Nicos poulantzas: Marxist theory and political strategy

Nicos Poulantzas remains the single most influential social and political theorist among post-war Marxists. He is also one of the most misunderstood. In this unique book, the only full-length study of his work, Bob Jessop presents a critical reinterpretation of the life and thought of Poulantzas. Basing his arguments on interviews with friends and colleagues of Poulantzas, on hitherto neglected primary sources, and a close reading of his major works, the author re-examines the theoretical and political development of this central figure in the post-war intellectual scene.

Bob Jessop argues that there are three intellectual sources of Poulantzas's work: French philosophy, Italian politics, and Romano-German law. There are also two major political influences: the experience of the Union de la Gauche in France and the collapse of the military dictatorship in Greece. Only by considering the complex interaction among these intellectual and political influences can one fully understand the development of Poulantzas's thought. In particular, it becomes apparent that Poulantzas was far from being merely a structuralist Marxist whose work had few, if any, implications for political strategy. Indeed, Bob Jessop argues that strategic considerations were crucial in the continuous theoretical changes in Poulantzas's analyses of social classes, law, the state, ideology, and socialism. He also concludes that Poulantzas was increasingly concerned with questions of strategy not only in relation to democratic socialism but also in relation to the very character of the state and state power themselves.

Neither purely chronological nor simply thematic, this book traces the complex theoretical and political shifts in Poulantzas's work. It deals not only with his contributions to the theory of the capitalist state but also with his views on class, social movements, parties, ideology, intellectuals, fascism, military dictatorships, united and popular fronts, law, and democratic socialism. In linking these different themes, Bob Jessop challenges many received interpretations of Poulantzas's work and reveals its originality and its richness. The book concludes with some suggestions about the most appropriate ways in which to build on Poulantzas's contributions and to develop a relevant, realistic analysis of capitalist societies.