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Letter to Editor
March 11, 1910
The Sun
New York, New York County, New York
What is this article about?
Letter critiques the challenges in defining socialist theory, comparing it to Hegelian philosophy, and argues that Marx's interpreters, including W.J. Ghent, are befuddled by the dialectic method, especially regarding 'the party' as a unified entity requiring an invalid premise of economic synthesis.
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Full Text
The Party as a Factor in Socialism
To the Editor of The Sun—Sir: The difficulty of defining the socialist theory is comparable to that of explaining the Hegelian philosophy, as W. J. Ghent in a letter to The Sun says. The difficulty arises from the use by many of the dialectic method of Hegel. Whether or not that method goes to the root of the economic theory of Marx may be left to interminable dispute. That it has hopelessly befuddled the interpreters of Marx is evident. Mr. Ghent confirms this statement in his use of the term "party"; he has embodied the Hegelian process: "The party" is always divided as to method, visibly contradictory, yet always assumed to be a unit.
Now it may be affirmed that it is an impossibility to attempt a definition of the Marx theory without including in it, somewhere or somehow, a bald vague premise of an ultimate synthesis of conflicting factors of the economic process, which has no validity outside of the ideal logical method. By this authority alone can any one speak of "the party" as a unit or an equal or equalising movement.
C.H.V.
Washington, D. C., March 10
To the Editor of The Sun—Sir: The difficulty of defining the socialist theory is comparable to that of explaining the Hegelian philosophy, as W. J. Ghent in a letter to The Sun says. The difficulty arises from the use by many of the dialectic method of Hegel. Whether or not that method goes to the root of the economic theory of Marx may be left to interminable dispute. That it has hopelessly befuddled the interpreters of Marx is evident. Mr. Ghent confirms this statement in his use of the term "party"; he has embodied the Hegelian process: "The party" is always divided as to method, visibly contradictory, yet always assumed to be a unit.
Now it may be affirmed that it is an impossibility to attempt a definition of the Marx theory without including in it, somewhere or somehow, a bald vague premise of an ultimate synthesis of conflicting factors of the economic process, which has no validity outside of the ideal logical method. By this authority alone can any one speak of "the party" as a unit or an equal or equalising movement.
C.H.V.
Washington, D. C., March 10
What sub-type of article is it?
Philosophical
Persuasive
What themes does it cover?
Politics
Economic Policy
What keywords are associated?
Socialism
Marx Theory
Hegelian Dialectic
Socialist Party
Economic Synthesis
What entities or persons were involved?
C.H.V.
To The Editor Of The Sun—Sir
Letter to Editor Details
Author
C.H.V.
Recipient
To The Editor Of The Sun—Sir
Main Argument
the socialist theory, like hegelian philosophy, is hard to define due to the dialectic method, which befuddles marx's interpreters; defining marx's theory requires an invalid premise of economic synthesis to view 'the party' as a unified movement.
Notable Details
References W.J. Ghent's Letter To The Sun
Critiques Hegelian Dialectic In Marx Interpretation
Discusses 'The Party' As Contradictory Yet Unified