A Future For Marxism?: Althusser, the Analytical Turn and the Revival of Socialist Theory

Not long ago, Marxist philosophy flourished. Yet in recent years theorists have turned away from Marxism. This book looks towards a revival in Marxist theory, and shows how it offers a rich foundation for radical socialist thinking in the forseeable future. Andrew Levine examines two recent departures in Marxist thought - Althusserian and analytical Marxism. He assesses the shortcomings of each, while emphasising their considerable merits. The discussion is framed against an analysis of socialism's place in the political life of the past two centuries. Levine assesses the apparent historical defeat of the Left generally since the consolidation of the Reagan-Thatcher era and speculates on current signs of renewal. He argues that both Althusserian and analytical Marxism represent important philosophical departures within the Marxist tradition as they force a rethinking of Marxism's scientific and political project. For all their differences in style and substance, these strains of Marxist thought share important thematic and sociological features and Levine concludes that both traditions provide a legacy upon which a revived Left can build.