DeepSummary
In this episode, author and scholar Marcello Musto joins to discuss his book "The Last Years of Karl Marx: An Intellectual Biography". Musto provides insights into Marx's personal life, intellectual pursuits, and theoretical developments during his final years. He explores Marx's relationships with his wife and children, his close friendship with Engels, and the impact of personal tragedies such as the deaths of his wife and daughter.
Musto counters criticisms that Marx was eurocentric, dismissive of colonialism, or a class reductionist. He highlights Marx's interest in issues related to the global south, colonialism, migration, and women's liberation, and his belief that revolution could begin in the periphery. Musto also discusses Marx's deteriorating health, his travels, and his efforts to complete Capital despite his illnesses.
The episode delves into the depth and breadth of Marx's writings, including unpublished manuscripts, notebooks, and correspondence, which offer a more nuanced understanding of his ideas and intellectual development. Musto emphasizes the importance of understanding Marx's life and personal experiences in interpreting his theoretical work.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Marcello Musto's book 'The Last Years of Karl Marx' provides a nuanced understanding of Marx's personal life, intellectual pursuits, and theoretical developments in his final years.
- Musto challenges common criticisms of Marx as being eurocentric, dismissive of colonialism, or a class reductionist, highlighting Marx's engagement with issues related to the global south, colonialism, and women's liberation.
- Marx believed that revolution could begin in peripheral countries like Russia, rather than being limited to advanced capitalist nations, contradicting the notion of him being Eurocentric.
- Marx's ideas were shaped not only by his scholarly pursuits but also by his political activism and experiences, underscoring the importance of understanding his life in interpreting his work.
- Marx's health deteriorated significantly in his later years due to poverty, stress, and the toll of writing Capital, which he ultimately sacrificed his life for.
- Musto emphasizes the importance of understanding Marx's unpublished manuscripts, notebooks, and correspondence in gaining a more comprehensive understanding of his ideas and intellectual development.
- Marx's personal relationships, including with his wife, children, and close friend Engels, were deeply impactful on his life and work, highlighting the human side of the influential thinker.
- The episode challenges oversimplified and one-dimensional interpretations of Marx by delving into the depth and nuances of his life, writings, and intellectual journey.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Marx literally sacrificed his life to write capital. That's literally what happened.“ by Marcelo Musto
- “Marx is not only a scholar, a very good scholar, but, you know, many ideas that he improved, that he changed in his life, also with relation to his final acquisition and elaboration. They were also made through political experiences, because, you know, they were activists.“ by Marcelo Musto
- “So Marx differently from many Marxists who said the opposite, and women said, Marx said so. Marx wrote. So Marx always thought that this was possible, that it was possible to actually, you know, start revolution and transform, you know, the socioeconomic condition everywhere, and not only where capitalism was developed.“ by Marcelo Musto
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Episode Information
Revolutionary Left Radio
Revolutionary Left Radio
7/2/24
Author and Scholar Marcello Musto joins the show to discuss his book "The Last Years of Karl Marx: An Intellectual Biography".
Together, Marcello and Breht explore the last couple years of Karl Marx's life, including his personal tragedies and illnesses as well as his continued study, travels, and theoretical development. They discuss and counter the criticisms that Marx was irredeemably euro-centric, didn't wrestle with the question of colonialism, or was a class reductionist, while also diving into his relationship with his wife and children, his best friend and colleague Engels, his analysis of Russia, and finally, his own death.
Marcello Musto is a Professor of Sociological Theory at York University, in Toronto – Canada, where he is the founding director of the Laboratory for Alternative Theories. He is acknowledged globally as one of the authors who has made significant contributions to the revival of Marx studies over the last decade and his research interests also include Socialist thought, the history of labour movement, and alternative socio-economic systems. His work has been translated worldwide in twenty-five languages and among his publications there are four single-authored books and twelve edited volumes.
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