Reason and Revolution

Reason and Revolution: Hegel and the Rise of Social Theory

The first American edition
Author Herbert Marcuse
Language English
Subject Philosophy
Published 1941 (Oxford University Press)
Media type Print
Pages 431 (1970 Beacon Press edition)
ISBN 0-8070-1557-1

Reason and Revolution: Hegel and the Rise of Social Theory is a 1941 book by Herbert Marcuse.

Summary

Marcuse discusses the social and political ideas of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel,[1] and attempts to show that "Hegel's basic concepts are hostile to the tendencies that have led into Fascist theory and practice."[2] Marcuse criticizes the thesis, propounded by Leonard Trelawny Hobhouse, that Hegel was a totalitarian, making the case that Hegel was a revolutionary.[3]

Marcuse also discusses the philosophical basis of Karl Marx's thought,[4] and provides an account of Marx's notion of labour.[5]

Scholarly reception

Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm praised Reason and Revolution in his Marx's Concept of Man (1961), describing it as "brilliant and penetrating" and called it "the most important work which has opened up an understanding of Marx's humanism".[4]

References

  1. ↑ Singer, Peter (2001). Hegel: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 124. ISBN 0-19-280197-X.
  2. ↑ Marcuse, Herbert (1970). Reason and Revolution. Boston: Beacon Press. p. xv. ISBN 0-8070-1557-1.
  3. ↑ Robinson, Paul (1990). The Freudian Left: Wilhelm Reich, Geza Roheim, Herbert Marcuse. Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press. p. 152. ISBN 0-8014-9716-7.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Fromm, Erich (1975). Marx's Concept of Man. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co. pp. ix, 74. ISBN 0-8044-6161-9.
  5. ↑ McLellan, David (1995). Karl Marx: A Biography. London: Papermac. p. 444. ISBN 0-333-63947-2.

External links