Category Archives: Periodical

Former issues

No. 16 | (Winter 1992)

After Immanuel Wallerstein and Andre Gunder Frank, now writings of Samir Amin are on the line to present the classics of the New Left in Eszmélet. It is a special honour to us that Amir has sent us 12 of his articles both published and unpublished, out of which four is presented in this issue. He has also sent his book The Empire of Chaos that is valued here by Imre Márton. The next to be presented is Giovanni Arrighi, of whom we publish a longer article here and an additional one in the following issue. Publishing the works of classic authors, to whom Étienne Balibar can also be counted, does not mean at all that we respect them without any criticism. That is why we have been pleased by the contribution of László K. Zalai who is arguing with the standpoint of Wallerstein. The very aim of us publishing the works of outstanding thinkers is to inseminate the theoretical thinking in Hungary.

The section under Variations on a Theme now is a selection of articles from Marx Centouno discussing the Gulf-War and its consequences. 

Table of contents
  1. Samir Amin : Thirty years of criticism of the Soviet system (1960-1990)
  2. Bodács Emil : Europeanism – yesterday and today. Changes in the historical and geopolitical idea of Europe
  3. Samir Amin : The Third World is once again a storm zone
  4. Andre Gunder Frank : The political economy of the North-South conflict
  5. Marco Bonzio : The “Gulf” imperialism. Thoughts and assumptions on the present stage of development of the capitalist mode of production
  6. Roger Burbach : The tragedy of the American democracy
  7. Pip Hinman : War against the environment in Central America
  8. Thesis of an alternative European development
  9. Michel Husson : The liberal decade: Towards a capitalism in polarisation
  10. John Ross : The rise of world poverty
  11. Alexande Adler : East and South: the triumph of the human rights or the defeat of the human reason??
  12. Samir Amin : Notes on transnationalisation
  13. Samir Amin : A note on the concept of delinking
  14. Giovanni Arrighi : The illusion of development. Renewal of the concept of semi-pheriphery
  15. Étienne Balibar : From class struggle to struggle without clases
  16. Zalai K. László : The myth of reality. On the ideological-methodological shortcomings of Wallerstein’s development criticism
  17. k. g. : What is the thing for which the heroes of “world freedom” have sacrificed their lives?
  18. Marton Imre : Are the historical possibilities of the left getting exhaused?
  19. Andor László : Schumacher in Hungary
  20. One up for science
Former issues

Christianity and Marxism

The author stresses the unchristian nature of capitalism which is especially prevalent in the North-South relation, the unlimited and cruel exploitation of the countries of the "South". He discusses the sins and merits of the historical Christianity placing special emphasis in the latter group to the statements supporting the poor. He characterizes apostolic Christianity – among other things – as the example of base communities guided by social ownership. He points to the relations between the ideals of original Christianity and Marxism, although blames the latter one for undervaluing the role of the individual.
Former issues

Hayek -today

In connection with the first Hungarian publication of the book by the late "father" of neoliberalism called Road to serfdom, the reviewer discusses the topicality of Hayek's ideas. He regards it as important that during the domination of fascism and Stalinism, Hayek discussed his ideas strongly opposed to the state in defence of democracy. Andor points out Hayek's inconsistency when he fails to extend his correct criticism of despotism to the conditions inside the factory, i.e. economic despotism. At the same time, he underlines the applicability of Hayek's ideas against the trends of monopoly and concentration of the international economy.
Former issues

Rome against the Wall Street?

Similarly to Abascal-Jaen, Löwy too, discusses the Vatican's relationship to capitalism and analyses the encyclical letter called Centesimus Annus. He interprets the role of the Church as a third force in the context of capitalism-socialism, and he too, arrives at the final conclusion that the anticapitalist remarks of the encyclical letter do not offer an alternative but rather serve the easing of the existing capitalism and thus its indirect justification.