Marx's Construction of Social Theory (RLE Marxism)

This study, first published in 1983, explores the connections between Marxs philosophy and his empirical analysis of society and state, by showing the different meanings of many of Marxs concepts as their role in his theory changes and the theory itself develops. Beginning with an examination of Marxs search for a sound epistemological basis on which to build a social theory, Dr Barbalet then gives an analysis of the way in which Marx continually modifies the concepts he uses, and continues with an examination of the different functions they are given in different theoretical settings. Various nuances of Marxs thought, often obscured by the simplistic early-late dichotomy, are revealed by Dr Barbalets close attention to the progressive transformation of Marxs concepts and by his scrupulous analysis of them in not only their textual but also their theoretical context. Finally, the book examines the manner in which Marxs construction of social theory, by its very nature, means that some material is replaced by other theoretical fabric as the theoretical structure itself is in different ways dismantled and reorganised, as Marxs thought evolves and develops.