Why Marx Was Right
Why Marx Was Right
Why Marx Was Right
TERRY EAGLETON
New Haven & London
Published with assistance from the Louis Stern Memorial Fund. Copyright ∫ 2011 by Yale University. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers. Yale University Press books may be purchased in quantity for educational, business, or promotional use. For information, please e-mail sales.press@ yale.edu (U.S. office) or sales@yaleup.co.uk (U.K. office). Designed by James J. Johnson and set in Granjon Roman type by Keystone Typesetting, Inc. Printed in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Eagleton, Terry, 1943– Why Marx was right / Terry Eagleton. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-0-300-16943-0 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Marx, Karl, 1818–1883. 2. Communism. 3. Capitalism. I. Title. hx39.5e234 2011 335.4—dc22 2010041471 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48–1992 (Permanence of Paper). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Dom and Hadi
Contents
Preface ix Chapter One 1 Chapter Two 12 Chapter Three 30 Chapter Four 64 Chapter Five 107 Chapter Six 128
Chapter Seven 160 Chapter Eight 179 Chapter Nine 196 Chapter Ten 211 Conclusion 238 Notes 241 Index 251
terry eagleton viii Preface
T
his book had its origin in a single, striking thought: What if all the most familiar objections to Marx’s work are mistaken? Or at least, if not totally wrongheaded, mostly so? This is not to suggest that Marx never put a foot wrong. I am not of that leftist breed that piously proclaims that everything is open to criticism, and then, when asked to produce three major criticisms of Marx, lapses into
Why Marx Was Right
TERRY EAGLETON
New Haven & London
Published with assistance from the Louis Stern Memorial Fund. Copyright ∫ 2011 by Yale University. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, including illustrations, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press), without written permission from the publishers. Yale University Press books may be purchased in quantity for educational, business, or promotional use. For information, please e-mail sales.press@ yale.edu (U.S. office) or sales@yaleup.co.uk (U.K. office). Designed by James J. Johnson and set in Granjon Roman type by Keystone Typesetting, Inc. Printed in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Eagleton, Terry, 1943– Why Marx was right / Terry Eagleton. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 978-0-300-16943-0 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Marx, Karl, 1818–1883. 2. Communism. 3. Capitalism. I. Title. hx39.5e234 2011 335.4—dc22 2010041471 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. This paper meets the requirements of ANSI/NISO Z39.48–1992 (Permanence of Paper). 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Dom and Hadi
Contents
Preface ix Chapter One 1 Chapter Two 12 Chapter Three 30 Chapter Four 64 Chapter Five 107 Chapter Six 128
Chapter Seven 160 Chapter Eight 179 Chapter Nine 196 Chapter Ten 211 Conclusion 238 Notes 241 Index 251
terry eagleton viii Preface
T
his book had its origin in a single, striking thought: What if all the most familiar objections to Marx’s work are mistaken? Or at least, if not totally wrongheaded, mostly so? This is not to suggest that Marx never put a foot wrong. I am not of that leftist breed that piously proclaims that everything is open to criticism, and then, when asked to produce three major criticisms of Marx, lapses into