SOC 402: Sociological Theory NeoMarxist Theory

Intellectual Influence Classical theory – Marx Early: philosophical: critical Late: political economy: structural Middle: socio-historical: historical – Weber politics interactive model historical/comparative method

Other Intellectual Influences economic determinism Lenin/Stalin/Trotsky Hegel Freud: super ego ego id

Socio-Historical Context Marx’s death to Russian Revolution: Russian Revolution to Hitler’s Germany: Hitler-WW II: Cold War: Post Cold War?

Perspective Radical – What all Marxist theories share – Along with attempt to maintain dialectical model

Model(s) Dialectical models of institutions – economy – culture – politics Interactive (?) Functional (?) models of inter- institutional relations

NeoMarxist Dialectics Economic Determinism Exploiting class Exploited class conflict Neo-Hegelian Critical culture experience interest knowledge conflict StructuralHistoricalWorld Systems republicanism capitalism class circumstance class consciousness Core nation peripheral nation conflict

Last Shot at NeoMarxists All begin with internal contradictions of capitalism They focus on different parts of Marx in order to – explain “failure” of the Marxist theory of revolution 1. class consciousness 2. economic crises of capitalism 3. class struggle and political crisis – explain the complexity of modern capitalism

Three Theories Critical – class consciousness – cultural industry – potential for liberation Structural – stages of capitalism: monopoly, postmodern – strategies for crisis management: Fordism, etc. – complexity of modern class relations – role of the state

Three theories (cont.) Historical – class relations as dynamic process – local history – world systems

Marxist Dialectical Synthesis Exploiter Exploited interest knowledge class circumstance class consciousness Culture Experience