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Jean van Heijenoort writing as J. Gerland

The Algebra of Revolution

Algebra of Revolution Fourth International, May 1940, pp.18!1, un"er the na#e $%erlan" &!,81! 'or"()

A re*e"ing 'ave "rop( the heavie(t (tone( fir(t, the pebble( ne+t, an" *arrie( the (an" alittle farther. o "e(erter( fro# Mar+i(#, the heavie(t (tone i( the heart of the "o*trineit(elf-it( #etho", the "iale*ti*. hat i( 'hat they aban"on fir(t. he li(t i( long of tire"revolutionarie(, 'ho, for nearly threeuarter( of a *entury no', have "enoun*e" thehate" "iale*ti* 'hile they (till *ontinue" for a ti#e to re*ogni/e e*ono#i*"eter#ini(# in hi(tory or even the hi(tori* ne*e((ity of (o*iali(#.

In an oppo(ite ru(h of the *urrent, the (a#e pheno#enon i( ob(ervable. he in*o#ing

ti"e 'a(he( the (an" along before bu"ging the (tone(. A per(on 'ho *o#e( to Mar+i(#-e(pe*ially if he ha( pa((e" hi( intelle*tual youth-gra(p( (u**e((ively the "ifferenti(olate" an" ab(tra*t a(pe*t( of it before he penetrate( to it( #etho" in it( entirety-notrarely (topping (hort of thi(.

Mar+i(# i( thu( (ube*te" to in*e((ant atte#pt( at "i(#e#ber#ent. he "iale*ti* i( thepoint of *on*entration of the re(i(tan*e 'hi*h pettybourgeoi( thought oppo(e( toMar+i(#.

hi( re(i(tan*e a((u#e( variou( (o*ial, politi*al, or philo(ophi*al (ha"ing(, bute+pre((e( it(elf through argu#ent( 'hi*h re#ain 'ithin a fairly narro' (*ope Mar+too2 over the "iale*ti* fro# 3egel the i"eali(t. It retain( the #y(ti*i(# of it( origin an"(ullie( Mar+i(t thought. o the (evere(t *riti*(, it i( the ba(i* "efe*t of the e"ifi*e, a#etaphy(i*( 'hi*h le" Mar+ into #a2ing unfoun"e" a((ertion(, e+aggerate"affir#ation(, (pe*iou( para"o+e(, all of 'hi*h ob(*ure hi( e*ono#i* 'or2 an"threaten to ruin it( (*ientifi* *on*lu(ion(. o the #ore a#iable *riti*(, if the "iale*ti*i( not uite that "etri#ental it i( nonethele(( u(ele(( it i( *laptrap inherite" fro# the pa(t'hi*h #u(t be eli#inate"-in another *entury Mar+ 'oul" have lin2e" hi( "o*trine toanother philo(ophy &prag#ati(#5) an" the proble# of the "iale*ti* 'oul" not haveari(en. he "iale*ti* in Mar+i(# i( nothing but a hi(tori* a**i"ent. It i( in a**or"an*e

'ith the true (pirit of the "o*trine to re#ove thi( ve(tige of another epo*h. 6o nothe(itate, let u( *ut out thi( u(ele(( appen"i+ 'hi*h #ay at any ti#e be*o#e the (eat of ane' infe*tion of #y(ti*i(#.

hi( a**u(ation of #y(ti*i(#-the #o(t 'i"ely propagate" of all-laun*he" again(t theMar+i(t "iale*ti* i( not en*u#bere" 'ith nu#erou( proof(. It i( not very ea(y, in fa*t, topro"u*e any. o refute the# it 'oul" be enough to point to all the pa((age( 'here Mar+*ounterpo(e( hi( rational #etho" to the #y(ti*al #etho" of i"eali(#. 7y un*overing the

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(o*ial root( of all the #y(ti* baggage 'hi*h philo(ophy *arte" for *enturie(, ha( notMar+i(# pla*e" a *ro(( over #y(ti*i(# forever5

a*2ing even the (#alle(t parti*le of a uotation fro# Mar+, our *riti*( re#in" tho(e'ho have (uppo(e"ly forgotten it that Mar+ a( a youth pa((e" through the (*hool of3egelian i"eali(# an" that thi( *oul" not fail to leave it( i#print upon hi( #in". All

that re#ain( ne*e((ary i( an e+planation a( to 'hy Mar+ "evelope" the #o(tfun"a#ental negation of i"eali(# that #an2in" ha( yet for#ulate".

My(ti*i(# "e#an"( e((entially that the #in" (et it(elf free fro# logi*al *ategorie(.I#pelle" by the 'i(h, the unifi*ation of (ube*t 'ith obe*t i( i##e"iatelya**o#pli(he", 'ith the fu(ion ta2ing pla*e out(i"e all logi*al "i(*our(e. he "iale*ti*"oe( not ree*t the(e *ategorie( but reveal( their inter*onne*tion( an" their "evelop#ent.It "oe( not "eny logi* but give( it in thi( 'ay, 'ith ne' tool(, a ne' po'er. It( in*rea(e"po'er broa"en( it( "o#ain an" *on(euently narro'( that of the #y(ti*. For#al logi*,only too often oblige" to *apitulate before reality, leave( the fiel" open to #y(ti*i(#.

he "iale*ti* i( reveale" a( the #ortal-an" vi*toriou(-ene#y of #y(ti*i(# in theunfol"ing of all the po'er of hu#an rea(on.

7efore Mar+, the (o*ial (*ien*e( *on(i(te" of nothing but platitu"e(, te(tifying to thei#poten*e of *onte#porary logi* to #a(ter a *o#ple+ reality-an i#poten*e 'hi*hrefle*te" the e+i(ting (o*ial *on"ition(. hi( (*ien*e 'a( not rational 2no'le"ge, butthe proe*tion of "e(ire( an" a(piration(, that i(, in great part a ten"en*y to'ar"#y(ti*i(#. he "iale*ti* put( an en" to all thi(.

Another illu(tration. he "eeproote" aver(ion of the Angloa+on #in" for the "iale*ti*i( 'ell 2no'n it( (our*e lie( in the hi(tori*al "evelop#ent of :ngli(h (o*iety.

:#piri*i(# an" agno(ti*i(#, (o 'ell (uite" to thi( #in", le" it to'ar"( the #i""le of thela(t *entury into profoun" *ontra"i*tion( 'hi*h *oul" be re(olve" only by "iale*ti*al#ateriali(#. 3o' far fro# un"er(tan"ing thi( 'ere the 7riti(h profe((or(; hey ('erve"fro# the rut of e#piri*i(# by hea"ing to'ar" the ab(olute. hey appropriate" inparti*ular the (y(te# of 3egel, that i(, it( hu(2, 'ithout even noti*ing the living 2ernel,an" for (everal "e*a"e( the 7riti(h an" A#eri*an univer(itie( in"ulge" in orgie( ofab(olute i"eali(#.

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(li*e" #or(el of (*ien*e an" in parti*ular anything that brought up the obligation, (o"i(ta(teful to bourgeoi( (*ienti(t(, of *hoo(ing bet'een #ateriali(# an" i"eali(#.

he *riti*( of the "iale*ti* apply the (uffi*iently *o#pro#i(e" labelof #etaphy(i*al upon it 'ithout (o #u*h a( ta2ing the trouble to in"i*ate 'hat they#ean by it. >hy bother over a #ere reli*; he Mar+i(t "iale*ti*, 'e *onfe((, i(

#etaphy(i*al, in the (en(e that it parti*ipate( bol"ly in the (truggle of #ateriali(#again(t i"eali(#. In thi( re(pe*t #ateriali(# it(elf i( #etaphy(i*al in the (en(e that ittran(*en"( one or #ore i##e"iate e+perien*e( an" that it i( i#po((ible to "e#on(trate itli2e a (i#ple theore# of geo#etry. It i( har"ly *orre*t to (ay even that #ateriali(# i(prove" by the (tate of (*ien*e in a given epo*h. It fin"( it( truth in thegeneral "evelop#ent of (*ien*e, in the #ove#ent 'hi*h un*ea(ingly in*rea(e( thepo'er of rea(on, in the everbroa"ening po((ibility of going beyon" the hypothe(i( of ago".

It 'oul" be far too *o#pro#i(ing for the *riti*( to ree*t #ateriali(# a( #etaphy(i*al.

hey have not a( a rule yet rea*he" thi( (tage 'hen 'e o**upy our(elve( 'ith the#.3en*e, they li#it the#(elve( to the "iale*ti* an" their prin*ipal argu#ent in ualifying ita( #etaphy(i*al *on(i(t( in the fa*t that they *an live very 'ell an" a*t 'ithout it an"that the "iale*ti*, #oreover, i( not (ube*t to verifi*ation. In it( #o(t out(po2en for#, theargu#ent i( *onverte" into a "enial, pure an" (i#ple, of the "iale*ti* It i( nothing but a#yth, a fi*tion-nobo"y 2no'( e+a*tly 'hat it i(. ?r (o#e vie' it a( a #ere literaryorna#ent 'ith 'hi*h Mar+ "e*orate" hi( too ari" "i((ertation( an" fro# 'hi*h hee+tra*te" brilliant #etaphor(. 7ut all thi( ha( nothing to "o 'ith (*ien*e. Moreover, noMar+i(t ha( ever (y(te#ati*ally for#ulate" the la'( of the "iale*ti*. hat, it appear(, i('hat the *riti*( #ean by #etaphy(i*(.

Mar+i(#, it #u(t be re*ogni/e", la*2( a perfe*te" treati(e on the "iale*ti*. Mar+ onvariou( o**a(ion( in"i*ate" &in letter( to :ngel(, @ugel#ann, 6iet/gen) hi( intention of'riting a brief theoreti*al e+po(ition of hi( #etho". 3e "ie" 'hile (till 'or2ing on=apital. :ngel(, after hi( Anti6hring, un"ertoo2 (y(te#ati* re(ear*h on the"iale*ti*, e(pe*ially in relation to the natural (*ien*e(. 3e (oon ha" to aban"on it inor"er to ta2e up the ar"uou( ta(2 of "e*iphering an" publi(hing the (e*on" an" thir"volu#e( of =apital. enin, in the i(olation of the fir(t #onth( of the 'ar, annotate"3egel an" Ari(totle preli#inary to a (tu"y upon the "iale*ti*, but the 'hirl'in" ofevent( "e*i"e" other'i(e.

It i( "oubtful that Mar+i(# 'ill ever have, before the a"vent of (o*iali(#, a #anual ofthe "iale*ti*. he #ore the 'or2er(B #ove#ent "evelop(, all the #ore "o politi*al,(trategi*, an" ta*ti*al ue(tion( ta2e fir(t pla*e. An" that i( fortunate-it i( the (ign thatproble#( are rea*hing a (olution in "ee"(. o tho(e 'ho #ay la#ent thi(, 'e *an only(ay that one no #ore *hoo(e( hi( epo*h than he "oe( hi( parent(. he #etho"ologi*al(tu"y of the "iale*ti*, 'hi*h 'ill al(o be the preparation for it( repla*e#ent by (till #orepo'erful #etho"( of thought, i( one of the ta(2( for the (o*iali(t (o*iety. hi( (tu"y 'ill

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be part of the general inventory 'hi*h the ne' (o*iety 'ill ta2e of the heritage re*eive"fro# the pre*e"ing generation(.

he (ituation a( regar"( the "iale*ti* i( not (o very "ifferent fro# that of *ulture ingeneral. $u(t a( it i( not po((ible to envi(age a proletarian *ulture, (o it i( i#po((ible toenvi(age a (y(te#ati*ally "evelope" proletarian philo(ophy. he truth i( that the

"iale*ti* "oe( not preten" to be #ore than a #etho", the e+pre((ion of the #ove#ent ofthought that (ee2( to tran(*en" i##e"iate e+perien*e. >ith Mar+ it foun" it( pra*ti*alappli*ation in the "o#ain to 'hi*h (*ientifi* 2no'le"ge 'a( #o(t foreign (o*iology. Inany (o*iety "ivi"e" into *la((e(, the (*ien*e( of #an lag *on(i"erably behin" thenatural (*ien*e(-the po((e((ing *la(( ha( no intere(t 'hatever in revealing the#e*hani(# of it( "o#ination. he bourgeoi( epo*h *on(titute( the #o(t (tri2ingillu(tration of thi( fa*t. 7ut a #etho" i( an in(tru#ent for arriving at the truth, an" 'herethe (o*ial bra2e( are the tighte(t, a #etho" far #ore po'erful than the relativi(# of thenatural (*ien*e( i( reuire". he "iale*ti* *oin*i"e( 'ith the revolutionary role ofMar+i(# the obe*t i#po(e" it( #etho" an", at the (a#e ti#e, *oul" not be reali/e"through anything el(e.

he #o(t authenti* pro"u*t (o far of the "iale*ti* #etho", *on(*iou(ly applie", i(=apital. he great the#e( of 3egelian logi* are there "ire*tly tran(po(e"-the #o"eof e+po(ition it(elf 'ith it( #ove#ent fro# the ab(tra*t to the *on*rete, the "evelop#entof the *ategorie(, the oppo(ition of profoun" reality to i##e"iate e+i(ten*e, the notionof *on*rete totality, et*., i"ea( all of the# foreign eually to =arte(ian rationali(# an"Angloa+on e#piri*i(#. o tho(e 'ho *la#or for a #anual of the "iale*ti*, 'e *anbol"ly reply a2e =apital by @arl Mar+.

7ut thi( boo2 i( not (olely a treati(e on logi*. It reveal( the #ove#ent of a reality(ingularly "iffi*ult to penetrate-#o"ern *apitali(t (o*iety-an" "oe( (o 'itha(toni(hing a**ura*y. 3ere the #etho" i( u"ge" by it( o'n re(ult(. >e ha" to 'ait forthe Angloa+on *riti*( to hear thi( (urpri(ing "e#an" that the Mar+i(t( (ay 'hatte(tC1D *an be #a"e to verify the "iale*ti*. hi( i( nothing but a #o"ern ver(ion of thea**u(ation of #etaphy(i*(. o the(e al(o the an('er #u(t be #a"e a2e =apital. Ifone *an (pea2 of a te(t in (u*h a "o#ain, here i( a real an" *ru*ial te(t. =an our *riti*(*ite a (ingle boo2I (hall not (ay in (o*iology alone, it 'oul" be no ri(2, but in any(*ien*e-'hi*h ha( for (eventyfive year( retaine" eual ti#eline(( an" vali"ity5 6oe(the #etho" #ean nothing in thi( re(pe*t5 It 'oul" be *re"iting #y(ti*i(# an"

#etaphy(i*( 'ith (trange po'er to believe the# *apable of (u*h pro'e((.he fir(t ue(tion to po(e to tho(e 'ho "eny the (*ientifi* *hara*ter of the "iale*ti* i( toa(2 the# 'hat they #ean by (*ientifi* #etho". hey generally forget to "efine thi("etail. >hat the #anual( repeat on thi( (ube*t i( #ore often ethi*al rule( rather than#etho"ologi*al prin*iple(. he (*ienti(t( the#(elve( "o not begin "i((ertating on their#etho"( until they hope to "epre*iate the value of (*ien*e by (ho'ing it( relativity. hi(#ove#ent ha( been ob(ervable for (o#e forty year(. If the 'or2 of the(e (a#e (*ienti(t(

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i( e+a#ine", one *an (ay that it i( *o#poun"e" of a #elange of *o##on (en(e, that i(,for#al logi* *onverte" into (#all *hange, an" the "iale*ti* in a frag#entary an"un*on(*iou( for#. he pra*ti*e of the "iale*ti* begin( pre*i(ely 'here thought trulyprogre((e(, an" i#po(e( it(elf #ore ea*h ti#e the #in" goe( beyon" the i##e"iate "ata.he great unifying theorie(-the ele*tro#agneti* theory of light, to ta2e one e+a#ple-

are beautiful 'or2( of the "iale*ti*. 7ut the a*t of eating i( far re#ove" fro# thefor#ulation of the la'( of "ige(tion. A( an epigraph on all the 'or2( of Mar+, one *oul"'ell in(*ribe More *on(*iou(ne((; he "iale*ti* i( (ituate" pre*i(ely in thi(#ove#ent. It enun*iate( an" (ee2( to (y(te#ati/e the #o"e( of thin2ing that follo'intelligen*e at it( variou( level( fro# the ti#e intelligen*e begin( to e+er*i(e it( right(,that i(, to tran(*en" 'hat i( pre(ente" i##e"iately before it, an" in tho(e *a(e( 'herethe #in" "oe( not turn upon it(elf &a( in for#al logi*) but #ove( for'ar".

A parti*ularly re(i(tant reality, the "evelop#ent of (o*iety, reuire" the *on(*iou( u(e ofthe #o(t po'erful pro*e((e( of thought hen*e the appearan*e of pre*i(ely the#ateriali(t "iale*ti*. hu( (o*iology at on*e a*uire", un"er penalty of e+tin*tion, the#o(t highly perfe*te" #etho" (o far "evelope" for the hu#an intelligen*e, an" in thi((en(e it bla/e( the 'ay for the other (*ien*e(. Eee" it be a""e" that the latter, #a2ing*on(*iou( u(e of the "iale*ti*, 'ill (harpen an" enri*h it5 =arrie" by the 'hole *urrentof hu#an 2no'le"ge, the "iale*ti* it(elf 'ill be (urpa((e". 7ut that, a( 'e have (een, i(the ta(2 of the *o#ing epo*h.

he phy(i*i(t 3enri

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-one obviou(ly *annot (pea2 of the Milleran"( an" 7rian"(-virtually all therenega"e( fro# the revolution prelu"e" their "enial of the (o*ial an" e*ono#i* an"politi*al tenet( of (o*iali(# by ree*ting the "iale*ti*. At the beginning of thi( *entury,the %er#an (o*ial "e#o*rat 7ern(tein publi(he" a boo2 again(t Mar+i(# 'hi*h *an beregar"e" a( the *la((i* e+pre((ion of refor#i(#. he (a#e *hapter in 'hi*h the author

atte#pt( to "e#oli(h the "iale*ti* a( #y(ti* an" anti(*ientifi* en"( 'ith the affir#ationthat the politi*( of Mar+ i( nothing but 7lanui(#.... he(e are the le((on( that norevolutionary (o*iali(t "are forget.

he Ru((ian revolutioni(t 3ert/en *alle" the "iale*ti* the algebra of revolution. It i(really #u*h #ore than that an" it( value e+ten"( to all of hu#an 2no'le"ge, of (o*iety,of nature. 7ut it i( at lea(t that. All of (*ientifi* (o*iali(# "e#an"( it. If Mar+ ha" notfoun" in 3egel the e((ential for#( of the "iale*ti*, he 'oul" have pro"u*e" the#, #oreor le(( *o#pletely, u(t a( the 'or2ing *la(( #ove#ent, if Mar+ ha" not live", 'oul"have pro"u*e" a (*ientifi* (o*iali(# ba(i*ally i"enti*al 'ith Mar+i(#, althoughun"oubte"ly #u*h inferior to it in for#. o try no' to "i(*onne*t the "iale*ti* fro#Mar+i(# i( a ta(2 a( rea*tionary a( to 'ant to purify the 'or2ing *la(( #ove#ent ofMar+i(#. In atte#pting one or the other, the *riti*( 'ill brea2 their ne*2( an" (u**ee"only in bringing u"g#ent upon the#(elve(. February 18, 1940.

C1D $a#e( 7urnha#, A 7elate" 6iale*ti*ian,