ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book offers an interpretation of Karl Marx which accounts for this apparent ambiguity in his thought. It shows that the theoretical origins of Marx’s ‘anti-utopian utopianism’ lie precisely in the conflicting solutions he proposed to the problems that he set himself. The problems were those of generating radical hope and of capturing the spirit of revolution whilst simultaneously avoiding the need for utopianism and all the paternalistic, elitist and messianic baggage that came with it. The book suggests that the future of socialism lies in its ability to harness, not the spirit of utopia, but the spirit of adventure. It also suggests that Marx’s works were consistent in their aims, i.e., that they represented varied attempts to deal with the same problems. The book argues that his ‘anti-utopian utopianism’ was symptomatic of the fundamental problems which confronted Marx throughout his life.
