Abstract

This book is an admirable sequel to the author’s Social and Political Thought of Karl Marx. In that earlier study, Professor Avineri stressed the “inseparable link between Marx and the Hegelian heritage,” insisting that Marx had managed to remain a “true” Hegelian even in the process of turning his early master’s social and political doctrine on its head. Undeniably, Marx “did this in a way that would have startled and disturbed Hegel considerably”; yet, according to Avineri, it was all consistently Hegelian: “For the unique and specific achievement of Hegel’s philosophy makes its own subversion possible.” In this sequel the same “inseparable link” is stressed, though here, of course, we have a looking forward to Marx from Hegel rather than a looking back to Hegel from Marx.