The Theory of Need in Marx

Description

The basic discoveries underlying Marx's critique of political economy - labour power, surplus value, use value - are all in some way built upon the concept of need. From Marx's varying and passing interpretations of a theory of need, Agnes Heller unravels the main tendencies and demonstrates the importance which Marx attached to the ""restructuring"" of a system of needs going beyond the purely material. She also brings out those aspects, especially the idea of ""radical needs"" which point to revolutionary activity and to the project which Marx could only foresee but which for us today is of real urgency: the ""society of associated producers"". Thus Agnes Heller's study is not only the first full presentation of a fundamental aspect of Marx, but the basis for a discussion of the utmost contemporary relevance.

Agnes Heller was born in Budapest in 1929. A pupil and co-worker of Lukacs during the 1950s, her other published works include studies of Aristotle's Ethics and Marx's theory of value.

For almost 30 years Agnes Heller has been recognized as one of the leading thinkers to emerge from the tradition of Western Marxist critical theory. -- John Grumley, University of Sydney Agnes Heller is peerless as a philosopher of the modern condition. -- Katie Terezakis, Rochester Institute of Technology Agnes Heller is one of the sublime philosophical voices of our time. -- Peter Murphy, Monash University Heller is an outstanding, independent thinker. -- Richard J. Bernstein, The New School for Social Research Sinuously argued and dense with quotations from both the early and later Marx ... a pivotal moment in the whole development of her philosophy. -- Max L. Feldman * Public Seminar *