The Neue Marx-Lektüre (German for "New Marx Reading") is a school of thought in Marxist theory that originated in West Germany in the mid-1960s. It proposes a reconstruction of Karl Marx's critique of political economy by returning to his original texts and breaking with the interpretations of Marxism–Leninism and, to a lesser extent, Western Marxism. Key figures associated with its development include Hans-Georg Backhaus and Helmut Reichelt. The movement is characterized by its focus on what it terms the "esoteric" dimension of Marx's work—particularly his critique of fundamental economic forms such as value, money, and capital—as opposed to the "exoteric" dimension that appears compatible with traditional political economy. The Neue Marx-Lektüre gained prominence in the context of the German student movement and the subsequent academic institutionalization of Marxist theory. Its central argument is that traditional Marxism misunderstood Marx's project, reducing his critique of social forms to a deterministic and transhistorical political economy. In contrast, the Neue Marx-Lektüre emphasizes the monetary character of value, the logical (rather than historical) structure of Das Kapital, the theory of state derivation (Staatsableitung), and a critical reappraisal of traditional revolutionary theories centered on class struggle. Although it originated in German-speaking academia, its influence has extended internationally, particularly in debates on value theory, the critique of political economy, and related critical currents such as Wertkritik (value-critique) and communisation theory.
Etymology and definition
The term Neue Marx-Lektüre was likely first used by Hans-Georg Backhaus in the 1970s and was later popularized by his students, such as Michael Heinrich. It designates a specific intellectual current that distinguishes itself from other contemporary interpretations like Neo-Marxism, "critical Marxism", or "capital-logical" Marxism by its specific methodological approach to reconstructing Karl Marx's theory. The movement is defined by its shared project of reconstructing the critique of political economy as a critique of the fundamental social forms of capitalist society, rather than as a simple economic analysis of its laws of motion or a philosophy of history. According to Ingo Elbe, the Neue Marx-Lektüre can be understood in contrast to two other major paradigms of Marxist interpretation:
Traditional Marxism (often synonymous with Marxism–Leninism): This paradigm, heavily influenced by Friedrich Engels's later works like Anti-Dühring and the prefaces to Das Kapital, presents Marxism as a comprehensive scientific worldview with universal laws applicable to both nature and society. Heinrich refers to this tradition as "worldview Marxism" (Weltanschauungsmarxismus), which he characterises by its crude economism, historical determinism, and simplistic formulas intended to provide a comprehensive explanation of the world. It interprets Marx's critique of political economy through a "logical-historical method", which views the progression of categories in Das Kapital as a simplified reflection of the historical development of economic relations. It also tends toward an instrumentalist theory of the state. Western Marxism: Originating after World War I with figures like Georg Lukács, Karl Korsch, and the Frankfurt School, this tradition rejected the scientism and determinism of traditional Marxism. It emphasized Marx's Hegelian-philosophical roots, the theory of reification, and the importance of praxis and ideology critique. However, according to Elbe, Western Marxism largely maintained a "silent orthodoxy" regarding Marx's economic theory, often treating it as a given and failing to subject its foundational categories to the same level of critical scrutiny. Heinrich notes that it was only in the 1960s and 1970s that Western Marxism began to re-examine the comprehensive meaning of "critique" in Marx's economic work. The Neue Marx-Lektüre shares Western Marxism's critique of traditional Marxism's determinism but extends its critical focus to the core of Marx's economic works. It argues for an "esoteric" reading of Marx, which uncovers a radical critique of the very categories of political economy (value, labor, money, state), against an "exoteric" reading that presents Marx as a successor to classical economists like Adam Smith and David Ricardo.
Origins and development The Neue Marx-Lektüre emerged in West Germany from the mid-1960s, a period marked by the German student movement and a renewed academic interest in Marx's texts outside the confines of Social Democratic and Leninist party doctrines. Its genesis can be traced to several intellectual influences.
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
