Abstract
In this article I start with Marx's transcriptions of Spinoza, and the deep significance of what he transcribed, from the Theologico-Political Treatise and the Correspondence, and in what order. I contend that this demonstrates what was of particular interest and importance to him at that time. Second, I examine the presence, even if not explicit, of Spinoza in Marx's works, and turn to the question whether Marx was a Spinozist. I think he was. Third, I turn to Ilyenkov and his engagement with Spinoza, and fourth, to Ilyenkov's place in the Marxist tradition of Spinozism. Fifth and sixth, I present an analysis of Ilyenkov's instrumental deployment of Spinoza first in his Dialectical Logic and then in his The Dialectic of the Abstract and the Concrete in Marx's Capital.
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Notes
Ilyenkov’s engagement with Spinoza was through the Collected Works in two very handsome volumes, with a variety of translations, published in 1957 (Moscow: Politicheskaya Literatura), in a large edition of 30,000 copies. Vol 1 contained an introduction by V.V. Sokolov; A Short Treatise on God, Man and His Well-Being (translated by A. I. Rubin); The Principles of Cartesian Philosophy (translated by V.V. Sokolov); Appendix on Metaphysical Thought (translated by V.V. Sokolov); On the Improvement of the Understanding (translated by Ya. M. Vorovskiy); Ethics (translated by N.A. Ivantsov). Volume 2 contained A Theologico-Political Treatise (translated by M. Lopatkina); Political Treatise (translated by S.M. Rogovin and V.V. Chredin); Correspondence (translated by V.K. Brushlinskiy).
Marx used the edition edited by Henr[-icus] Eberh[ard] Gottlob Paulus (1802) Benedictus de Spinoza: Opera quae supersunt omnia. Iterum dedenda curavit…. Vol 1. Ienae.
Written between 15 January and 10 February 1842.
The book was first published in February 1845, Frankfurt am Main. The work was never translated into English in either man's lifetime; 1956 English translation by Richard Dixon and Clement Dutt and is taken from the 1845 German edition; MECW Volume 4 (Moscow: Progress Publishers, Moscow).
“Comments on the Latest Prussian Censorship Instruction” MECW Vol 1 pp. 109–131 written between 15 January and 10 February 1842.
Conversation Plekhanov and Engels—G.V. Plekhanov Sochineniya Vol. 20 p. 363; or G.V. Plekhanov “Bernstein and Materialism”. In Sochineniya Vol. XI (Moscow-Petrograd, 1923) p. 22.
He should be compared with A. V. Lunacharskiy, who in 1932 wrote Barukh Spinoza i Burzhuaziya (Baruch Spinoza and the Bourgeoisie) Bibliotek “Ogonyok” Zhurnalno-gazetnoye obyedineniye, Moscow 1933 at http://www.situation.ru/app/j_art_1114.htm—a sadly superficial account.
This point is made by Oittinen (2005) .
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Acknowledgements
I am very grateful to the participants in the Helsinki seminar, and to Andrey Maidansky and Vesa Oittinen for their acute and insightful comments on earlier drafts of this chapter. All errors are, of course, my own.
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Bowring, B. Spinoza, Marx, and Ilyenkov (who did not know Marx’s transcription of Spinoza). Stud East Eur Thought 74, 297–317 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11212-021-09413-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11212-021-09413-6