Marxism After Marx: An Introduction

by David McLellan

Book Overview

The fourth edition of Marxism after Marx is an updated version of what has become the classic account of twentieth-century Marxism. It includes new bibliographical information and sections covering developments since the previous edition. This new edition represents a comprehensive and reliable guide to one of the most influential bodies of thought of the twentieth century. Book jacket.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395315417
• ISBN13: 9780395315415
• Release Date: January 1981
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 355 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction to the Marxist tradition

David McLellan is always good for solid, well-researched books on Marxist thought, and this celebrated introductory overview is no exception. In "Marxism After Marx", McLellan surveys the development of Marxist thought since the death of Marx himsel. It is arranged on a chapter-by-chapter basis where each chapter consists of a short introductory text on a given movement or school of thought, followed by an extensive bibliography. Indeed the bibliographical appendices in this book are perhaps the best thing about it, as they are very thorough, very up-to-date, and very well-chosen. McLellan does his best, as might be expected, to give a fair and objective overview of each of the given movements and ideas in the Marxist tradition so far, although he obviously has his own views which sometimes shine through (the general tendency is rather anti-Leninist). His range is very broad, from the theoretical disputes between Trotsky, Stalin and Bukharin to Existentialist Marxism and Liberation Theology. Nonetheless, it must be noted that he stays within the range of political philosophy and theory; modern Marxist economics is not significantly included, except in the form of a few references to people like Baran, Brenner, and Roemer. The bibliographies occasionally contain more on this, including some works by Ben Fine. This book is eminently suited for people who are wondering what 20th Century Marxism actually was about, as well as those who have a basic idea but are looking for books to expand their knowledge on more specific topics. McLellan's own commentary and selection is solid and trustworthy, making this book a great resource.

Excellent Resource

I disagree with the other reviewer. This wonderful text is not at all hard for the average reader (see Gramsci's view of the great intellectual potential of the working class). This is not that challenging of a read, but it is too brief. I wish the sections were a bit longer -- but that's the only drawback of this book. Also, the term "post-Marxism" does not refer to just any Marxism after Marx. It refers specifically to the post-structuralist Marxism devised by Laclau and Mouffe. Marxism after Marx is generally just called Marxist Theory. I would just like to end by saying that so-called "average people" are smarter than a lot of us think, and we should be more respectful of the proletariat at all times.

A Marxist Anthology

This book is an excellent wealth of post-Marx Marxism. It is hard to find a book that can clearly explain and contrast the different factions of Marxism; whether it be Lenin, Guvera, or Mao it is an excellent source of information. The only downfall of this book is it is geared towards a more scholastic audience; Not a good book for begining Marxists.