Why Marx was right

Author of Literary Theory: An Introduction (CH, Feb'84), Ideology: An Introduction (CH, Apr'92, 29-4442), and The Illusions of Postmodernism(CH, May'97, 34-3798)--to name just three of his numerous works--literary and cultural theorist Terry Eagleton (Univ. of Lancaster, England; National University of Ireland, Galway) here dispels the various misconceptions about Marxism offered by its critics and argues for its current relevance. He suggests that critiques of Marx's thought are often fueled by an inability or unwillingness to appreciate its complexity. Focusing on one critique per chapter, Eagleton repudiates that Marxism is irrelevant to postindustrial society, that it works only in theory, that it strips human beings of freedom and individuality, that it is only a dream of Utopia, that it reduces everything to economics, that it has no interest in human consciousness, that its obsession with class is outdated, that it advocates violent political action, that it believes in an all-powerful state, and that it ignores new forms of political activism. In the aggregate, these refutations might serve as a kind of introduction to the thought of Marx, although they do not offer a comprehensive survey. Rather, they engage with Marxism as a contemporary idea that still has something to say about late capitalism. Eagleton's straightforward, witty prose will draw readers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, general readers. J. W. Miller Gonzaga University

A lively defense of Karl Marx's ideas attempts to reassert their relevancy for a world in the throes of global financial instability. Taking issue with what he sees as the 10 most common criticisms of Marxism, literary and cultural theorist Eagleton (The Illusions of Postmodernism) offers a richer, more complex and nuanced picture of the father of modern socialism. Examining such charges as socialism's naive utopianism or that its view of history is too rigidly deterministic, he offers a view of Marxism that does not so much oppose it to capitalism as seek to complicate and enrich their relationship, so the former might come to be seen as the most logical and reasonable response to the failings of the latter. Throughout, the author is witty, entertaining, and incisive, cutting through the thickets of Marx's work to expose a body of thought devoted to emancipation, welfare, and human flourishing. Though he perhaps tries too hard toward the end to provide a foundational connection between Marxism and contemporary environmental concerns, Eagleton fluidly demonstrates the value of reappraising Marx in the current climate, offering a timely reminder that, despite the dominance of the free market, history is an ongoing process and that people still have the power to bend it toward justice. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.