Foucault and Marxism: rewriting the theory of historical ...

Policy Futures in Education, Volume 2, Numbers 3 & 4, 2004 454 Foucault and marxism : rewriting the theory of historical materialism MARK OLSSEN University of Surrey, United Kingdom ABSTRACT This article explores the relationship of Foucault to marxism . Although he was often critical of marxism , Foucault s own approach bears striking parallels to marxism , as a form of method, as an account of history, and as an analysis of social structure. Like marxism , Foucault represents social practices as transitory and all knowledge and intellectual formations as linked to social relations and power. In this he asserts the historical relativity of all systems and structures of society, of thought, of theory and of concepts, while at the same time not denying a materialism of physical necessities. Yet while Foucault s approach reveals these important similarities to marxism , the differences, claims the author, are fundamental. These concern his rejection of Hegel s conceptions of history and society as a unified developing totality, his rejection of essences and teleology, and his rejection of any utopian impulse revolving around the laws of economic development or the role of the proletariat in history.

Foucault and Marxism: rewriting the theory of historical materialism MARK OLSSEN ... Foucault’s form of historical materialism differ from that of Marx, and, to the extent he does differ, ... 1970, p. 58) and claims that Marx’s achievement was to found ‘a historico-dialectical materialism of praxis: that is ... a theory of the different ...

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  Theory, Dialectical, Historical, Marxism, Foucault, Materialism, Dialectical materialism, Historical materialism, Foucault and marxism, Rewriting the theory of historical, Rewriting, Rewriting the theory of historical materialism

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