Jacobin Radio Folgen

With guest Asad Haider, we discuss at length the theoretical polemic of E.P. Thompson against Louis Althusser. What was the historical context for each side of this conflict (in which Althusser never participated directly)? What was Thompson’s critique? Asad argues that Thompson did not understand Althusser correctly, or even provide a satisfactory conceptual account of what was best about his own empirical research. The two, may have been closer to each other than Thompson understood. A humanist, he preferred the young Marx; Althusser, an anti-humanist, argued systematically for the importance of the mature Marx. Both, however, were reacting to the Stalinist ossification of their respective national Communist parties.Readings discussed in this episode:Louis Althusser, For Marxhttps://www.versobooks.com/&lt;wbr /&gt;books/35-for-marxLouis Althusser, “Contradiction and Overdetermination” (from For Marx)https://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;reference/archive/althusser/&lt;wbr /&gt;1962/overdetermination.htmLouis Althusser, Etienne Balibar, Roger Establet, Pierre Macherey, and Jacques Rancière, Reading Capitalhttps://www.versobooks.com/&lt;wbr /&gt;books/2042-reading-capitalLouis Althusser, “Ideology and Ideological State Apparatuses”https://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;reference/archive/althusser/&lt;wbr /&gt;1970/ideology.htmPerry Anderson, “Origins of the Present Crisis”https://newleftreview.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;issues/I23/articles/perry-&lt;wbr /&gt;anderson-origins-of-the-&lt;wbr /&gt;present-crisisPerry Anderson, Arguments Within English Marxismhttps://www.versobooks.com/&lt;wbr /&gt;books/576-arguments-within-&lt;wbr /&gt;english-marxismAsad Haider, Mistaken Identity: Race and Class in the Age of Trump https://www.versobooks.com/&lt;wbr /&gt;books/2716-mistaken-identityKarl Marx, Introduction to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economyhttps://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;archive/marx/works/1859/&lt;wbr /&gt;critique-pol-economy/appx1.htmE.P. Thompson, “The Peculiarities of the English”<u>https://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;archive/thompson-ep/1965/&lt;wbr /&gt;english.htm</u>E.P. Thompson, “An Open Letter to Leszek Kolakowski” https://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;archive/thompson-ep/1973/&lt;wbr /&gt;kolakowski.htmE.P. Thompson, “The Poverty of Theory:Or, An Orrery of Errors” https://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;archive/thompson-ep/1978/pot/&lt;wbr /&gt;intro.htmE.P. Thompson, “Outside the Whale”https://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;archive/thompson-ep/1978/&lt;wbr /&gt;outside-whale.htm

Dan is playing catch up. Here's a fav interview from the archives: critical theorist Nancy Fraser on how a total analysis of capitalism requires analyzing capitalism's totality, including socially reproductive work that makes possible the world that capitalism exploits. This is painfully relevant today as people everywhere do the work of staying at home and social distancing to beat this pandemic while capitalists reap the rewards of the world's reproduction.Please support this podcast at Patreon.com/TheDig

We cover Chapter Five, but first have an extensive discussion of the debate between Thompson and Perry Anderson and Tom Nairn over the history of social class and economic development in England, with sociologist Jonah Stuart-Brundage. What should we make of liberalism in England at the end of the eighteenth century and what it meant for the prospects of revolution? Secondary readings: Perry Anderson, “Origins of the Present Crisis” https://newleftreview.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;issues/I23/articles/perry-&lt;wbr /&gt;anderson-origins-of-the-&lt;wbr /&gt;present-crisis Perry Anderson, “Socialism and Pseudo-Empiricism,” https://newleftreview.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;issues/I35/articles/perry-&lt;wbr /&gt;anderson-socialism-and-pseudo-&lt;wbr /&gt;empiricism Arno Mayer, The Persistence of the Old Regime: Europe to the Great War https://www.versobooks.com/&lt;wbr /&gt;books/475-the-persistence-of-&lt;wbr /&gt;the-old-regime Tom Nairn, “The British Political Elite” https://newleftreview.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;issues/I23/articles/tom-nairn-&lt;wbr /&gt;the-british-political-elite Tom Nairn, “The British Working Class” https://newleftreview.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;issues/I24/articles/tom-nairn-&lt;wbr /&gt;the-english-working-class Tom Nairn, “The Anatomy of the Labour Party: Part I” https://newleftreview.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;issues/I27/articles/tom-nairn-&lt;wbr /&gt;the-nature-of-the-labour-&lt;wbr /&gt;party-part-i Tom Nairn, “The Anatomy of the Labour Party: Part II” https://newleftreview.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;issues/I28/articles/tom-nairn-&lt;wbr /&gt;the-nature-of-the-labour-&lt;wbr /&gt;party-part-ii E.P. Thompson, “The Peculiarities of the English” https://www.marxists.org/&lt;wbr /&gt;archive/thompson-ep/1965/&lt;wbr /&gt;english.htm#n1