Socialism and the Experience of Time

Idealism and the Present in Modern France

Nonfiction, History, France, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book Socialism and the Experience of Time by Julian Wright, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Julian Wright ISBN: 9780192524676
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: June 30, 2017
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Julian Wright
ISBN: 9780192524676
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: June 30, 2017
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

How do we make social democracy? Should we seize the unknown possibilities offered by the future, or does real change develop when we focus our attention on the immediate present? The modern tradition of social revolution suggested that the present is precisely the time that needs to be surpassed, but can society change without an intimate focus on today's experience of social injustice? In Socialism and the Experience of Time, Julian Wright asks how socialists in France from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century tried to follow a democratic commitment to the present. The debate about time that emerged in French socialism lay beneath the surface of political arguments within the left. But how did this focus on the present relate to the tradition of revolution in France? What did socialism have to say about social experience in the present, and how did this discussion shape socialism as a movement? Wright examines French socialism's fascination with modern history, through a new reading of Jean Jaurès' multi-authored project to write a 'socialist history' of France since 1789. Then, in four interlocking biographical essays, he analyses the reformist and idealist socialism of the Third Republic, long side-lined in the historical literature. With a sometimes emotional focus on the present times of Benoît Malon, Georges Renard, Marcel Sembat, and Léon Blum, a personal history unfolds that allows us to revisit the traditional narrative of French socialism. This is not so much a story of the future hope for revolution, as an intimate account of socialism, intellectual engagement, and the human present.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

How do we make social democracy? Should we seize the unknown possibilities offered by the future, or does real change develop when we focus our attention on the immediate present? The modern tradition of social revolution suggested that the present is precisely the time that needs to be surpassed, but can society change without an intimate focus on today's experience of social injustice? In Socialism and the Experience of Time, Julian Wright asks how socialists in France from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century tried to follow a democratic commitment to the present. The debate about time that emerged in French socialism lay beneath the surface of political arguments within the left. But how did this focus on the present relate to the tradition of revolution in France? What did socialism have to say about social experience in the present, and how did this discussion shape socialism as a movement? Wright examines French socialism's fascination with modern history, through a new reading of Jean Jaurès' multi-authored project to write a 'socialist history' of France since 1789. Then, in four interlocking biographical essays, he analyses the reformist and idealist socialism of the Third Republic, long side-lined in the historical literature. With a sometimes emotional focus on the present times of Benoît Malon, Georges Renard, Marcel Sembat, and Léon Blum, a personal history unfolds that allows us to revisit the traditional narrative of French socialism. This is not so much a story of the future hope for revolution, as an intimate account of socialism, intellectual engagement, and the human present.

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Law and Values in the European Union by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Training in Ophthalmology by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Principles of Takeover Regulation by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Forensic Shakespeare by Julian Wright
Cover of the book International Organizations and the Fight for Accountability by Julian Wright
Cover of the book An Introduction to Clinical Research by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Microeconomic Theory by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Suicide by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Horace's Epodes by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Stalin's Agent by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Christology : A Biblical Historical and Systematic Study of Jesus by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Rapidly Evolving Genes and Genetic Systems by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Oxford Textbook of Musculoskeletal Medicine by Julian Wright
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Universal Grammar by Julian Wright
Cover of the book Imperial Germany 1871-1918 by Julian Wright
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy