The ‘Two Marxisms’ Revisited

Humanism, Structuralism and Realism in Marxist Social Theory

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21159645
AutoresSean Creaven (University of the West of England, autor de correspondencia)
Año2015
Volumen14
Número1
Páginas7-53
Fecha de publicación2015-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Critical Realism (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1476-7430 • E-ISSN: 1572-5138
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1179/1572513814y.0000000008
OpenAlexW2025052360
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas5
Referencias citadas90

The ontological and analytical status of Marxian social theory has been a matter of fierce controversy since Marx’s death, both within and without Marxist circles. A particular source of contention has been over whether Marxism should be construed as an objective science of the capitalist mode of production or as an ethico-philosophical critique of bourgeois society. This is paralleled by the dispute over whether Marxism ought to be considered a humanism (or critical theory of human agency) or a structuralism (or science of social systems). This article addresses both sides of this debate. The argument is that, rather than Marx’s own social thought being split into incompatible poles, giving rise to ‘two Marxisms’, it forms a coherent unity. Marx’s social theory is neither humanist philosophy, nor structural science, but is in fact realist science, which synthesizes these apparent antinomies, and thereby transcends both

Agency (philosophy) · Argument (complex analysis) · Bourgeoisie · Critical realism (philosophy of perception) · Critical theory · Epistemology · Humanism · Marxist philosophy · Political science · Politics · Realism · Social science · Social theory · Sociology · Structuralism (philosophy of science) · Critical Realism in Sociology · Critical Theory and Philosophy · Law · Philosophy · Political Economy and Marxism