A Promethean Vision: The Formation of Karl Marx's Worldview

A Promethean Vision outlines the main intellectual stages in the development of Karl Marxs theory of historical development often referred to as historical materialism or the materialist conception of history. Rahim charts Marxs journey from his early life as a Young Hegelian immersed in German philosophical traditions through his turn toward political economy his interest in Adam Smith and finally his maturing into a truly revolutionary thinker and founder of scientific socialism.COMMENTSAs an account of how Marx came to develop his materialist conception of history I cannot think of a better one [book].Professor David McLellanThis is a remarkably clear exposition of Marxs vision of human development. Eric Rahim demonstrates that Marxs materialist understanding of human development bears no relation to the crude deterministic caricatures offered by some of his critics. For Marx Rahim argues what each generation inherits from its predecessor contains the potential for further development. Realisation of this potential requires that human beings understand both the possibilities and constraints of their particular conjuncture and act on them. This is not straightforward. Advance is possible but it is not automatic or pre-determined.Dr. Renee PrendergastIt is no accident that after the 2008 Global Financial Crisis Marxs Capital and Keyness General Theory returned to the bestseller list. Eric Rahims new volume A Promethean Vision: Formation of Marxs Worldview is an indispensable complement to a reading or re-reading of Capital. Rahims volume is an exemplary work of analysis and scholarship. It tells the reader where and what Marx was doing up to the writing of Capital. It sets out the historical and political environment in which Marx found himself and explains most clearly what his ideas were at each moment of time and how they evolved. The narrative is backed by detailed evidence and accounts of the interactions of Marx with his contemporaries and of their inter-related influence on one another. A striking feature of the volume is Rahims great ability to set out the essence of Marxs ideas and breakthroughs.Professor GC Harcourt