Georges Sorel - Böcker

Georges Sorel’s The Illusions of Progress critically examines the modern concept of progress, tracing its origins to Enlightenment-era rationalism and exposing its role as an ideological construct serving bourgeois interests. Sorel argues that progress, often presented as an inevitable and universal force driving human betterment, is in reality a tool of social and political domination. This ideology fosters complacency, legitimizes the power of ruling elites, and stifles genuine moral and revolutionary vigor. By conflating progress with virtue, modern society undermines its own moral foundations, replacing meaningful action and struggle with passive acceptance of a deterministic historical narrative. Sorel critiques both liberal democracy and parliamentary socialism for perpetuating this illusion of progress while entrenching the same elite structures that have dominated society across different eras.To counter the stifling effects of progressivism, Sorel advocates for revolutionary myths, such as the general strike, which inspire moral renewal and action through their emotive and imaginative power. Unlike rigid ideologies, myths remain adaptable and rooted in human creativity, fostering the kind of virtuous struggle that Sorel admires in periods of historical greatness, such as ancient Greece or the early Roman Republic. Despite his critique of progress, Sorel acknowledges the potential for material improvement in production, championing innovation driven by autonomous producers rather than bureaucratic control. Ultimately, he sees progress not as a natural law or moral imperative, but as an ideological weapon of the status quo, masking social inequalities and preventing the transformative energy needed for true societal renewal.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 1969.

Georges Sorel’s The Illusions of Progress critically examines the modern concept of progress, tracing its origins to Enlightenment-era rationalism and exposing its role as an ideological construct serving bourgeois interests. Sorel argues that progress, often presented as an inevitable and universal force driving human betterment, is in reality a tool of social and political domination. This ideology fosters complacency, legitimizes the power of ruling elites, and stifles genuine moral and revolutionary vigor. By conflating progress with virtue, modern society undermines its own moral foundations, replacing meaningful action and struggle with passive acceptance of a deterministic historical narrative. Sorel critiques both liberal democracy and parliamentary socialism for perpetuating this illusion of progress while entrenching the same elite structures that have dominated society across different eras.To counter the stifling effects of progressivism, Sorel advocates for revolutionary myths, such as the general strike, which inspire moral renewal and action through their emotive and imaginative power. Unlike rigid ideologies, myths remain adaptable and rooted in human creativity, fostering the kind of virtuous struggle that Sorel admires in periods of historical greatness, such as ancient Greece or the early Roman Republic. Despite his critique of progress, Sorel acknowledges the potential for material improvement in production, championing innovation driven by autonomous producers rather than bureaucratic control. Ultimately, he sees progress not as a natural law or moral imperative, but as an ideological weapon of the status quo, masking social inequalities and preventing the transformative energy needed for true societal renewal.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 1969.

Georges Sorel's Reflections on Violence is one of the most controversial books of the twentieth century: J. B. Priestley argued that if one could grasp why a retired civil servant had written such a book then the modern age could be understood. It heralded the political turmoil of the decades that were to follow its publication and provided inspiration for Marxists and Fascists alike. Developing the ideas of violence, myth and the general strike, Sorel celebrates the heroic action of the proletariat as a means of saving the modern world from decadence and of re-invigorating the capitalist spirit of a timid bourgeoisie. This edition of Sorel's classic text is accompanied by an editor's introduction by Jeremy Jennings, a leading scholar of political thought, both setting the work in its context and explaining its major themes. A chronology of Sorel's life and a list of further reading are included.

Georges Sorel's Reflections on Violence is one of the most controversial books of the twentieth century: J. B. Priestley argued that if one could grasp why a retired civil servant had written such a book then the modern age could be understood. It heralded the political turmoil of the decades that were to follow its publication and provided inspiration for Marxists and Fascists alike. Developing the ideas of violence, myth and the general strike, Sorel celebrates the heroic action of the proletariat as a means of saving the modern world from decadence and of re-invigorating the capitalist spirit of a timid bourgeoisie. This edition of Sorel's classic text is accompanied by an editor's introduction by Jeremy Jennings, a leading scholar of political thought, both setting the work in its context and explaining its major themes. A chronology of Sorel's life and a list of further reading are included.

Readers of economic and political theory as well as students of economic planning will appreciate this classic, now available for the first time in English. Written eighty years ago, when Sorel became disillusioned with the official socialism of the German and French Marxist parties, this new translation presents Sorel's analysis of the rise and fall of the two great modern ideologies: socialism and liberal capitalism. At present, when the fate of both of these ideologies seems in doubt, Sorel's analysis remains particularly insightful and fresh. Sorel explains why they seem to have fallen into disrepute just as they succeeded in an almost total monopoly of power in the advanced industrial countries of the world.Sorel notes a striking parallel in the historical evolution of both bodies of thought: productivity was the foremost ideal when both movements were at their most dynamic and socially effective stage. On the other hand, they were at their most decadent state when they no longer separated themselves from politics and embraced the ideals of social unity. This work is an attack on the time-honored notion of community solidarity whose Platonic and Aristotelian versions find their contemporary counterparts in notions of natural sociability and political obligation. This work anticipates much of the thinking that lies behind Sorel's famous Reflections on Violence and clearly expresses the moral basis of that work, as well as present tendencies in normative and empirical political thought.

The prophet of social decadence, the theorist of violence and advocate of the general strike, the critic who stood Marx on his head, Georges Sorel was one of the foremost writers of this century to write extensively on the great importance of the moral aspects of social movements. His reconstruction of socialist ethics established him as one of the most remarkable critics of Marxist thought, and his writings in many aspects anticipated contemporary interpretations.From Georges Sorel, the first of two volumes of Sorel's work, presents his major contributions to social thought—articles on Marxism, religion, syndicalism, social myths, the philosophy of history and science, as well as a large and newly translated segment of "Reflections on Violence." In his introduction, John Stanley disputes the frequently encountered view of Sorel as a reactionary or extreme rightist, and emphasizes Sorel's attempt to provide Western society with a morality based on labor, struggle, and family life.

Readers of economic and political theory as well as students of economic planning will appreciate this classic, now available for the first time in English. Written eighty years ago, when Sorel became disillusioned with the official socialism of the German and French Marxist parties, this new translation presents Sorel's analysis of the rise and fall of the two great modern ideologies: socialism and liberal capitalism. At present, when the fate of both of these ideologies seems in doubt, Sorel's analysis remains particularly insightful and fresh. Sorel explains why they seem to have fallen into disrepute just as they succeeded in an almost total monopoly of power in the advanced industrial countries of the world.Sorel notes a striking parallel in the historical evolution of both bodies of thought: productivity was the foremost ideal when both movements were at their most dynamic and socially effective stage. On the other hand, they were at their most decadent state when they no longer separated themselves from politics and embraced the ideals of social unity. This work is an attack on the time-honored notion of community solidarity whose Platonic and Aristotelian versions find their contemporary counterparts in notions of natural sociability and political obligation. This work anticipates much of the thinking that lies behind Sorel's famous Reflections on Violence and clearly expresses the moral basis of that work, as well as present tendencies in normative and empirical political thought.

The prophet of social decadence, the theorist of violence and advocate of the general strike, the critic who stood Marx on his head, Georges Sorel was one of the foremost writers of this century to write extensively on the great importance of the moral aspects of social movements. His reconstruction of socialist ethics established him as one of the most remarkable critics of Marxist thought, and his writings in many aspects anticipated contemporary interpretations.From Georges Sorel, the first of two volumes of Sorel's work, presents his major contributions to social thought articles on Marxism, religion, syndicalism, social myths, the philosophy of history and science, as well as a large and newly translated segment of "Reflections on Violence." In his introduction, John Stanley disputes the frequently encountered view of Sorel as a reactionary or extreme rightist, and emphasizes Sorel's attempt to provide Western society with a morality based on labor, struggle, and family life.