ABSTRACT

In this work, originally published in 1989, the author establishes a tradition of radical historicism from Hegel to the Budapenst School. He charts both its continuous evolution from the early 19th century to the late 20thh, and its transformation in the context of European social, economic and cultural change. Through a reappraisal of historical interpretation from Hegel to Foucault, the book demonstrates the contemporary relevance of radical historicism. It includes detailed analyses of Marx, Dilthey, Simmel, Weber, Lukácks, Horkheimer, Adorno and Habermas.

chapter |7 pages

Introduction

part |55 pages

Birth of the emancipatory, historicist concept of totality

part |60 pages

The retreat into the antonomies of cultural pessimism

part |35 pages

The anti-humanist challenge to radical historicism