The Parisian Roots of Marx’s Economic Theories

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By Mary Gabriel Sep 20, 2011 8:01 PM ET


(Bloomberg) Throughout history there have been moments when Paris was the center of the creative universe --and 1843 was one of them.

Everyone, whether of real or imagined import, was there, and everyone was politicized. French, German, Russian, Polish, Hungarian and Italian reformers mingled with painters, poets, novelists, composers and philosophers who had begun to celebrate the real rather than the ideal in their works.

Dr. Karl Marx and his wife, Jenny, mingled easily with Parisian radical and democratic circles where, for the first time, they were introduced to society as a married couple. Marx was proud of Jenny -- not only of her beauty, which even amid the celebrated women of Paris was remarked upon, but also of her intelligence.

From the earliest days of their marriage, he regarded Jenny as an intellectual equal, and that was no mere token sentiment: Marx was ruthless when it came to things of the mind, and he would not have relied on Jenny’s judgment if he did not think she was in fact brilliant. Indeed, throughout his life Marx held only one other person in a position of such high esteem and trust, and that was his alter ego and collaborator, Friedrich Engels. But where Engels understood and supported Marx intellectually, Jenny also humanized him. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-21/the-parisian-roots-of-marx-s-economic-theories-commentary-by-mary-gabriel.html

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