Eugene Lunn – författare

"At a time when modernism and Marxism are both under attack as outmoded, Eugene Lunn's rich and detailed study of the years of their most creative interaction reminds us of the still potent energies unleashed by each. We could ask for no more reliable and judicious guide through the complicated debates generated by the struggle to define a viable Marxist aesthetics in the era of the avant-garde. Lukacs, Brecht, Benjamin and Adorno, four masters of the tradition of Marxist cultural theory and practice, are themselves well-served by a contemporary master of intellectual history."--Martin Jay, University of California, Berkeley "Lunn examines the relations between Marxism and modernism as they appear in the careers of four figures who were representative of diverse orientations and possibilities within each ...Their debates and confrontations, both actual and implied, reveal many facets of the modernist movement, and of Marxism as it has developed in the twentieth century. Lunn provides an excellent and valuable account of this important and compelling subject. His book is solidly informed, insightful, imaginative, and thought-provoking."--Jerrold Seigel, American Historical Review "Lunn expertly constructs the major part of his book around two axes, the so-called Brecht-Lukacs debate and the Adorno-Benjamin debate. Even here, however, Lunn manages to compare each member of these two dyads with each of the others, so that a subtle, many sided discussion of contrasts and similarities results...All in all, this is an excellent work--to my mind the best condensed treatment of the confrontation between Marxism and modernism that exists in any language."--David Gross, Telos "Unerringly intelligent and judicious, the book provides economical accounts of the careers and theories of its chosen critics, places them in historical context, and prefaces them with brief but cogent surveys of Marx's own fragmentary aesthetics and of artistic modernism...Marxism and Modernism offers a splendidly well researched and amenable study of the most fertile developments in Marxist aesthetics."--Terry Eagleton, Journal of Modern History

Gustav Landauer--literary critic, mystical philosopher, and left-wing activists--was Germany's major anarchist thinker at the beginning of the twentieth century. In this full-scale intellectual biography, Lunn depicts the evolution of Landauer's social thought, a rich terrain within which to examine afresh some intellectual crosscurrents of the Wilhelmian era. Landauer's work in the various circles and movements of his social milieu after 1900, including anarchist, youth movement, expressionist, and Zionist groups, reveal a convergence of volkisch and communitarian ideas with libertarian forms of socialist democracy. The study of this kind of "romantic socialism," in revolt against both industrial modernity and authoritarian government, highlights the inadequacy of viewing volkisch themes exclusively in terms of Nazi "roots." What emerges from this study is the appeal of antiauthoritarian and communitarian ideas for middle-class Left intellectuals dissatisfied with the official Social Democratic Party. In the light of the tragic failures of democratic and socialist forces to gain middle-class support during the Weimar Republic, and of the Nazis' antidemocratic uses of Gemeinschaft, this earlier search for a communitarian democracy gains in importance. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1973.

Marxism and Modernism: An Historical Study of Lukács, Brecht, Benjamin, and Adorno delves into the intricate and transformative interplay between two of the 20th century's most influential intellectual movements. The study situates itself in the historical confluence of Marxist theory and aesthetic modernism, exploring how the dialogue between these traditions shaped critical cultural analysis. Through a meticulous examination of Georg Lukács, Bertolt Brecht, Walter Benjamin, and Theodor Adorno, the book seeks to illuminate how each thinker grappled with modernist culture's challenges and potentials within the framework of Marxist theory. By tracing the intersections of their biographies, historical contexts, and philosophical engagements, the book sheds light on the broader intellectual currents that influenced their work.The text focuses particularly on the period from 1920 to 1950, when these thinkers formulated their responses to the tumultuous social and political transformations of the time, including World War I, the Weimar Republic, and the rise of fascism and Stalinism. These contexts are not treated merely as a backdrop but as integral to the ideas and theories produced. The book underscores the ways in which these theorists critically redefined Marxist aesthetics, engaging deeply with the fragmented, alienated, and paradoxical experiences characteristic of modernist art. This comparative analysis not only highlights the diversity within Marxist-modernist engagements but also offers a lens to examine the enduring relevance of their ideas for contemporary cultural critique.This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1982.

Gustav Landauer--literary critic, mystical philosopher, and left-wing activists--was Germany's major anarchist thinker at the beginning of the twentieth century. In this full-scale intellectual biography, Lunn depicts the evolution of Landauer's social thought, a rich terrain within which to examine afresh some intellectual crosscurrents of the Wilhelmian era. Landauer's work in the various circles and movements of his social milieu after 1900, including anarchist, youth movement, expressionist, and Zionist groups, reveal a convergence of volkisch and communitarian ideas with libertarian forms of socialist democracy. The study of this kind of "romantic socialism," in revolt against both industrial modernity and authoritarian government, highlights the inadequacy of viewing volkisch themes exclusively in terms of Nazi "roots." What emerges from this study is the appeal of antiauthoritarian and communitarian ideas for middle-class Left intellectuals dissatisfied with the official Social Democratic Party. In the light of the tragic failures of democratic and socialist forces to gain middle-class support during the Weimar Republic, and of the Nazis' antidemocratic uses of Gemeinschaft, this earlier search for a communitarian democracy gains in importance. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press's mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1973.