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Left of Karl Marx: A Deep Dive into the Radical Thought of Raya Dunayevskaya

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Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones

by Carole Boyce Davies

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Raya Dunayevskaya, A Ukrainian American Marxist Philosopher, Sociologist, And Political Activist Left Of Karl Marx: The Political Life Of Black Communist Claudia Jones

Raya Dunayevskaya was a Ukrainian-American Marxist philosopher, sociologist, and political activist. She is best known for her work on the concept of "humanism," which she developed in response to the Stalinist and Maoist perversions of Marxism.

Dunayevskaya was born in Kiev, Ukraine, in 1897. She emigrated to the United States in 1913 and became involved in the American labor movement. In the 1930s, she joined the Trotskyist movement and became a close associate of Leon Trotsky. After Trotsky's assassination in 1940, Dunayevskaya broke with the Trotskyist movement and began to develop her own unique brand of Marxism.

Dunayevskaya's work is characterized by her emphasis on the human subject. She argued that the goal of Marxism was not to create a socialist state, but to create a society in which human beings could flourish as free and autonomous individuals. She also argued that the working class was the only class that could bring about such a society.

Dunayevskaya's work has been influential in a number of fields, including philosophy, sociology, political economy, and social theory. She has also been a major inspiration to political activists around the world.

Dunayevskaya's Concept of Humanism

Dunayevskaya's concept of humanism is based on the idea that human beings are fundamentally creative and self-determining beings. She argued that the goal of Marxism is to create a society in which human beings can fully realize their potential.

Dunayevskaya's humanism is different from traditional Marxist humanism in several ways. First, it is not based on the idea of a fixed human nature. Dunayevskaya argued that human nature is constantly evolving and changing.

Second, Dunayevskaya's humanism is not based on the idea of a classless society. She argued that the working class is the only class that can bring about a society in which human beings can flourish, but she did not believe that the working class would create a classless society.

Third, Dunayevskaya's humanism is not based on the idea of a revolutionary vanguard. She argued that the working class is capable of liberating itself without the help of a revolutionary vanguard.

Dunayevskaya's Political Activism

Dunayevskaya was a lifelong political activist. She was involved in the American labor movement, the Trotskyist movement, and the civil rights movement. She also founded the News & Letters Committee, a radical Marxist organization.

Dunayevskaya's political activism was based on her belief that Marxism is a revolutionary theory that can be used to change the world. She argued that the working class is the only class that can bring about a socialist revolution.

Dunayevskaya's political activism was not without its critics. Some critics accused her of being too sectarian and of being unwilling to work with other Marxists. However, Dunayevskaya's critics never doubted her sincerity or her commitment to the cause of human liberation.

Raya Dunayevskaya was a brilliant Marxist thinker and a lifelong political activist. Her work has had a profound influence on the development of Marxism and on the struggle for human liberation.

Dunayevskaya's work is still relevant today. Her insights into the nature of human beings and the goal of Marxism are essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the world we live in and to change it for the better.

Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones

by Carole Boyce Davies

4.7 out of 5