THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FRANKFURT SCHOOL FOR A NEW READING OF MARX

Abstract

Within the framework of the actual discussions about a new interpretation of Marx, the article deals with the work of Alfred Schmidt, Hans-Georg Backhaus and Helmut Reichelt. These authors developed the interpretation of Marx which was presented by the first generation of the Frankfurt School. The article's main objective is to refute the thesis that claims that this interpretation based on Critical Theory doesn't take into account sufficiently the importance which class struggle had for Marx. Furthermore it shows, that Marx' critique of political economy is the undoubted paradigm for Critical Theory, and therefore, the paradigm change proposed by Habermas meant a distancing from its roots.