Een Frans-Braziliaanse marxistische socioloog en filosoof, biedt hij scherpe analyses van hedendaagse samenlevingen door een marxistische bril. Zijn werk duikt in baanbrekende figuren en intellectuele stromingen die het kritisch denken hebben gevormd, met de zoektocht naar begrip en transformatie van de wereld. Door zijn werk biedt hij een diep inzicht in de historische en filosofische fundamenten die ten grondslag liggen aan sociale structuren. Hij verbindt theoretisch onderzoek met de inzet voor sociale verandering.
Löwy explores in this remarkable study ... a generation of Central European Jewish intellectuals of an antiauthoritarian political orientation who left a considerable mark on twentieth-century radical thought ... As Löwy's subtle and profound book reminds us, their legacy is a rich one. - American Historical Review An exceptional thinker. - Le Monde
This illuminating study of Benjamin's final essay helps unlock the mystery of this great philosopher. Revolutionary critic of the philosophy of progress, nostalgic of the past yet dreaming of the future, romantic partisan of materialism-Walter Benjamin is in every sense of the word an "unclassifiable" philosopher. His last text was written in a state of urgency, as he attempted to escape the Gestapo in 1940, before finally committing suicide. "On the Concept of History" is one of the most important philosophical and political writings of the twentieth century, argues Michael Löwy in this scrupulous, clear and fascinating examination. Löwy uses the concept of "elective affinity," the mutual attraction between two cultural figures, derived from the amorous encounter of two souls in Goethe's novel Elective Affinities. Looking in detail at Benjamin's celebrated but often mysterious text, and restoring the philosophical, theological and political context, Löwy strives to understand and highlight the complex relationship between redemption and revolution in Benjamin's philosophy of history.
The Paris Commune of 1871 was one of the first working class attempts at the social emancipation of the oppressed and exploited. Between 18 March and 29 May 1871, the popular classes succeeded for a while in breaking their chains. It was a short period when people could take control of their lives. The Paris Commune is an inspiration today. The memory of the past and its struggles strengthens the fight for the utopia of the future.This book, The Paris Commune - An ode to emancipation, is a collection of writings by Daniel Bensa�d, Olivier Besancenot, Sandra Bloodworth, Judy Cox, Penelope Duggan, Mathilde Larr�re, Michael L�wy, Kay Mann, Eric Toussaint.
“This book is brilliant, incisive, honest and deserves to be read with attention. It is an important event in the Marxist theoretical production.” —Politique Hebdo“A remarkable essay, whose merit is not only theoretical, but also historical, because it examines unknown aspects of the evolution of young Marx’s thinking.”—PolitisIn the 1840s, the young German journalist Karl Marx developed ideas about modern society that remain as relevant today as when they were first developed. Here Löwy shows the lasting force of Marx’s early writings on alienation and emancipation.Michael Löwy is research director in sociology at the Centre National de la Recherché Scientifique, Paris. He is the author of many books, including Romanticism Against the Tide of Modernity.
This collection of essays deals with the history of Marxism as a political philosophy and provides a heterodox reintegration of the revolutionary socialist tradition. Michael Lowy highlights cultural, "spiritual," or ethical dimensions largely neglected by the economistic tendency dominant in much Marxist literature - the national question, religion, Utopia, and above all the Romantic impulse in Marxist political culture. "Politics" does not mean here only questions relating to power and state, but the broad range of issues common to everyday human life. And "philosophy" refers to basic theoretical, methodological, or ethical interrogations. Moreover, this is a political philosophy that aims, as Marx wrote in his famous "Thesis XI on Feuerbach," not only at interpreting but above all at changing the world. That is why the concept of revolution - its various historical and social dimensions-is a central theme in most of these essays. In addition to Karl Marx, the essays focus on authors belonging to the revolutionary/humanist tendency in Western Marxism: Rosa Luxemburg, Gramsci, Lukacs and Walter Benjamin. These diverse writers share an understanding of socialism as the only truly human alternative to modern forms of barbarism, a dialectical or Hegelian approach to social reality, and, Lowy stresses, a recognition of Romanticism as one of the key sources of the Marxist critique of capitalist civilization and an important component of the Marxist Utopia.
Philosophy, Economics, Revolutionary Warfare, Second Edition
Focusing on Che Guevara's contributions to Marxist thought, the book delves into his revolutionary humanism and internationalist perspective on political issues. It examines his views on socialism, particularly the tension between socialist planning and the law of value in Cuba. The revised edition includes a new chapter on Guevara's quest for a fresh socialist paradigm and features an essay by Peter McLaren discussing Guevara's ongoing relevance. Löwy positions Guevara's ideas within the broader context of global emancipation movements, particularly in Latin America.
Revolutions is a unique collection of rare photographs documenting some of the most important revolutionary upheavals, from the 1871 Paris Commune to the Zapatista rebellion of the 1990s.
The Theory of Permanent Revolution
Utilizing Leon Trotsky's foresight, the author delves into the complexities and contradictions inherent in global economic growth. The book examines how historical and theoretical perspectives can illuminate contemporary economic issues, offering a critical analysis of development patterns and their implications. Through this lens, it seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the forces shaping the global economy today.
A sweeping history of revolutionary struggle and unbreakable alliances, Revolutionary Affinities takes readers from the Paris Commune to the Occupy movement, and through the heart of bloody fratricidal struggles to paint a vivid picture of the greatest anarchist and Marxist figures who dared to join forces, from Louise Michel to Subcomandante Marcos, from Emma Goldman to Walter Benjamin. With the urgent need for a unified front against the far right, there has never been a better time for this inspiring story. Authors Olivier Besancenot and Michael Löwy, two of the foremost voices in the French anti-authoritarian radical left, explore the promises--and challenges--of developing a fully sustainable, libertarian Marxist society by examining questions of political organization, economic policy, radical ecology, and more. Strikingly accessible, brilliantly illuminating, Besancenot and Löwy have given readers more than a history book, they've created a road map for the future.