DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Professor Harvey K., discussing his book 'The British Marxist Historians' and the intellectual contributions of historians like Eric Hobsbawm, E.P. Thompson, Christopher Hill, Rodney Hilton, and Maurice Dobb. Harvey shares his personal interactions with these scholars and their approach to studying history from the perspective of class struggle and the agency of the working class.
Harvey highlights how these historians moved away from economic determinism and instead viewed Marxism as a flexible intellectual framework for understanding historical change. Their work aimed to write history 'from the bottom up,' giving voice to the experiences of marginalized groups and exploring how their struggles shaped society.
The discussion touches on the contemporary relevance of these historians' ideas, the importance of coalition-building within the labor movement, and the role of intellectuals in inspiring social change. Harvey emphasizes the need to learn from history and apply its lessons to current struggles for a more democratic and egalitarian society.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The British Marxist historians aimed to write history 'from the bottom up,' giving voice to the experiences and struggles of the working class and marginalized groups.
- They rejected economic determinism and instead viewed Marxism as a flexible intellectual framework for understanding historical change and the agency of the working class.
- Their work challenged traditional narratives and explored how the resistance and struggles of marginalized groups shaped society.
- The British Marxist historians were part of the Communist Party Historians Group after World War II, but later embraced a more democratic and humanist form of Marxism.
- Harvey K. emphasizes the contemporary relevance of these historians' ideas and the importance of learning from history to inspire social change and challenge the status quo.
- Coalition-building within the labor movement and the role of intellectuals in inspiring social change are discussed as critical components of contemporary struggles.
- The discussion highlights the need to move beyond narrow interpretations of Marxism and embrace its core insights while adapting to contemporary realities.
- The British Marxist historians' work serves as a reminder that history is not predetermined and that the struggles of marginalized groups play a crucial role in shaping societal transformation.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “It's intellectual elitism that leads us to presume. But think about it. I used to tell my students, here's an. For how many generations did social scientists and historians think about popular movements in, like, physics? They think about it in terms of physics, right? So, you know, the old inertia, right?“ by Harvey K.
- “They all joined the communist party historians group after World War two, which became a real incubator for the kind of history that they would all come to write in their respective periods of english history, or world history for that matter. And their task in their mind was to basically write very much a marxist influence story of Britain and in case of Hobsbawm and others, of the world history.“ by Harvey K.
- “And by the way, once upon a time, I was undeniably, in quotes, a marxist. I don't need the term any longer. I remember my friend Mike Kazin once said to me, so, do you think you're thinking of yourself still as a marxist? And I said, no, but I'm not going to leave behind what I think is the most powerful insight is the history of class struggle.“ by Harvey K.
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Episode Information
Left Anchor
Ryan Cooper & Alexi the Greek
10/19/22
Today we've got Professor Harvey Kaye back on to talk about a new edition of his book The British Marxist Historians, which tells the story of Maurice Dobb, Rodney Hilton, Christopher Hill, E.P. Thompson, and Eric Hobsbawm. We discuss how these guys used Marxism in their work, what light it sheds on politics today, why they still matter, and more. Enjoy!