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On Karl Marx
"In 1968 we celebrated the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of Karl Marx. We still have reason to hope for a concrete celebration in 2018"
This study of Marx serves not only as an excellent introduction to that most influential of "worldly philosophers" but is also a significant resume of the central issues of Bloch's own profound and wide-ranging thought. Special attention is given to the political maturation of the young Karl Marx and to his studies and intellectual relationship to important thinkers of his time. Bloch concludes with an insightful summons to the West to consider Marx anew as a thinker still vitally relevant to contemporary social issues, and not merely as the father of a sovietized political system.
This study of Marx serves not only as an excellent introduction to that most influential of "worldly philosophers" but is also a significant resume of the central issues of Bloch's own profound and wide-ranging thought. Special attention is given to the political maturation of the young Karl Marx and to his studies and intellectual relationship to important thinkers of his time. Bloch concludes with an insightful summons to the West to consider Marx anew as a thinker still vitally relevant to contemporary social issues, and not merely as the father of a sovietized political system.
173 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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About the author
Ernst Bloch
196 books136 followersErnst Bloch was one of the great philosophers and political intellectuals of twentieth-century Germany. Among his works to have appeared in English are The Spirit of Utopia (Stanford University Press, 2000), Literary Essays (Stanford University Press, 1998), The Utopian Function of Art and Literature: Selected Essays (1987), and The Principle of Hope (1986).
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 12, 2017
Ernst Bloch's "On Karl Marx" is an excellent examination of the thought of the young Marx. I found especially enlightening the chapter "Changing the World: Marx's 'Theses on Fuerbach'" in which Bloch arranges the 11 Theses into four groups: (1) The Epistemological Group--Perception and Activity: Theses 5, 1, and 3, (2) Anthropological-Historical Group--Self-Alienation and True Materialism: Theses 4,6,7,9, and 10, (3) The Theory-Practice Group--Proof and Verification: Theses 2 and 8, and finally (4) The Slogan and Its Significance: Theses 11. That is the one everyone knows: "The philosophers have only interpreted the world; the point is to change it." That was Marx's famous challenge to take philosophy and theory out of its merely contemplative mode into a more socially active one and Bloch's commentary helped me better understand how the theses worked together to arrive at that final point and lay out how and why that move was possible and necessary. Bloch's book is worth picking-up for that chapter alone.
August 5, 2023
“The revolution does not have to realize ideals but to free existing tendencies” ~ Karl Marx (Quoted pp. 151).
This is a great read, although a bit dense at times. Bloch writes very abstractly and I don’t think it’s really ever necessary. I’m also not usually one to nit-pick titles; however, this one is rather misleading. Rather than a study on Marx himself, this book can more accurately be described as an overview of the historical development and evolution of Marxist thought. The final aphoristic essay – my personal favourite – is the only section that really addresses the trajectory of Marxism after Marx’s death, so most of the work relates to its theoretical development during Marx’s life (hence, perhaps, the title).
I enjoyed Bloch’s analysis of the problems with certain applications of Marxism, specifically that of the USSR. He doesn’t beat around the bush or make sweeping generalizations, but draws attention to particular historical details that should be considered in order to improve Marxist strategy and practice. For example:
“Eventually, the complete lack of interest [in Marxism] so strongly desired by the ruling class was effected by Stalinism. Indeed, this lack of appeal was increased by an emotional antagonism—still prevalent in regard to its original stimulus. Of course, all those in the West who permitted and still condone the existence of slums, who willingly served the master race and the bestiality of Hitlerism, and even the erstwhile judges of Nuremberg who brought about the hell of Vietnam have no right in this regard to criticize Stalinism, or at least Stalin as a bloody tyrant” (pp. 161).
Bloch is ultimately pragmatic. In fact, he discusses the particular American pragmatism of William James, emphasizing the epistemic value in usefulness. But where James argued that something is true because it is useful, Bloch argues, from Marx and Lenin, that something is useful because it is true—enter Marxism. What I gather from this is an insight into the valid obstacles of implementing a Marxist socialist project, while avoiding the trap that the capitalist West engages in; namely, accusing Marxism of utopianism all the while discarding it for anything short of utopian achievements.
This is a great read, although a bit dense at times. Bloch writes very abstractly and I don’t think it’s really ever necessary. I’m also not usually one to nit-pick titles; however, this one is rather misleading. Rather than a study on Marx himself, this book can more accurately be described as an overview of the historical development and evolution of Marxist thought. The final aphoristic essay – my personal favourite – is the only section that really addresses the trajectory of Marxism after Marx’s death, so most of the work relates to its theoretical development during Marx’s life (hence, perhaps, the title).
I enjoyed Bloch’s analysis of the problems with certain applications of Marxism, specifically that of the USSR. He doesn’t beat around the bush or make sweeping generalizations, but draws attention to particular historical details that should be considered in order to improve Marxist strategy and practice. For example:
“Eventually, the complete lack of interest [in Marxism] so strongly desired by the ruling class was effected by Stalinism. Indeed, this lack of appeal was increased by an emotional antagonism—still prevalent in regard to its original stimulus. Of course, all those in the West who permitted and still condone the existence of slums, who willingly served the master race and the bestiality of Hitlerism, and even the erstwhile judges of Nuremberg who brought about the hell of Vietnam have no right in this regard to criticize Stalinism, or at least Stalin as a bloody tyrant” (pp. 161).
Bloch is ultimately pragmatic. In fact, he discusses the particular American pragmatism of William James, emphasizing the epistemic value in usefulness. But where James argued that something is true because it is useful, Bloch argues, from Marx and Lenin, that something is useful because it is true—enter Marxism. What I gather from this is an insight into the valid obstacles of implementing a Marxist socialist project, while avoiding the trap that the capitalist West engages in; namely, accusing Marxism of utopianism all the while discarding it for anything short of utopian achievements.
April 21, 2020
"Changing the World: Marx's Theses on Feuerbach"!!!
June 30, 2022
Interpretazione umanista e utopista (rivalutazione espistemologica della speranza e dell'utopia, già iscritte nel materialismo dialettico) del giovane Marx
August 26, 2018
I understood about half of this book because I am dumb but what I did understand was mind blowing
December 24, 2020
This book is a good introduction to Marx, in so far, if you already have a grasp of trends within German philosophy. Specifically, on the break from Idealism, represented by Hegel, towards materialism, pushed by many Young Hegelians, like Marx. Bloch describes Marx as adapting and continuing on many of Hegel’s ideas. So, having a basic knowledge of Hegel’s idealism, his work on dialectics and self-alienation, would also be a good basis, to build on.
If you decide to start this book, with little to no prior knowledge of German philosophy, and as an introduction to Marx or Marxism, like I did; then you will find a book that assumes its reader is aware of the aforementioned context, and picks up on past critiques, discussions, and arguments around Marx and Marxism. These arguments can get very nuanced, so if you have no clue of the concepts in general, it will be hard to see the differences in thought. And then you will find yourself exhaustingly looking up information, as you read, and a lot of the book will go over your head. I would just advise patience in that case, the author can get too flowery in his explanations, but he does repeat himself more clearly in later parts of the chapters. Also, when he uses quotes from Marx’s works, I found that Marx’s voice is more easy to understand, than Bloch’s.
I would make this book more of an afterthought. After getting comfortable with the main concepts and trends, then you can turn to this book for a better understanding of Marx and his early theories, and how they differ and are new, compared to theories of his fellow philosophers, before him.
If you decide to start this book, with little to no prior knowledge of German philosophy, and as an introduction to Marx or Marxism, like I did; then you will find a book that assumes its reader is aware of the aforementioned context, and picks up on past critiques, discussions, and arguments around Marx and Marxism. These arguments can get very nuanced, so if you have no clue of the concepts in general, it will be hard to see the differences in thought. And then you will find yourself exhaustingly looking up information, as you read, and a lot of the book will go over your head. I would just advise patience in that case, the author can get too flowery in his explanations, but he does repeat himself more clearly in later parts of the chapters. Also, when he uses quotes from Marx’s works, I found that Marx’s voice is more easy to understand, than Bloch’s.
I would make this book more of an afterthought. After getting comfortable with the main concepts and trends, then you can turn to this book for a better understanding of Marx and his early theories, and how they differ and are new, compared to theories of his fellow philosophers, before him.
December 6, 2025
Very interesting collection of essays and lectures. Changing The World: Marx’s Theses on Feuerbach and Upright Carriage, Concrete Utopia were my favorites.
Highly recommend just for exploring the Theses on Feuerbach in depth since my exposure to that has been very surface level in the past.
Highly recommend just for exploring the Theses on Feuerbach in depth since my exposure to that has been very surface level in the past.
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March 3, 2024Going to have te reread this when im smarter
June 3, 2007
Fucking ... Brilliant, Early Marx like you never saw him (or understood him.)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews