Erik K. Olsen
Abstract
Althusser’s seminal contributions to social ontology emphasize complexity and oppose reductionism. This led Balibar and then Hindess and Hirst to rethink the officially sanctioned Marxist theory of society, and culminated with the controversial call for Marxists to break with the former approach. This Althusserian literature provoked an influential response from G. A. Cohen in defense of Marxist orthodoxy. The early Althusserian literature shows the development of Marxian theory from the earlier mode of production and social formation approach to the emergence of class-analytic Marxism and gives a powerful example of the effect that ontology can have on the practice of social theory. The early literature is also a record of struggle and discovery as it is taking place and thus is difficult to interpret except retrospectively.
Keywords
Louis Althusser, Ontology, Structuralism, Mode of Production
From: Rethinking Marxism 2017 29 (2)
Editor: Wang Yi
ect