This book introduces Marx as a political philosopher to the 21st-century reader. It presents an unconventional reinterpretation of class struggle. Maffettone sheds light on Marx the individual, the intellectual, the political leader and icon, and links his lasting legacy to contemporary theories of justice.
This volume:
* presents a comprehensive understanding of the basic theories and concepts of Marx
* evaluates Marx as a political philosopher for present times
* will be a key text for scholars and students of politics, philosophy, economics and history
Sebastiano Maffettone is an Italian philosopher and public intellectual. He is currently Professor of Political Philosophy and Director of the Ethos Observatory, a research center focusing on public ethics at LUISS University Business School in Rome, Italy, where he teaches political philosophy and history of political thought. Professor Maffettone is President of the Fondazione Giordano Bruno and has been a member, president, and director of a number of prestigious institutions and research programs. After specializing in social philosophy at the London School of Economics (LSE), among other appointments, he has been welcomed as a Visiting Professor at Harvard University, LSE, University of Pennsylvania, Sciences-Po College (Paris), Beijing University, and Mumbai University. Professor Maffettone's research focuses on the development of an original vision of public ethics within Italy and on international topics of contemporary political philosophy. He also has a vast interest in the philosophy of John Rawls and has produced the Italian translation of A Theory of Justice. He regularly writes for Italian national newspapers, such as Il Corriere della Sera and Il Sole 24 ore.
Introduction 1. Marx: The individual and the intellectual 2. Marx: main ideas 3. Early years and the birth of communism 4. Historical materialism and the critique of the economy 5. Final remarks. Bibliography