"Garo’s Marx, une critique de la philosophie, especially since it is situated on the terrain of Marx’s relation to philosophy, is also an implicit discussion of Althusser’s theses (22). Garo’s interpretation indeed goes against Althusser’s more strictly philosophical reading of Marx, his epistemological break, and his minimalization of Marx’s political implications (for more on this, see Garo 2011). Garo shows, rather, that the critique of political economy is at the same time a critique of traditional philosophy and a redefinition of political economy (160), refusing to turn Marx into a philosopher. Marx’s constant critique of philosophy is presented by Garo as the mean and condition of Marxian analysis (289). She also demonstrates the strong continuity within Marx’s oeuvre, despite his constant reevaluations and the evolution of his thought. Her ability to convey the contradictions and ruptures that fill Marx’s works while convincingly demonstrating their strong continuity is indissociable from her commitment to representation as an interpretative through-line.
Marx, une critique de la philosophie is a successful exposition of Marx’s thought, as the work manages to skillfully combine the presentation of the majority of his major works and important biographical elements with a strong interpretative thesis. Garo aptly covers an impressive amount of primary literature, and the contextual notes she adds breathes new life into an oeuvre too often caricatured or sclerosed. Marx’s thought is, with Garo, filled with political urgencies, acute to socio-historical developments and constantly reevaluated – encouraging us, in turn, to confront our own historical conjuncture."
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