Neo-Marxism typically refers to the Critical Theory/Frankfurt School academic theorists (Marcuse, Adorno, Horkheimer etc.) in the 1960s who became disappointed and disillusioned with Marxism-Leninism and its ability to resolve the contradictions of capitalism (the USSR was “bad”), so they leaned more heavily into the post-modernist/post-structural schools and played a role in the counter-culture revolution in the US in the 1960s.
Essentially, the neo- in neo-Marxism refers to them leaving behind the traditional Marxist-Leninist thinking and developing into its own strand of philosophies, not unlike how neo-classical economics was the complete opposite of classical economics in the tradition of Smith, Ricardo and Marx. They called themselves the neo-classicals because they are the ones replacing the classical economics as the new school of thought.
Yes, Jordan Peterson doesn’t understand anything about it and think it’s some spooky Marxist academics who wanted to secretly bring communism to America, when the neo-Marxists were precisely the people who loathed Marxism-Leninism and were critical of the Soviet Union.
Neo-Marxism typically refers to the Critical Theory/Frankfurt School academic theorists (Marcuse, Adorno, Horkheimer etc.) in the 1960s who became disappointed and disillusioned with Marxism-Leninism and its ability to resolve the contradictions of capitalism (the USSR was “bad”), so they leaned more heavily into the post-modernist/post-structural schools and played a role in the counter-culture revolution in the US in the 1960s.
Essentially, the neo- in neo-Marxism refers to them leaving behind the traditional Marxist-Leninist thinking and developing into its own strand of philosophies, not unlike how neo-classical economics was the complete opposite of classical economics in the tradition of Smith, Ricardo and Marx. They called themselves the neo-classicals because they are the ones replacing the classical economics as the new school of thought.
Interesting. I get the sense anyone who uses the term neomarxis casually doesn't have this understanding.
Yes, Jordan Peterson doesn’t understand anything about it and think it’s some spooky Marxist academics who wanted to secretly bring communism to America, when the neo-Marxists were precisely the people who loathed Marxism-Leninism and were critical of the Soviet Union.