Marxism: Looking Backward and Forward: Essay 1

Abstract

In the last 25 years Marxist thought has made some fundamental achievements which it would be a mistake to belittle. In stressing their importance, I have no intention of ignoring the flaws, vacillations, moments of confusion, and even the setbacks that have occurred. The road of science—not to mention that of revolution—is not an easy or straight one. The mere fact that Marxism has acquired a following of millions would be unexplainable if the theory had not progressed to the point of becoming, in more than one instance, a new social practice. Marxist thought has advanced the knowledge of the structure of matter, the interaction of the laws governing natural development and of those that make possible the practical application of scientific achievements. The Soviet Union's spectacular achievements in the space race, astrophysics, and nuclear physics are not accidental, nor are they mere expressions of our era's technological revolution. Nonetheless, it is the achievements in the social sciences that will be emphasized here.

This article can also be found at the Monthly Review website, where most recent articles are published in full.

Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.