Sartre against Stalinism / Ian H. Birchall.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Birchall, Ian H., author.

Series:

Berghahn monographs in French studies.

Berghahn monographs in French studies

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sartre, Jean-Paul, 1905-1980--Political and social views.

Sartre, Jean-Paul.

Communism--France.

Communism.

Communism and philosophy--France.

Communism and philosophy.

Communism--Soviet Union.

Intellectuals--Political activity--France.

Intellectuals.

France--Intellectual life--20th century.

France.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (256 p.)

Place of Publication:

New York : Berghahn Books, 2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Most critics of the political evolution of Jean-Paul Sartre have laid emphasis on his allegedly sympathetic and uncritical attitude to Stalinist Communism due, to a large extent, to their equation of Marxism with Stalinism. It is true that Sartre was guilty of many serious misjudgements with regard to the USSR and the French Communist Party. But his relationship with the Marxist Left was much more complex and co tradictory than most accounts admit. This book offers a political defence of Sartre and shows how, from a relatively apolitical stance in the 1930s, Sartre became increasingly involved in the politics of the Left; though he always distrusted Stalinism, he was sometimes driven to ally himself with it because of the force of its argument.

Contents:

SARTRE AGAINST STALINISM; CONTENTS; BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE; ABBREVIATIONS; CHRONOLOGY; Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION; PART I. The Making of a Rebel; Chapter 2. 'LA COMMUNISTE'; Chapter 3. THE THREAT OF FASCISM; Chapter 4. WAR WITHIN WAR; PART II. Postwar Choices; Chapter 5. THE BETTER CHOICE; Chapter 6. MATERIALISM OR REVOLUTION?; Chapter 7. THE SPECTRE OF TROTSKY; Chapter 8. THE RDR; Chapter 9. WHICH CAMP?; PART III. Rapproachement with Stalinism; Chapter 10. REORIENTATION; Chapter 11. DANGEROUS LIAISON; Chapter 12. DEBATE WITH THE FAR LEFT; Chapter 13. LAYING THE GHOST; PART IV. Towards a New Left

Chapter 14. FROM PRACTICE TO THEORYChapter 15. THE BATTLE OVER ALGERIA; Chapter 16. REBUILDING THE LEFT; Chapter 17. MAY TO DECEMBER; Chapter 18. CONCLUSION: SARTRE'S CENTURY?; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781571816214

1571816216

9781782389736

1782389733