Modern Politics

Overview

“C. L. R. James has arguably had a greater influence on the underlying thinking of independence movements in the West Indies and Africa than any living man.”  —Sunday Times

Back in print for the first time in 30 years, this volume provides a brilliant and accessible summation of the ideas of left Marxist giant C. L. R. James. Originally delivered in 1960 as a series of lectures in his native Trinidad, James’s wide-ranging erudition and enduring relevance are powerfully displayed. From his analysis of revolutionary history and the role of literature, art, and culture in society to an interrogation of the ideas and philosophy of such thinkers as Rousseau, Lenin, and Trotsky, this is a magnificent tour de force from a critically engaged thinker at the height of his powers. Still relevant to politics today and an essential introduction to an important body of work, the ideas of C. L. R. James remain as necessary and illuminating for this century as they have for the last.

Reviews

"C. L. R. James has a special place in the history of Third World revolutionary movements. He combines Caribbean nationalism, Black radicalism, a once Trotskyist blend of revolutionary anti-imperialism, and the European classic tradition in an individual and potent mix. A mine of richness and variety."  —Times Educational Supplement

"Modern Politics is a quality introduction to Marxism by a major theorist. Although clearly not a work of academic scholarship, James' heavily textured approach to Marxism and its social context is refined and enjoyable." —Michael Lazarus, Marx & Philosophy Review of Books

Author Biography

C. L. R. James was a historian and political activist who was considered a major figure in Pan-Africanism and a leader in developing a democratic, revolutionary, and internationalist current within Marxism. He is the author of The Black Jacobins, A History of Pan-African Revolt, A New Notion: Two Works by C. L. R. James, Sex, Race and Class—The Perspective of Winning, and You Don’t Play with Revolution. Noel Ignatiev is a historian and history professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He is the author of How the Irish Became White and the cofounder and coeditor of the journal Race Traitor. He lives in Boston.