The Social Individual and the Last Human

Marx and Nietzsche Agree to Disagree

Bibliographic Data

ID2370461
AuthorsIshay Landa (0000-0002-3139-6023, Open University of Israel, corresponding author)
Year2019
Volume45
Issue2
Pages253-265
Publication date2019-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCritical Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0896-9205 • E-ISSN: 1569-1632
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0896920516681426
OpenAlexW2558036660
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited13

In their appreciation of modernity, Marx and Nietzsche have a lot in common. It is mistaken, for example, to assume that Nietzsche was interested chiefly in ethical and cultural matters, as opposed to Marx's supposed fixation on the economic 'base'. Nietzsche's whole notion of culture was predicated upon a keen appreciation of the indispensable role of the economic base in sustaining all culture, while Marx, conversely, was deeply concerned about the fate of civilization. In that respect, it is useful to underline their 'agreement'. Their disagreement concerns their respective social vantage-points: Marx envisioned a society overcoming class divisions, whereas Nietzsche directed all his powers at preventing precisely such an outcome. I will attempt to illustrate the usefulness of juxtaposing Marx's notion of 'the social individual' with Nietzsche's famous depiction of 'the Last Human', arguing that their true meaning emerges best when they are brought together

Civilization · Depiction · Epistemology · Modernity · Political science · Sociology · Critical Theory and Philosophy · Law · Philosophy · Political Economy and Marxism · Psychoanalysis, Philosophy, and Politics

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