Aronson's Marxism Is Dead. Long Live Marxism

In: Rethinking marxism: RM ; a journal of economics, culture, and society, Band 9, Heft 3, S. 79-84

Abstract

A response to Ronald Aronson's "Toward a Relativized Marxism" (1996/97 [see abstract 9816196]) suggests that Aronson's declaration for the death of Marxism is an indication of his own incomplete break from a particular type of Marxism -- classical modernist. While other Marxists have abandoned this stand, Aronson betrays his continued affiliation to it in his messianic declaration of its death. Aronson's shared predilection for rigidity with classical Marxism is taken to be symptomatic of a desire for historical certainty & a common cultural formation. It is contended that, rather than allowing Marxism to evolve & to change in line with new political & theoretical conditions, Aronson seems intent on confining it to official & now inadequate representations. To avoid this end, it is concluded that Marxists can best preserve the heroic moment of the past by moving forward without denying it. 4 References. D. M. Smith