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Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition

Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition

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  • Create Date：2021-04-10 13:52:32
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
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  • Author：Cedric J. Robinson
  • ISBN：0241514177
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Summary

'A towering achievement。 There is simply nothing like it in the history of Black radical thought' Cornel West

'Cedric Robinson's brilliant analyses revealed new ways of thinking and acting' Angela Davis

'This work is about our people's struggle， the historical Black struggle'

Any struggle must be fought on a people's own terms， argues Cedric Robinson's landmark account of Black radicalism。 Marxism is a western construction， and therefore inadequate to describe the significance of Black communities as agents of change against 'racial capitalism'。 Tracing the emergence of European radicalism， the history of Black African resistance and the influence of these on such key thinkers as W。 E。 B。 Du Bois， C。 L。 R。 James and Richard Wright， Black Marxism reclaims the story of a movement。

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Reviews

ciara ，

“Western Marxism [。。。] has proven insufficiently radical to expose and root out the racialist order that contaminates its analytic and philosophic applications or to come to effective terms with the implications of its own class origins。 As a result， it has been mistaken for something it is not: a total theory of liberation。” （p。317） “Harbored in the African diaspora there is a single historical identity that is in opposition to the systemic privations of racial capitalism。 Ideologically， it cem “Western Marxism [。。。] has proven insufficiently radical to expose and root out the racialist order that contaminates its analytic and philosophic applications or to come to effective terms with the implications of its own class origins。 As a result， it has been mistaken for something it is not: a total theory of liberation。” （p。317） “Harbored in the African diaspora there is a single historical identity that is in opposition to the systemic privations of racial capitalism。 Ideologically， it cements pain to purpose， experience to expectation， consciousness to collective action。 It deepens with each disappointment at false mediation and reconciliation， and is crystallized into ever-increasing cores by betrayal and repression。 The resoluteness of the Black radical tradition advances as each generation assembles the data of its experience to an ideology of liberation。” （p。317） Cedric J。 Robinson writes in such an intelligent and eloquent way & it’s easy to see why this is such a prominent text。 all leftists should read this but specifically white leftists， it is critical to understanding Marxism as it relates to the current state of capitalism and the intersections of class and race。 。。。more

Omar Orestes ，

Cedric Robinson sets out to accomplish two very ambitious tasks。 The first is to critique orthodox Marxism and revoke the universal applicability of its ideas and second is to highlight a revolutionary force not considered by Marx and Marxists。Robinson introduces the concept of racial capitalism。 He emphasizes how， from the very beginning， Europe was very much dependent on slave labor for its production and justified its domination/exploitation of "other" Europeans （e。g。， Slavs， Roma） by exagger Cedric Robinson sets out to accomplish two very ambitious tasks。 The first is to critique orthodox Marxism and revoke the universal applicability of its ideas and second is to highlight a revolutionary force not considered by Marx and Marxists。Robinson introduces the concept of racial capitalism。 He emphasizes how， from the very beginning， Europe was very much dependent on slave labor for its production and justified its domination/exploitation of "other" Europeans （e。g。， Slavs， Roma） by exaggerating regional and cultural differences。 The victims of this process of internal European colonization were racialized。 And when capitalism developed out of feudalism， it inherited this racialization。Marx and Marxists， Robinson argues， failed to consider this very fact in their analysis。 They privileged the industrial working class of Western Europe as the universal revolutionary force over the slave and peasant rebellions happening in the European colonies。 This led Robinson to say that Marxist internationalism was really not that global at all。 Furthermore， they often undermined the power of nationalism that - as another reviewer here， Justin， mentioned - can actually disrupt worker solidarity （see the tensions between the English-Irish proletariat）。What Robinson does in "Black Marxism" is highlight the fact that other revolutionary forces emerged， particularly African liberation struggles against capitalist slavery and imperialism。 Through the preservation of their collective identity and their own cultural and ideological materials， their revolt and resistance took on many forms: work slowdowns， the destruction of tools and crops， the establishment of maroon communities， and insurrection。 It appeared in all of the European colonies - Jamaica， Brazil， the United States， and Haiti - with the Haitian Revolution successfully overthrowing the French。 The three writers that Robinson profiles - W。E。B。 Du Bois， C。L。R。 James and Richard Wright - represent "the theoretical articulation of Black radicalism。" They all found the theoretical framework of Marxism appealing， partly due to its claims of universality， but all three soon saw its limitations as Black-white worker solidarity never truly materialized。 This led them to discover a history of Black revolt and break with Marx's materialist conception of history even as they continued to find Marxism as a useful tool of analysis。The book is an astounding achievement and I agree with Robinson's thesis。 However， as others pointed out， there is a conspicuous omission， and that is the contributions of Black women and Black feminism。 。。。more

Laura McCafferty ，

genuinely a work of art，， such a thorough book which explores so much。 took me ages to read as so much is covered （it helps to reread chapters to get a clear picture）。

mahi ，

One of the best books I have ever had the pleasure of reading！

Billy ，

This was the first book in the Black History folder that someone put together and shared on Facebook - so it was a free e-book， for me - that I started。 It's very intense， and I hoped it would give insight into Marxism from another perspective。 Perhaps it was because I was it as an e-book on my laptop that made me stop and start so much， but regardless it was interesting。 Par 1 I read straight through， Part 2 I faltered a bit， Part 3 was a bit of both。 I definitely want to re-read it and make no This was the first book in the Black History folder that someone put together and shared on Facebook - so it was a free e-book， for me - that I started。 It's very intense， and I hoped it would give insight into Marxism from another perspective。 Perhaps it was because I was it as an e-book on my laptop that made me stop and start so much， but regardless it was interesting。 Par 1 I read straight through， Part 2 I faltered a bit， Part 3 was a bit of both。 I definitely want to re-read it and make notes because I feel like a lot of the theory didn't fully click。 But basically， Marxism is Eurocentric and although Marx did mention slavery in relation to capitalism， he failed to account that this was a whole culture， a whole collective of different beings with different customs being shipped across the sea。 Black radicalism is not about applying Western thought and ideology to Black people， it is an African ideology working against colonialism and the Western cognition。 Bottom line: it's an intense， long read， but well worth it！ 。。。more

Alan ，

Difficult but excellent

Koku Asamoah ，

Cedric J Robinsons in-depth coverage of the black radical condition is prolific in its anthropologic take on the first seeds of capitalism to where we are now。 Robinsons research starts from pre-industrialized England to Marxist theory to the many black intelligentsia who expanded on the noble cause Marx had started， but only focused on a European view and left out the plight of Africans who unwillingly played a big part in the formation of capitalism。

Trevor ，

Less of a casual read and more of an academic study worthy of a whole semester。 Tough one to just pick up for unwinding on evenings and weekends。

J。 Turner ，

"Western Marxism， in either of its two variants--critical-humanist or scientific--has proven insufficiently radical to expose and root out the racialist order that contaminates its analytic and philosophic applications or to come to effective terms with the implications of its own class origins。 As a result， it has been mistaken for something it is not: a total theory of liberation。。。The Black radical tradition suggests a more complete contradiction。" Cedric Robinson's "Black Marxism" is about t "Western Marxism， in either of its two variants--critical-humanist or scientific--has proven insufficiently radical to expose and root out the racialist order that contaminates its analytic and philosophic applications or to come to effective terms with the implications of its own class origins。 As a result， it has been mistaken for something it is not: a total theory of liberation。。。The Black radical tradition suggests a more complete contradiction。" Cedric Robinson's "Black Marxism" is about the history and centrality of the African struggle against Euro-American domination。 In his own words， Robinson seeks to "map the historical and intellectual contours of the encounter between Marxism and Black radicalism， two programs for revolutionary change。" Robinson describes in meticulous detail how capitalism developed and expanded on a pre-existing racialized foundation。 As such， Robinson argues that European radicalism （i。e。 Marxism） is inherently limited by a culture of racialization （including intra-European racialism）。 Robinson explains that European socialism， like capitalism， is a response to feudal pressures， and feudalism was already filled with the undercurrents of racialization。 Thus， Marxism alone is not capable of dismantling what Robinson describes as "racial capitalism。" Robinson--in detailing the expansive history of African rebellion / revolution--argues that Black radicalism is not some variant of Western / European radicalism。 Black radicalism is not "Western radicals who happen to be Black。" Rather， it is an Afrocentric response to Euro-American domination， with its own tradition and philosophy and history of struggle。 Robinson traces the history of racialization （including the European creation of the "Negro"）， explaining how racialism both informed and was informed by oppression--in this case， European enslavement of Africans。 This of course defies the Marxist assumption that capitalism created racism。 With regard to the Black Radical Tradition， Robinson contends that the 400-500 years of African resistance to domination created a continuity and blueprint for African people that is nationalist in nature。 He traces the history of the maroons in various colonies throughout the Americas， and highlights them as proof of an existing radical tradition rooted in nationalism （not Marxism）。This book is like 5 books in one， as it also serves as a mini-biography of W。E。B。 Du Bois， CLR James， and Richard Wright， three Black radicals that Robinson traced in order to show how Black radicalism moved in and out of Marxist thought over time。 In doing so， Robinson detailed the history and weaknesses of the American communist movement as it related to Black liberation。 All in all， this book provides a tremendous account of the history of the African struggle for liberation。 While it leaves many questions unanswered （like what economic form should Black nationalist projects take？）， it tackles the age old question of the relationship between Marxism and Black liberation， a question that is still highly relevant to the Black Left today。 。。。more

Sophia ，

I wouldn’t have been able to read this without the prior reading I’ve done， but I’m so happy i finally got to this point。 I also wouldn’t have been able to read it without the computer voice audiobook on YouTube and the book club I attended that provided such enlightening discussion I couldn’t wait for the next weeks meeting （except for when I spent the 14+ hours following the audiobook along with the text）Life is much better because of it。 I am so happy this book found its way into my life （I o I wouldn’t have been able to read this without the prior reading I’ve done， but I’m so happy i finally got to this point。 I also wouldn’t have been able to read it without the computer voice audiobook on YouTube and the book club I attended that provided such enlightening discussion I couldn’t wait for the next weeks meeting （except for when I spent the 14+ hours following the audiobook along with the text）Life is much better because of it。 I am so happy this book found its way into my life （I originally got the recommendation from ItsWalela on Instagram， and so far with their reading list， they do not miss）。 So I’d recommend everyone read this book but it may be a bit tough。 。。。more

Jimmy ，

Intellectual dishonesty hidden behind density and obscurity。 Intentionally difficult to understand as a method of passing off his ideas as better than they are， by relying upon the reader doubting their own cognition。 Robinson's premise rests upon his knowing mischaracterization of Marxism as class-reductionist and Eurocentric， to which he offers no real proof。 You're assumed to take this premise as true because he states it emphatically。 Meanwhile， he subsumes the racist invention of pan-Blackn Intellectual dishonesty hidden behind density and obscurity。 Intentionally difficult to understand as a method of passing off his ideas as better than they are， by relying upon the reader doubting their own cognition。 Robinson's premise rests upon his knowing mischaracterization of Marxism as class-reductionist and Eurocentric， to which he offers no real proof。 You're assumed to take this premise as true because he states it emphatically。 Meanwhile， he subsumes the racist invention of pan-Blackness into a new conception of Afrocentrism via the quack historicity of Cheikh Anta Diop （who advocated for Africa as one nation speaking one language）， and slights Black feminist struggle by failing to even mention it。 How does one write a book called Black Marxism in 1983 and not even mention Claudia Jones， and mention Angela Davis only in passing？ He erases the actually existing tradition of Black Marxism and even skirts around the Marxism of Du Bois in his lengthy description。Definitionally， to Robinson， a Black Marxist is instead a "Black radical"。 This seems to be because he does not want his heroes such as Du Bois to in any way intellectually descend from something Robinson has deemed "white"。 He seeks to rearrange the racial hierarchy instead of abolishing it; he surrenders to its logics。Spare yourself the struggle in reading this book。 This is not the way to revolution。 。。。more

Julia Ortiz ，

One of the most incredible and compelling books I've read in the last couple of years。 Can't recommend it enough。 One of the most incredible and compelling books I've read in the last couple of years。 Can't recommend it enough。 。。。more

Justin ，

I appreciated this as a good faith and thoughtful critique of Marx（ism）。 So much critique of Marx in Black studies is "Marx never talked about racism！" which is simply not true （although not his primary focus， Marx was very interested in slavery and colonialism）。 Robinson takes a different approach， beginning by critiquing Marx for not being attentive to the power of nationalism as both a revolutionary and counter revolutionary force。 For example， Marx suggests England as a route place for revol I appreciated this as a good faith and thoughtful critique of Marx（ism）。 So much critique of Marx in Black studies is "Marx never talked about racism！" which is simply not true （although not his primary focus， Marx was very interested in slavery and colonialism）。 Robinson takes a different approach， beginning by critiquing Marx for not being attentive to the power of nationalism as both a revolutionary and counter revolutionary force。 For example， Marx suggests England as a route place for revolution， not considering how English-Irish tensions actually disrupt the possibility of worker solidarity。 It follows that Marx also doesn't consider how this same sort of nationalism manifests itself as racism， disrupting the possibility I'd white-Black worker solidarity and thus thwarting worker solidarity on an international scale。At the same time， Robinson suggests that some counter revolutionary survives the Middle Passage and embodies itself with peoples of the African Diaspora as a Black radical tradition。 While it is problematic that Robinson suggests Black people carry some sort of "African consciousness，" it is certainly true that parts of African tradition manifested in the diaspora and continue to influence culture globally。 With that in mind， I appreciated how Robinson urges us to think about Black radicals as embodying and shepherding， rather than creating， the Black radical tradition。Of the three figures he looks at the Wright chapter is the strongest （he seems to like Wright most） and the James chapter the weakest （it strikes me that he just had the least to say about James or perhaps didn't spend as much time researching him）。 However， one of my strongest critiques of the book is who does not get mentioned， namely any women。 I give Robinson the smallest of passes only because I too have struggled to find texts from Black women that engage Black Marxism in a way that say， Black Reconstruction or Black Jacobins do， but at the same time we know there were Black women Marxists that Robinson could/should have known about （Gwendolyn Brooks and Alice Childress， for example）。I think there's space to sort of recreate this project but with less essentialism and more Black feminism， but overall this is a critical contribution to Marxist thought and a must read for anyone interested in Marxism and/or Black radicalism。 。。。more

sezen ，

216。 sayfaya kadar okudum。 Tekrar dönerim umarım。

Hayden Kesterson ，

There are a lot of parts of this book where it is easy to lose the forest for the trees， but the first section's display of the shortcoming's of Marxism， and the second and third sections' elaboration of the Black radical tradition and its confrontations with Marxism and the bourgeois state fundamentally changed by political views for the better。 There are a lot of parts of this book where it is easy to lose the forest for the trees， but the first section's display of the shortcoming's of Marxism， and the second and third sections' elaboration of the Black radical tradition and its confrontations with Marxism and the bourgeois state fundamentally changed by political views for the better。 。。。more

Andrew ，

Wow。 Still processing， and tbh， I feel I understand what Robinson means by 'racial capitalism' much better than I understand what he means by 'the Black radical tradition， but this is just such a fertile， unique， and intellectually invigorating book。 It is dense， and probably suits the needs and interests of social or economic historians more than intellectual or cultural historians， but for me it is extremely valuable。 Wow。 Still processing， and tbh， I feel I understand what Robinson means by 'racial capitalism' much better than I understand what he means by 'the Black radical tradition， but this is just such a fertile， unique， and intellectually invigorating book。 It is dense， and probably suits the needs and interests of social or economic historians more than intellectual or cultural historians， but for me it is extremely valuable。 。。。more

Jyothis James ，

This is a phenomenal and foundational text for the Black Radical Tradition to identify labor and social movements and its origins outside of Europe

Thomas Pope ，

An absolutely fantastic book by Robinson。 He charts an entirely different path through American history - and the understanding of the Black radical tradition as separate from Marxist socialism， though intertwined。 From providing a history of racism and anti-Blackness that predates capitalism to showing a newfound depth to the writings and theories of W。E。B。 DuBois， Marcus Garvey， C。L。R。 James， and Richard Wright - this is an essential book to read。

L。 Hanley ，

In light of contemporary history， Cedric Robinson's Black Marxism jumped off my book shelf and straight into my hands。 I first read Black Marxism back in the mid-80s when I was gobbling up everything about Marx， Marxism， and capitalism。 Then， as now， I was blown away by Robinson's magisterial revision of the history of modern capitalism - - excavating the deep， pre-modern symbiosis of race， capital， and labor。 Robinson is guided by Marx's analysis but at the same time "recovers" Africa - - as a In light of contemporary history， Cedric Robinson's Black Marxism jumped off my book shelf and straight into my hands。 I first read Black Marxism back in the mid-80s when I was gobbling up everything about Marx， Marxism， and capitalism。 Then， as now， I was blown away by Robinson's magisterial revision of the history of modern capitalism - - excavating the deep， pre-modern symbiosis of race， capital， and labor。 Robinson is guided by Marx's analysis but at the same time "recovers" Africa - - as a primary source of labor， exploitation， and radical tradition - - to point to Marx's limits and to remake our understanding of Marx's "universal" categories。 This time around - - it was Robinson's sharp， illuminating analyses of three modern Black radicals - - W。E。B。 Du Bois， C。L。R。 James， and Richard Wright - - that made Black Marxism so invaluable to me。 Each of these thinkers struggles to reckon race with Marxist thought - - and the struggles produce fundamental insights into our contemporary moment。 Got to say - - Robinson's engagement with Richard Wright is powerful and comprehensive and makes me rue the contemporary neglect of one of America's fiercest and revolutionary thinkers and writers。 One money quote from his discussion of Du Bois: "Revolutionary consciousness had formed in the process of anti-imperialist and nationalist struggles， and the beginnings of resistance had often been initiated by ideological constructions remote from the proletarian consciousness that was a presumption of Marx’s theory of revolution。 。 。 。 [The] collective action [of enslaved people] had achieved the force of a historical antilogic to racism， slavery， and capitalism。" Now - - as in 1983 - - Black Marxism remains essential reading for those dedicated to fundamental change。 。。。more

rosalind ，

210620: haven't started this yet but there's a new episode of millennials are killing capitalism about it if anybody's interested in supplementary materials！ definitely moving it up my tbr。 210620: haven't started this yet but there's a new episode of millennials are killing capitalism about it if anybody's interested in supplementary materials！ definitely moving it up my tbr。 。。。more

Joe G ，

The first half of this - the deep dive into the development of humankind and interracial relations - was pretty excellent， and overall this book is one of the most well researched things I've read。 The chapters on the individuals like DuBois， James and Wright were interesting but structurally it didn't make a whole lot of sense。 I'm unsure why he transitioned from speaking about radical slave uprisings and resistence to more academic historians and intellectuals。 Whilst their contributions were The first half of this - the deep dive into the development of humankind and interracial relations - was pretty excellent， and overall this book is one of the most well researched things I've read。 The chapters on the individuals like DuBois， James and Wright were interesting but structurally it didn't make a whole lot of sense。 I'm unsure why he transitioned from speaking about radical slave uprisings and resistence to more academic historians and intellectuals。 Whilst their contributions were interesting， surely the more interesting black Marxists were those combining theory with practice and not those simply theorising about the faults of the Western left or distancing themselves from the Soviet Union？ Still an interesting read but the overall structure felt kind of arbitrary 。。。more

Ethan ，

Robinson describes four myths of Western Marxism that are recognized by the "black radical tradition":（1） Industrial workers are the locus of revolution under capitalism， not agricultural workers。 （pp 183， 209， 230， 314）（2） White industrial workers in the Global North have more solidarity with workers in colonized nations than with the capitalists in their own nation。 （pp 183， 210， 239， 383n84）（3） Capitalism is a force against nation-states in the long run， not an intrinsically colonial mode of Robinson describes four myths of Western Marxism that are recognized by the "black radical tradition":（1） Industrial workers are the locus of revolution under capitalism， not agricultural workers。 （pp 183， 209， 230， 314）（2） White industrial workers in the Global North have more solidarity with workers in colonized nations than with the capitalists in their own nation。 （pp 183， 210， 239， 383n84）（3） Capitalism is a force against nation-states in the long run， not an intrinsically colonial mode of economic development。 （p 183）（4） Wage labor is the inevitable historical successor to feudalist modes of production。 （p 239）I have definitely benefited from having to wrestle with the veracity of these claims， especially since I more or less accepted all of them before reading this book。 Robinson only sketches the historical evidence against each， so I am still not sure where I land on all of them， but there is plenty of citations to figures like Oliver Cox that could guide a more detailed historical inquiry。 Although Robinson attempts to attribute the recognition of these claims as myths to Du Bois， C。L。R。 James， and Richard Wright， I share Cornel West's skepticism about many of these attributions in his 1988 review， "Black Radicalism and the Marxist Tradition。" Nevertheless， I am left with a strong desire to better understand the black radical tradition and Pan-African thought， specifically regarding which modes of economic production， ownership， and distribution are advocated by figures in this tradition。 。。。more

Dan ，

One of those extremely rare works of scholarship that towers so high above others that it just about takes your breath away。 BLACK MARXISM is in that rare class of books with the power to radically transform one's worldview， and the words one has been using to describe it。 Impeccable as a work of historiography， but even more incredible as a work of Marxist theory。 One of those extremely rare works of scholarship that towers so high above others that it just about takes your breath away。 BLACK MARXISM is in that rare class of books with the power to radically transform one's worldview， and the words one has been using to describe it。 Impeccable as a work of historiography， but even more incredible as a work of Marxist theory。 。。。more

Imani ♥ ☮ ，

I'm going to be reading this book for the rest of my life。 I'm going to be reading this book for the rest of my life。 。。。more

Elizabeth Korver-Glenn ，

A sweeping， profound examination of the Black Radical tradition。 Essential reading for those interested ‪in:-race/racism-（the history of） economic systems-ideology-social movements-imperialism and colonialism-slavery-religion

Annie ，

seminal， important， and completely ignores gender and sexuality！

Doris Raines ，

👌

Jason Han ，

One of the best books I've ever read/bought in my life。 One of the best books I've ever read/bought in my life。 。。。more

L。 ，

This is a magisterial， exhaustive work of historical investigation。 Robinson posits that Black radicalism grew out of Black resistance - aka the social organization of the African home societies and the experience of enslavement and resistance to it。 Black people never were blank slates。 They did not lose themselves when they were stolen - and they were always escaping， challenging the state， and forming new types of resistance。 Privileging Black people as subjects allows one to have a fuller an This is a magisterial， exhaustive work of historical investigation。 Robinson posits that Black radicalism grew out of Black resistance - aka the social organization of the African home societies and the experience of enslavement and resistance to it。 Black people never were blank slates。 They did not lose themselves when they were stolen - and they were always escaping， challenging the state， and forming new types of resistance。 Privileging Black people as subjects allows one to have a fuller and more accurate vision of history and understand just how Eurocentric the dominant constructs of mainstream history （race， development， civilization， innovation） are。 Robinson moves beyond Marxism， arguing that the locus of revolution is， instead of in the white working class， held by the colonized peoples of the world。 Even though Marxism was the ideological brainchild of a Westerner， it was mostly in nonwestern countries that it was incorporated into the founding principles of revolutions。 That's something all radicals have to keep in mind。 。。。more

L ，

Can be revisited over and over。 A book that understands the weight of its own force。 Kelley's foreword is so beautiful。"Marx's conceit was to presume that the theory of historical materialism explained history; but， at worst， it merely rearranged history。" （xxix）"This study attempts to map the historical and intellectual contours of the encounter of Marxism and Black radicalism， two programs for revolutionary change。 I have undertaken this effort in the belief that in its way each represents a s Can be revisited over and over。 A book that understands the weight of its own force。 Kelley's foreword is so beautiful。"Marx's conceit was to presume that the theory of historical materialism explained history; but， at worst， it merely rearranged history。" （xxix）"This study attempts to map the historical and intellectual contours of the encounter of Marxism and Black radicalism， two programs for revolutionary change。 I have undertaken this effort in the belief that in its way each represents a significant and immanent mode of social resolution， but that each is a particular and critically different realization of a history。 The point is that they may be so distinct as to be incommensurable。 At issue here is whether this is so。 If it is， judgments must be made， choices taken。" （1）"'Words like 'growth，' 'decline，' 'development，' 'evolution，' 'decay，' may have started as servants but they have ended as masters: they have brought us to the edge of historical inevitability。' Hegel's dialectic of Aufhebung， Marx's dialectic of class struggle and the contradictions between the mode and the relations of production， Darwin's evolution of the species and Spencer's survival of the fittest are all forged from the same metaphysical conventions。。。These 'distant and separate class[es] of capitalists' were less the representatives of an immanent， rational， commercial order than extensions of particular historical dynamics and cultures。 They were not the 'germ' of a new order dialectically posited in an increasingly confining host—feudalism—but an opportunistic strata， willfully adaptive to the new conditions and possibilities offered by the times。" （19）"The point is that the construction of periods of time is only a sort of catchment for events。 Their limited utility， though， is often abused when we turn from the ordering of things， that is chronological sequencings， to the order of things， that is the arrangement of their significances， meanings， and relations。" （177）"Groups moved to the logic of immediate self-interest and to historical paradox。 Consciousness， when it did develop， had come later in the process of events。 The revolution had caused the formation of revolutionary consciousness and had not been caused by it。 The revolution was spontaneous。" （238）"It implied （and James did not see this） that bourgeois culture and thought and ideology were irrelevant to the development of revolutionary consciousness among Black and other Third World peoples。 It broke with the evolutionist chain in， the closed dialectic of， historical materialism。" （276）"In his criticisms of Marxism， then， Wright was not entirely rejecting it but was attempting to locate it， to provide a sense of the boundaries of its authority。" As a theory of society， he found it dissatisfying， indeed， reductionist。。。。As an ideology， he recognized that it had never transcended its origins。 It remained an ideology forthe working classes rather than an ideology of the working classes。 However， as a method of social analysis he found it compelling。" （305） 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0