Historical Materialism Revisiting the Fundamental Concepts

Preface.  Introduction, an Overview.  Chapter 1: Concrete labour and “abstract” labour  Chapter 2. The labour process I. The productive force of labour  Chapter 3. The labour process II. The relation between workers and the means of labour  Chapter 4. The labour process III. Cooperation  Chapter 5. The labour process IV. Productive labour and unproductive labour  Chapter 6. The process of “value” production and distribution  Chapter 7. The processes of socio-economic reproduction  Chapter 8. The socio-economic superstructure  Chapter 9. Effects of the mode of production on the natural environment  Chapter 10. Free time and the consumption process  Chapter 11. The political-ideological superstructure  Chapter 12. Classless modes of production  Chapter 13. Class-based modes of production  Chapter 14. Social classes  Chapter 15. The psycho-social origins of inequalities  Chapter 16. The course of history: A sketch  Chapter 17. Global “systems”  Chapter 18. Negative and positive dialectics in history  Chapter 19. The prospect of socialism

Biography

Tony Andréani, PhD in philosophy, is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science at the University of Paris VIII. His major works include De la société à l’histoire (two volumes, Paris: Editions Meridiens-Klincksieck, 1989), Discours sur l’égalité parmi les hommes (Paris: Editions L’Harmattan, 1993), Un être de raison, critique de l’homo Oeconomicus (Paris: Editions Syllepse, 2000), Socialisme est (a)venir, (two volumes, Paris: Editions Syllepse, 2001 and 2004), and Ten Essays for a 21st Century Socialism (London: Routledge, 2025).

Tony Andréani’s work in the field of Marxism is recognised in France for two reasons: his grounding in Marx’s concepts for understanding history on a materialist basis and his ability to enrich it with contemporary contributions, particularly in anthropology. To which he adds great critical lucidity regarding what has been done and is currently being done in the name of Marxism.  

Yvon Quiniou, Senior Fellow and Doctor of Philosophy

The immense body of work accomplished by Tony Andréani over the decades reaches its remarkable culmination in this book. It shines a light on the richness of Marx and Engels’ central concepts in developing a theory of the historical process. Yes, history can be better understood in a way that favourably guides social development; no, it is not “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”; no, it is not collective irrationality when humans refuse to bow to market mechanisms. This is what the book brilliantly demonstrates.

Jérôme Maucourant, Economist and Analyst of Euro-Asian Systems, Senior Lecturer, University of Saint-Etienne

This book is the ideal tool for anyone interested in marxism, as it sets out in an extremely clear, faithful and rigorous manner the key concepts developed by Marx, including the most complex, made accessible, but above all opens up perspectives for renewed reflection and valuable research by revisiting them in order to show their fruitful usefulness for the analysis and transformation of the current world. 

Rémy Herrera, Researcher at CNRS (National Center of Scientific Research), Centre D'Economie de la Sorbonne

If one wants to understand the fundamental concepts of Marx’ science of history Andréani’s work is indispensable and topical.

Michael Brie, Former Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Critical Social Analysis, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation