Table Of ContentM A R X I SM A ND
P H I L O S O P HY
MONTHLY REVIEW PRESS CLASSICS
Karl Korsch
Translated and with an Introduction by Fred Halliday
Copyrig©h 1t9 702,0 08b yM onthlRye viePwr ess
Alrli ghrtess erved
Originpaulbllyi sbhyeN dL B
ISBN9 78-0-85.'345-15.'3-2
MonthlRye viePwr ess
146W es2t9 thS treSeuti,t 6eW
NewY orkN,Y 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
KarKlo rscAhn: I ntroduhyct FironeH da lli7d ay
Marxisamn dP hiloso[p1h9y 2239]
TheP reseSntta te
oft heP robloefm' Marxisamn dP hiloso[p1h9y3' 09]8
Introduction
tot heC rqiutoeitf lt Geo tPltrao gr[a1m9m2e12 4]5
TheM arxisomf t heF irIsntt ernati[o1n9al11 47]1
KarKlo rsch
An Introduction
KarKlo rscwha sb oronn 1 5A ugus1t8 8i6n T odstendeta,r
HamburgH.i1sf athwearsa b anokffi ciwahlo c amoer igiyn all
froamn E asPtr ussfiaamni olfsy m aflalr meArfst.es ro mtei me
inT o dstetdhtef, a mimloyv edt oM einingienTn h,u ringia,
wherKeo rscaht tentdheeld o csaelc ondsacrhyo oLla.t ehre
attentdheuedn iversoifMt uineisc Bhe,r lGienn,e vaan dJ ena.
He studileadwe ,c onomaincdsp hilosoapnhdwy a sa lsao
membeorfa ' FrSeteu deMnotv emenwth'i cwash opposteod
ther eactioannadnr ayt ionsatluidsetfn rta tern(iVteirehs in
dungaennda) i metdoe stabcloinstha bcettsw etehnae ca demic
worladn dt hes ociamloivsetm enItn.1 91h0 ea cquihrieds
doctoraatJt een wai,t aht hesoints h oen uosf p rooifna dmis
sioonfsg uilIttw. a sp ublisahy eedal ra tienrB erlin.
Betwee19n1 2a nd1 914K orsccho ntinhuiessd t udiiens
LondonH.e jointehde F abiaSno cieatnyd,w ass trongly
influenbcyet dh sey ndicmaolviesmte nItnh. i esa ryleya rhse,
I. Theb essto urcfeso rt heb iographiincfaolrm atoinoK no rsch are
EricGhe rlacihn'tsr oducatnidbo ino graplnh oitceatsot he1 96ed6i tion
ofM arxismuusnP dh ilosop(Ehuier opliiVsecrhlea gsanFsratnaklftu,r t);
HermaWne ber'Dies Wandludnegds e utscKhoemnm unis(mEuurso
piisichVee rlagsans1ta9l6ta,9n )dth; e s pecniuamlb eorfA lteronna tive
Korsch( BerlAipnri,l1 96451,).
7
8 AnI ntroduction
belietvheatdth eesmep hasitzhepedo sitciovnet eanntda ctively
democratico fas sopceicatlbsiy cs omn,t rwaisttth h oer thodox
Marxisomf t hSee conIdn ternawthiiocnhhaet l h ougdhetfi ned
itsmeelrfe nleyg atiavset lhyae b oliotfit ohnce a pitmaoldies t
ofp roductAitot nh.se a mtei mhee,w rotaer tifcolGree srm an
periodoinca aslpse cotfEs n glilsihfi en,c ludEinnggl ilsahw ,
the suffrafgaertmpt oelsi,c Gya,l sworatnhdyt hes taotfe
Engliusnhi versIint1i 9e1sh3.e m2 a rriHeedd dGaa gliabryd i,
whom he hadt wod aughteTrhse.y r emainteodg ether
throughhoiulsti faen df requecnotolpye raitnte hde oretical
work.
On thoeu tbroefat kh Fei rWsotr lWda r,i nA ugus1t9 14,
Korscrhet urtnoeG de rmanBye.c auhseoe p postehdwe a rh e
wasd emotefdr omt her anko fa reserve liteoua t enant
corporbaulta; l thouhgenh e vecra rriae wde apohne,w as
woundeadn dt wicdee corawtietdth h Ier oCnr osAsf.t etrh e
wari,n 1 919h,eb ecamae e lcturaetJr e nUan iversity.
Thew arm arketdh bee ginnoifhn igas c tipvoel iticaanld life
ofh imso sitn tenpseer ioofdt heoreptriocdaulc tIino1 n9.1 7
hej ointehdeI ndependGeenrtm aSno ciaPlairstt(y U SPD)
whichha ds plfirto tmh eo fficiGaelr maSno ciDaelm ocratic
Part(yS PDt)o t hle efWth.e nt hUe SPDi tssepllfii nt1 9 2.0,
Korscwhe ntw itht hem ajoriftayc tiionnt toh eG erman
CommuniPsatr t(yt hKeP D)a lthouhgehh a dr eservations
aboutth eT wenty-oPnoei nwthsi cfho rmetdh eL eninist
conditfioomrne sm bersohfit ph eC ommuniIsntt ernational.
Int hipse rioadf,t tehre N ovembe1r9 18o verthrooftw h e
Kaisaenrdt he decloafrt ahteWi eoinm aRre publmiucc,ho f
Europaen,dp articuGlearrmlayn wya,s i na s taotfer evolu-
1. Cf.'D ieF abianS ocietDyu'T ,a tI,V8 ,;' BeitrzliugrKe e nnmis
des engliscRhechetsn' ,Z eiuchriIftnfotre rnaRtioencaXhluIt V,'; D ie
FreiheiniE tn glanDdu'T ,a Vt,,7; ' ProblemAeuusnsdi chentgenl ischer
UniversitatsentDwuiT caklutVn,Ig ,',' G4a;ls worthDyu',T atV,,9 .
AnI ntrodu9 ction
tionafreyr meTnhte.S partarciissiitnn Bg e rl(iJna nua1r9y1 9)
andt heM unich SoRveipeutb l(iAcp ri1l9 19w)e reb oth
bloodsiulpyp resBsuetfd o.tr w oy eartsh ewraes a na ctive and
widesprmeoavde menfto rw orkercso'u nciinlssp ibryea d
variseedot f M arxiasntda narcho-syniddiecaaKslo.ir'ss tc h
particiapcattievdie ntl hyim so vemewnhti ch bheeli etvoeb de
realizmianngyo ft hei deahse h add evelopienpd r e-war
LondonH.e wasa m embeorf t heB erlSionc ializCaotmion
mitteaen dc ontributtoe tdh er evolutiomnaagrayz ine
Arheiterrat.
Hisw ritinognsw orkercso'u ncoivlestr h ipse rifoadli ln to
twop hasebse:t wee19n1 a8n d1 92.t0h erye flecttheedi mme
diacayn do ptimiosftm h meo vemenbte;t we1e9n2. a0n d1 92.2.
theeyx presistedsde cliinnae c tivaintdty h en eefdo rm ore
critirceaflle ctWihoenn.t hem ovemenwta sa ti thse ighhet
concentroante elda boraath iynpgo theteiccoanlo msiycs tem
fora natioencaoln ombya sedo n workercso'u nciElasc.h
plawnats t ob er unb ya f actocroyu ncwihli,c wha st ob et he
constitiuntsitviet ouftp iroonl etadreimaonc raIcnyW .h ait s
Socia/i(Mtaartc1ih9o 1n9h?)es etosu ta s ysmt eofe conomic
organizactailoln'e,id n dustaruitaoln omiyn'w ,h icehv ery
brancohft hen atioinnadlu swtoruyl bde r unb ya c ommittee
coordinatthiein ngt eroefsb tost phr oducaenrdsc onsumers.'
Eachi ndivifdaucatlow royu lhda vael imitferde edwoimt hin
itisn dustDreyc.i siwoonusl rde lattote h ev olumoefp roduc
tiotnh,ec onditioofw nosr ka ndt hed ivisoifoe na rninIgns .
thfier sstt aogfet hissy sttehmme e anosfp roductwioounl d be
socialainzdwe odr kewrosu lsdt iblepl a iadc cordtioon ugt put;
3.C f.P .V .O ertzeBn,e trieihnds eNrroa vteem herr(eDvroosltuet ion
VerlaDgu,s serlfd1,o 963).
4.H ism ositm ponatnextt fsro mt hipse riaordre e prinitnSe cdifih ern
{uSro {ialis(EiuerroupaniVgse crhlea gsan1s9t6aHl9it)sr,. o laen di deas
ared iscusisnOe edr tzeonp,.c ita.n,di nG .E .R uscon'iK,o rsec lha
stratceognisail iare-siPnrdoihcaldleeeSml'oci ,i alisnom.4o 1,, 1969.
10 AnI ntroduction
int hes econsdt aglea,b ouirt sewlofu ldb es ocialainzde d
workewrosu lbde p aiadc cordtiont gh eniere dIsn.t hiwso rk
Korschi sc oncernnoetdo nltyo p rovitdheep ositciovnet ent
hef elwta sa bsefnrotm pre-wsaorc ialbiustam l,s too a ttack
ther eformiasntds ocial-demcoocnrcaetpoitfc's n ationaliza
tioann'd ' workeprasr't iciptahteipnor ne'v alienGn etr many,
whicshe rvetdo d eflectth ec ouncimlosv'e menftr omi ts
revolutiaoinmasTr.hy e sree formciosntc eptfiouonndst heir
expresisinao Rne ichsltaawog f F ebrua1r9y2 0.
AsG ermacna pitacloinssmo lidiattseeadln fdt, h ec ouncils'
movemendte clinKeodr,sc ht ritedoa nalytsheer easofnosr
thef ailoufrt eh eu psurogfe1 918-2W0h.i loet heMra rxists
correcsttlrye stsheead b senocfae r evolutioorngaaryn ization
tos eizpeo werK,o rscehm phasitzheadtt h et heoretaincda l
cultuprraelc ondiftoirso uncsah s eizuorfpe o wewre rea lso
lacki'nIgtn.h feat efmuoln thasf tNeorv embe1r91 8w,he nt he
organipzoeldi tpiocwaelor f t hbeo urgeowiasssi mea shaendd
outwardltyh erwea sn othienlgsi ent hwea yo ft hetr ansition
frocma pitatlosi oscmi altihsgemr ,e cahta nwcaes n ever seized
becautshees ocio-psypcrhecoolnodgifitocirioa tnlssse i uzre
werlea ckiFnogrt. h erweas n owhetroeb ef ouannddy e cisive
heliienft h ei mmediarteea lizaobfia l siotcyi aelciosnto mic
systewmh,i ccho ulhda vsew eptth mea ssaelso nwgi tihta nd
proviadc elde kanro wleodfgt eh nea tuorfte h fier sstt etposb e
taken.'a Korstchhde e afsecoarftti h bGeee dr maNno vember
Revoluttioot nh ea bsenocfei deologpirceapla raantdi on
politliecaald ersThhiipas.n alycshiasra ctermiuzcehod f h is
subsequweonrtk H.i sb ookA rheitfsurrBe ecthrti ehsriite
('LaboLuarwf orF actoCroyu ncilwsr'i)t,ti en1n 9 l.2w,a s
baseodn a c ourosfel ectuhreeg sa vteo w orkearnsd,r epre
sentaenda ttemtpopt r oviad per oletalraiwfa onrw orkers'
s.S cArfiftueSrno {ialisp.u7 r4.un g,
AnI ntroduc1t1i on
councIIi Klosr.s che'asr ljiuerri dtircaailn iisen vgi deinntt h is
workw,h icahr gutehsa tth le awr elattioln agb oiusar c rucial
areoaf b ourgeoiidse oloagnyd e xprestsheesp roductive
relatcioonnsst itoufta ci avpei tasloicsiteK toyr.s cthh ougihtt
wasa k eyi deologtiacsoakfl t her evolutimoonvaermye ntto
prepaar ep roletalreigaaenlx pressoifof nu turseo cialist
relatioofpn rso ductiIotmn a.y7b es aitdh atth itse xotn t he
counciwlrsi,t taefnt eKro rschha dj ointehde K PD,h ada
moreL enincihsatr actthearhn i esa rlwioerrk I.n c ontrtaos t
thDeu tclhe ftisPtasn,n ekoaenkdG orteirts, t restshenes e ed
fora partayn df ort raduen ionassw elals f orc ouncils,
althouigtsh t ialclc orpdrsi matcoyt hec ouncwiiltsh tihni s
triangsuelotaf pr r oletairnisant itutIitao snssu.m8te hsr ough
outt hatth seu spensoifpo onl itliicfiaentl h Seo vieitnRs u ssia
wasa m ereltye mporaorcyc urreinmcpeo,s oendt heB olshe
vikbsy f amianne dC iviWla r.
Korscwho'rsko nf actocroyu ncainldis t isn cipdieevnetl op
mentt owarLdesn inicsomn trawsittsht haotf t heI talian
MarxisAtn toniGor amscwih,o w ase ngageidnt heT urin
Soviemto vemenotv ert hes amep eriodL.i9k eK orsch,
Gramsctir ietdo t heoritzhees pontanemoouvse menotf
workerpso'w erre leabsyet dh e1 914-w1a8rB .o tht hought
thaat f uturreev olutiSotnaatcreoy u lbde p refigurbeytd h e
6.R eprinetxecdef,pos tro msee ctioonnt sh1 e9 2R0e ichlsetgaigs la-
tiona,sA rheitsrechtJur (BeEturrioephasVrieiisrtcleha eg sanstalt, 1968).
7.i bipd.2. 6,.
8.i bipdp.I.,3 8ff.
9.A ntonGiroa ms'cSio,v iinIe ttasNl eyw'L ,eft R evieSwI ,w, i tahn
introduOctthireoern l.e avsapnetoc fGt rsa mstchio'usag rhdeti scussed
inJ ohMn. C ammeAtntt,o nGiroa msacnidt heO rgiinosfI talCioamn
munism( StanfUonridv erPsriet1s9ys6 ,7T )h.ia sl snoa rrates Gramsci's
relattioBo onrsd iKgoar,s cIht'asla ilialnnty hien ner-sptarurgtygi lne s
thmei dd1l9e2 0ISti. sb ecaoufst eh ialsl iatnhcaeKt o rscghr'osu p
criticized Gwroarmiksn Oc ridin'Nesu ovao s' aind eailnifsectto ifo n
ItalCioamnm uni(sGme'r lianSc chh,r ifte{nurS o{ialispie.IIr u)n.g ,
12 AnI ntroduction
direesctta blishomfen nutc leparro letairnisatni tuhteiroen s
andn ow.H oweveKro,r sche'lsa borhaytpeo thetpircoalle
tarisatnai tneW hati sS ocialitaltiikGoern a?m,s ceia'rswl oyr k,
avoidtehdce e ntprraolb leomfts h ree volutiionnsaurryr ection
too verthrtohweb ourgeSotiasta en dt hep artoyr ganization
necesstaoar cyc ompliti.As fht etrh ed efeoaftt hec ounciinl s
192b0o,t ahn alystehdec ausoefst hisse tbabcukt,G ramsci
wentm uchf urthtehra nK orschi na ccepttihnegL eninist
theoroyft hep artayst hei ndispenosragbalnei zaotfti hoen
proletatroci oamtb atth eb ourgesotiast 'eR.e voluitsil oink e
war,G'r amscwir ote',im tu stb em inuteplrye parbeyd a
working-cgleansesrs atla ff.K'olrOs cohn, t heo thehra nd,
wenot nt od evelhoipts h eoorfyt hes ubjecptrievceo nditions
forre volubtyia oc nr itioqfou ret hodMoaxr xifsomir t fsa ilure
top rovisduec aht heorTyh.e riesh owevearc e rtapianr allel
withG ramshceir teo oA.l thouGgrha msecmip hasitzheed
importaonftc heep artmyo ret haKno rschhea, l ssot restsheed
neefdo srt rugignlt eh er ealomfc ivsiolc ieitncy u,l tuarned
ideolosgiyn,tc heep oweorf t hreu licnlga wsass p rotecbtye d
itisd eologpirceadlo minaonrhc eeg,e monoyv,e arl cll asosfe s
capitasloicsiteA t mya.j otra sokf t hep roletarreivaonl ution,
argubeo tKho rscahn dG ramsciiss, t rugognlt eh ied eological
fronFto.rb otohf t hemp ositiinvtee rveinntt ihoesnp heorfe
ideahsa dt os tarwti tha genercarli tioqfuf ea taliasntdi c
mechanist itntr heeMn adrsx iosfmt heS econIdn ternational.
Korscehx prestsheiedsm phasoints h eobryyw ritiwnogr ks
att wol eveOlns .o nel evehle,w rotae s erioefsp edagogic
brochuarnedsa rticdleessi,g nfeodrp artmye mberisn,t rodu
cinagn de xplaitnhienb ga sicco ncepotfMs a rxisTmh.r eoef
thesaepp eareidn 1922K.e rnpundkteerm aterialistischen
10.N ewL eftR evi5e1wp,. ,2 7 F.o rK orscho'wsn p ositpiovsei tion
on Lenint'hse oroyf t hep artya,n dh iso pposit[i0o tnh aotf R osa
Luxembursge,e' Leniunn dd ieK ominterinnD' i Ien terna19t2i4o. nale
