Karl Popper was something of an unwarranted boogeyman to a certain cadre of easily startled western academic Marxians, and he is used as a crude bludgeon by more well-read anti-marxists
But when you read his (surprisingly limited) writings on Marx it’s amazing to discover he never actually touched on the foundations of Marxism, (because frankly he never read Marx) instead he discounts Marxism by way of claiming its “predictions” in the early twentieth century failed and as a result this demonstrated some form of naive empiricism through induction (which again revealed his profound lack of knowledge of economics and of Marx’s writings)
And how did Popper become convinced the “predictions” of capital M Marxism were wrong? Von fuckin Mises, I shit you not, the man pulled his entire set of economic assumptions from the father of Austrian economics, and in the meantime broke every one of his “critical rationalist” rules while calling out the marxists, absolute full circle in terms of philosophy, I’ve never seen anything like it in the history of academia, and it’s largely unknown because no one bothers to read what these people actually wrote and funny enough Popper was pretty open and oblivious about the trap he fell into to by way of Mises
“Even his mistaken theories are proof of his keen sociological insight into the conditions of his own time, and of his invincible humanitarianism and sense of justice” Karl Popper 1966
But that’s one of the joys of digging thru the history anti-marxism, how they all stole from each other, talked past each other, all of them huddled around the proverbial fireplace telling ghost stories about Marx and his specter
Thank you for that insight on Von Mises, that really helps me navigate this nauseating anti-Marx / Marxist purism debacle. Marx is arguably one of the most misunderstood writer; I have to engage with a lot of Western Marxist scientists in my research into philosophy in the natural sciences and I have to try very hard to ignore the dick measuring contest of who’s the most pure Marxist.
Because of this, the thought of having to read the complete opposite of that, i.e. the additional Popper’s drivel doesn’t appeal to me at all. I need to go listen to Soviet music or something. But when I have more time to read outside of my studies I shall bravely engage.
And you’re right about his limited understanding of Marx. I did read that he was Marxist at some point but before he fled to Britain, he flipped side upon witnessing his friends killed or arrested for their failed revolutionary activities lol. And then you read on that he was born into a wealthy family and praised for intellectualism, you know you’re in for a treat. The world hasn’t changed much in that regard.
Karl Popper was something of an unwarranted boogeyman to a certain cadre of easily startled western academic Marxians, and he is used as a crude bludgeon by more well-read anti-marxists
But when you read his (surprisingly limited) writings on Marx it’s amazing to discover he never actually touched on the foundations of Marxism, (because frankly he never read Marx) instead he discounts Marxism by way of claiming its “predictions” in the early twentieth century failed and as a result this demonstrated some form of naive empiricism through induction (which again revealed his profound lack of knowledge of economics and of Marx’s writings)
And how did Popper become convinced the “predictions” of capital M Marxism were wrong? Von fuckin Mises, I shit you not, the man pulled his entire set of economic assumptions from the father of Austrian economics, and in the meantime broke every one of his “critical rationalist” rules while calling out the marxists, absolute full circle in terms of philosophy, I’ve never seen anything like it in the history of academia, and it’s largely unknown because no one bothers to read what these people actually wrote and funny enough Popper was pretty open and oblivious about the trap he fell into to by way of Mises
But that’s one of the joys of digging thru the history anti-marxism, how they all stole from each other, talked past each other, all of them huddled around the proverbial fireplace telling ghost stories about Marx and his specter
Thank you for that insight on Von Mises, that really helps me navigate this nauseating anti-Marx / Marxist purism debacle. Marx is arguably one of the most misunderstood writer; I have to engage with a lot of Western Marxist scientists in my research into philosophy in the natural sciences and I have to try very hard to ignore the dick measuring contest of who’s the most pure Marxist.
Because of this, the thought of having to read the complete opposite of that, i.e. the additional Popper’s drivel doesn’t appeal to me at all. I need to go listen to Soviet music or something. But when I have more time to read outside of my studies I shall bravely engage.
And you’re right about his limited understanding of Marx. I did read that he was Marxist at some point but before he fled to Britain, he flipped side upon witnessing his friends killed or arrested for their failed revolutionary activities lol. And then you read on that he was born into a wealthy family and praised for intellectualism, you know you’re in for a treat. The world hasn’t changed much in that regard.