Karl Marx's writings contain, besides economic analysis and the political theory of revolutionary communism, an influential sociology of ideas, explaining how social life shapes and distorts people's ideas and beliefs. This book presents a fresh critical study of this theory, establishing what Marx did and did not say, and distinguishing the more scientific parts of his thought from those that were overly influenced by his revolutionary aims. The author argues that Marx's own theory of ideas can play an important role in explaining the subsequent degeneration of Marxist thought itself.
Contents
1. Marxism versus Marx: what Marx's theory of ideology was not; 2. Marx's theory of knowledge; 3. The basis of false consciousness: theory; 4. The basis of false consciousness: social being; 5. Social consciousness; 6. Ideology; 7. Class struggle, consciousness and ideology; 8. Justice; 9. Morality; 10. The sociology of political economy; 11. Marx's science and Marxist ideology.
Reviews
"Torrance's book is packed with suggestive notions .... The issues raised in the book are indeed of lasting and contemporary importance." Richard D. Chessick, American Journal of Psychotherapy
"...Torrance operates in the analytical mode and aims to give the reader a plausible construal and defense of Marx's ideas -- at least in the area under discussion. And, in this aim, the book very largely succeeds." David McLellan, American Jounral of Sociology
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