Marxism and Human Nature (Hardcover)

The author of this book defends the theory that human nature is in fact an historical phenomenon. Drawing on the work of Marx and Hegel, he develops a historical account of human needs and powers which provides the basis for a distinctive form of Marxist humanism. According to this view, human beings are not merely passive individual consumers; they are active, social and productive beings. The first half of the book explores the role work plays in our lives and how it contributes to our fulfilment. The moral and social implications of these ideas are analyzed in the second half in the context of current work by both analytic and postmodernist thinkers.