The upsurge of interest in Hegel in France in the years immediately following World War II was linked with the question of Marxism, a link which was reinforced by the participation of the Communist Party in De Gaulle's government. Far from being a matter of historical or intellectual curiosity, the problem of Hegel was one of actuality. It was not so much Hegel himself that was at stake as the use to which his work was to be put; whether Hegel (...) was to be seen as leading toward Marxism or as the last line of defense against Marxism. Typical of this problematic is a statement by Alexandre Kojève, written in 1946: “Thus we can say that for the moment, any interpretation of Hegel, if it is more than idle chatter, is but a program of struggle of work (one of these ‘programs’ being called Marxism). (shrink)

Jean Hyppolite produced the first French translation of Hegel's Phenomenology of Spirit. His major works--the translation, his commentary, and Logique et existence --coincided with an upsurge of interest in Hegel following World War II. Yet Hyppolite's influence was as much due to his role as a teacher as it was to his translation or commentary: Foucault and Deleuze were introduced to Hegel in Hyppolite's classes, and Derrida studied under him. More than fifty years after its original publication, Hyppolite's analysis of (...) Hegel continues to offer fresh insights to the reader. (shrink)