 67, Issue 1, 1 J.

István Mészáros; IX—Metaphor and Simile: Preliminary Notes to a Discussion of Norms and Values, Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Volume 67, Issue 1, 1 J.