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Wolff, Christian: Philosoph u. Mathematiker, Prof. u. Kanzler an d. Univ. Halle. Geb. 24.1.1679 Breslau; gest. 9.4.1754 Halle/S.

It is the contention of Robert Paul Wolff that we live under governments which have no right to govern us. Most of us of course believe that our governments have legitimate authority. We believe that by far the greater part of what our governments require of us they have the authority to require. Wolff insists that it does not follow from our belief that most, or at least many, governments rightfully govern, that in fact any government rightfully governs. He is right of course; it does not follow, unless our beliefs are true. And we might be mistaken. The question is, are we?

WOLFF'S DEFENSE OF ANARCHISM RESTS UPON HIS ACCOUNT OF AUTONOMY AND ITS RELATION TO AUTHORITY. THIS ACCOUNT IS CRIPPLINGLY MUDDLED. TO BEGIN WITH, WOLFF MISCONSTRUES THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE NOTION OF AUTONOMY IS PERTINENT TO THE ANALYSIS OF POLITICAL RELATIONSHIPS. THE MOST SERIOUS DIFFICULTIES ARE HIS INCONSISTENCIES IN THE USE OF THE CONCEPT OF AUTONOMY.

Gestützt auf eigene Forschungsarbeiten skizziert der Verfasser Lebensweg und Werk Wolffs, eines langjährigen Kampfgefährten und vertrauten Freundes von Marx und Engels. Unter dem Eindruck der Erfahrungen des schlesischen Weberaufstandes wandte sich Wolff dem wissenschaftlichen Kommunismus zu. Als Anhänger Marx' war er wesentlich an der Gründung des Bundes der Kommunisten beteiligt und arbeitete während der Revolution von 1848/49 als Redakteur der "Neuen Rheinischen Zeitung". Unter seinen journalistischen Arbeiten wird besonders die Artikelserie über die Bauernpolitik der preußischen Regierung, die "Schlesische Milliarde", hervorgehoben. (ES)

Bibliogr. H. J. Wolff S. 504 - 515

A Radical who argues is an uncommon sight; even more uncommon is a radical who likes to argue with nonradicals. To participate in radical political dialogue, one usually has to be committed to a specific social cause and perhaps even to a "dialectical logic." One of the fascinating and challenging aspects of Robert Paul Wolff's recent books is that he draws his radical, anarchosocialist conclusions from premises that are quite acceptable to the average nonradical, in a style that is free from flirtations with a higher logic. In this sense Marcuse and Wolff could not be further apart.