Against Methodological Individualist Interpretation of Marxist Explanations of Social Phenomena

ABSTRACT

Marx’s theory of history and his economic studies into the nature of capitalism undoubtedly build upon the work of classical economics. In completing the labour theory of value in many ways Marx also completed the project of classical economics. Yet Marx based his work upon the refutation of many key principles of classical economics. Confusion reigns over the contours of the conflict between Marx and classical economics. This confusion has been exacerbated by fluctuations in the fortunes of classical economics over recent decades. In the 1980s, Anglophone scholars tried to critically re-examine Marx’s historical materialism with many methodological principles from classical economics. Among the most rigorous attempts was that made by Jon Elster in his Making Sense of Marx (1985). Elster applied his version of methodological individualism to historical materialism in an attempt to purge it of what he saw as methodologically unsound elements and extract the worthwhile explanations from it that were compatible with his methodological individualism. This article argues that Elster fails to justify the purgative imposition of his methodological individualism onto Marx’s historical materialism. In addition, Marx’s method is based upon an argued rejection of the core principles of methodological individualism and Elster ignores this argument. Elster’s attempt is fundamentally erroneous. The only way of imposing methodological individualism onto Marx’s historical materialism is by robbing the latter of its meaning.

KEYWORDS:

• Marx
• methodological individualism
• Elster
• classical economics
• historical materialism

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on Contributors

Cheng Zhihua (following Chinese practice, the surname, Cheng, is placed first) is a professor of philosophy at Hebei University, China. He specialises in modern Confusianism and comparative study of Chinese and Western philosophy. Recent important publications include Study of Xiong Shili’s Philosophy—The Theoretical System of “New Idealism” (Renmin University Press, 2013), The History of Modern Chinese Confusianism (Renmin University Press, 2010), and Study of Mou Zongsan's Philosophy (Renmin University Press, 2009).

James Chambers is a philosophy doctorate student at Hebei University, China. He specialises in comparative study of Chinese and Western philosophy with a focus on Laozi and Marx.

Notes

1. This example comes from Roberts (1996, 21). This article owes a lot to Roberts’s clear account of Elster’s MI.

2. The example of the phototropism is from Schwarz (1993).

3. This example is from Fisk (1991).

4. This argument from infinite regress has been adapted from Hodgson (1988).