Adorno's Critique of Political Economy: The Structural Inequities of Capitalism, from Lehman Brothers to Covid-19

Theodor Adorno's references to Marx are not a relic from an early and short-lived stage of his intellectual development, but are central to his critical theory of society. This book refutes the thesis that Adorno's references to Marx are a relic and shows that his critical theory of society is concerned with a critique of political economy and economy in general.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 420 pages
Publication date: 11 January 2024
Publisher: Haymarket Books

A significant intervention into the place of Marxist political economy in the work of celebrated critical theorist Theodor Adorno.

To this day, there persists a widespread assumption that Theodor Adorno's references to Marx—and especially to Marx's critique of political economy—represent a relic from an early and short-lived stage of the great Frankfurt School critical theorist's intellectual development. In this book, on the basis of relevant and largely unpublished textual sources, Adorno scholar Dirk Braunstein powerfully refutes this thesis and shows that Adorno's critical theory of society is centrally concerned with a critique not only of political economy, but of economy in general.

Theodor Adorno's engagement with Marxist political economy is a subject of ongoing debate and interpretation. While some scholars view his references to Marx as a relic from an earlier phase of his intellectual development, Braunstein argues that Adorno's critical theory of society is deeply rooted in a critique of political economy and economy in general.

In his book, Braunstein explores the various ways in which Adorno's thought intersected with Marxist political economy. He examines Adorno's critiques of capitalism, consumerism, and the commodification of culture, and shows how these critiques are deeply informed by Marx's analysis of the capitalist mode of production and the social relations it engenders.

One of the key arguments that Braunstein makes is that Adorno's critical theory of society is not merely a critique of economic structures and processes, but also of the ideological and moral assumptions that underpin them. He argues that Adorno's work is concerned with the ways in which economic systems reproduce and reinforce social inequalities, power structures, and the dominance of certain groups over others.

Braunstein also highlights the relevance of Adorno's work for contemporary debates about economic inequality, globalization, and the challenges posed by technological change. He argues that Adorno's insights into the mechanisms of social domination and the ways in which economic systems contribute to these processes remain as relevant today as they were in his time.

In conclusion, Braunstein's book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of Theodor Adorno's critical theory of society and his engagement with Marxist political economy. By challenging the assumption that Adorno's references to Marx are a relic from an earlier stage of his intellectual development, Braunstein shows that Adorno's work is centrally concerned with a critique of political economy and economy in general. His insights into the mechanisms of social domination and the ways in which economic systems contribute to these processes remain as relevant today as they were in his time.

Weight: 606g
Dimension: 153 x 230 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781642599923