Marxism and the Concept of a Social Formation: An Immanent Critique of the Views of Jairus Banaji

Burns, Tony

Abstract

Jairus Banaji associates the concept of a social formation (involving modal combination, or the articulation of modes of production) with "vulgar Marxism." This includes both the Marxism of the Second International and the structuralist Marxism of Louis Althusser. Banaji is critical of those Marxists who employ the concept because in his view they are insufficiently sensitive to the complexities of history. His reasons for thinking this may be subjected to an immanent critique. Such a critique attempts to show that, given an argument's starting assumptions, a different (perhaps even the opposite) conclusion from that which is drawn by its author is possible. Applying this idea to the work of Banaji, it can be demonstrated that his rejection of the concept of a social formation is not required by his own theoretical assumptions and that endorsement of the concept is consistent with them.

Citation

Burns, T. (2022). Marxism and the Concept of a Social Formation: An Immanent Critique of the Views of Jairus Banaji. Science and Society, 86(1), 38-65. https://doi.org/10.1521/SISO.2022.86.1.38

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 9, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Jan 1, 2022
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2022
• Deposit Date: Jan 27, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 2, 2022
• Journal: Science and Society
• Print ISSN: 0036-8237
• Publisher: Guilford Press
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 86
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 38-65
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1521/SISO.2022.86.1.38
• Keywords: Sociology and Political Science
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5272222
• Publisher URL: https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/siso.2022.86.1.38
• Additional Information: Marxism And The Concept Of A Social Formation: An Immanent Critique Of The Views Of Jairus Banaji, Tony Burns. Copyright 2021. Copyright Guilford Press. Reprinted with permission of The Guilford Press