neo-Marxism

Political economists in spite of themselves. Richard Lachman’s «Capitalists in spite of Themselves. Elite Conflict and Economic Transitions in Early Modern Europe» and neomarxist methodology

Kovalev, V. A. Politekonomisty ponevole: Richard Lakhman «Kapitalisty ponevole. Konflikt elit i ekonomicheskie preobrazovaniya v Evrope rannego Novogo vremeni» i metodologiya neomarksizma [Political economists in spite of themselves. Richard Lachman’s «Capitalists in spite of Themselves. Elite Conflict and Economic Transitions in Early Modern Europe» and neomarxist methodology], in: Proslogion: Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Social History and Culture, 2017. Vol. 3 (1). P. 258–266.

Victor Aleksandrovich Kovalev, Doctor of History, assistant professor, St. Petersburg State University of the Humanities and Social Sciences (192238, Rossiya, Sankt-Peterburg, ulitsa Fuchika, dom 15)

Language: Russian

This review of Richard Lachman’s «Capitalists in spite of themselves» shows pluses and minuses of the research. Also in the review actual historiography issues are discussed and neomarxist methodology came under criticism. The criticist argues that the key issue of the research is Marxist’s thesis of the distributive role of the authorities and economical reductionism. Accepting Pierre Bourdieu conception of social and symbolic capital, Lachman returns to the classical Marxist conception of base (economy) and superstructure (power, policy culture and other). The role of the symbolic, social, military, spiritual capital became downgraded and diminished. Benefit of the research is attention to the historical process in Italian city-states which set aside of the researcher’s attention very often. Also other form’s of non-classical form of medieval power and society structuring, the Holy Empire, the spiritual knight’s Orders, the city’s unions, etc. are left by Lachman unattended, because of their disengagement in transition to capitalist economy. His interesting conception of «vertical» and «horizontal» absolutism wasn’t developed because of the researcher’s inattention to non-material and mythological forms of power. In spite of references to Paul-Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu works, Lachman continues to envisage political power as a distributive structure. Being interesting and very informative, Lachman’s research inherits Marxist’s paradigm deficiencies.

Key Words: Neo-history, Marxism, neo-Marxism, Foucault, Braudel

URL: http://proslogion.ru/31-kovalevt/

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Epicurean Detective. Stephen Greenblatt’s «The Swerve: How the World Became Modern»

Kovalev, V. A. Sledstvie ob Epikure: Retsenziya na monografiyu Stivena Grinblatta «Renessans: U istokov sovremennosti» [Epicurean Detective. Stephen Greenblatt’s «The Swerve: How the World Became Modern»], in: Proslogion: Studies in Medieval and Early Modern Social History and Culture, 2018. Vol. 4 (1). P. 169–180.

Viktor Aleksandrovich Kovalev, doctor of History, assistant professor, Saint-Petersburg State University of the Humanities and Social Sciences (192238, Rossiya, Sankt-Peterburg, ulitsa Fuchika, 15)

Language: Russian

In the review of Stephen Greenblatt’s «The Swerve: How the World Became Modern» criticist argues that many of the monograph’s features are linked with neohistoricism pattern. It is apparent because author is one of neohistoricism patriarchs. Emphasis on the political and ideological aspect of historical events along with projection of author’s political prejudices frames all the scheme of the text. Reviewer points that the main theme of the monograph is author’s denying of postmodern concept of an «author’s death». Neither an author, nor the idea can not die, argues Greenblatt, because all things forgotten can return in the history of thoughts. Exemplified by the history of Epicureanism, this thesis runs like a golden thread through all substance of investigation. Along with this filled with humanistic pathos idea the key question of the scale of influence of the elite book-learned culture on the popular one remains unanswered by Greenblatt. Author sophisticatedly intertwines the storyline of Epicurean philosophy invention, oblivion and rediscovering in the Renaissance with historical, bookish, dramaturgical and even with his own biographical facts and events. But sometimes, as reviewer points, Greenblatt is unfair to the characters of his text blaming them in ideological imperfection. Also due to the concept of ideas’ immortality, he remains undiscovered a great part of historical process.

Key Words: neohistoricism, history of literature, the Renaissance, history of thoughts, Neomarxism, the early Modern history, history of the Middle ages, history of philosophy

URL: http://proslogion.ru/41-kovalev/

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