Abstract
This chapter deals with the largely forgotten political economist and philosopher Eugen Dühring’s critique of utopian socialism. In laying out his design for what he termed sociatarianism, Dühring issued a critique not only of the utopian thought of early socialists such as Fourier and Owen, but also of the “scientific socialism” of Karl Marx. The development of utopia is analyzed historically as it changed from its early modern inception up through the nineteenth century, and philosophically as it relates to its epistemological precondition, the human faculty of reason. Dühring’s philosophy of reality (Wirlichkeitsphilosophie), including his metaphysics and conceptual critique of reason, is examined along with his futuristic vision of a “free society.” It is shown that while Dühring’s brand of socialism contains elements of utopia, there is a qualitative difference that separates it from the older and younger socialism of his day.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The Ideals of Materialism was used as a book title by Dühring’s follower Heinrich von Stein.
- 2.
Cf. Dühring (1875a, p. 301).
- 3.
Cf. Dühring (Dühring 1875b, p. 273).
- 4.
August Bebel spoke of Dühring as a new type of communist. Bebel, 1874. Harold Höfding labeled Dühring’s philosophy one of the “most interesting speculative attempts of our day,” and emphasized the “close connection between the thought and the personality of the thinker.” In Dühring’s work. Cf. Höfding (1955), p. 561).
- 5.
Although I have never come across the term “post-utopian socialism,” it is generally agreed that the early utopian socialist thought, which was inspired by the French Revolution, came to an end in the 1840s. Cf. Sombart (1908), pp. 34f).
- 6.
Cf. Koselleck (1992), pp. 6–9).
- 7.
Cf. Mauthner (1912). Cf. Zweiter Band, XIV. Ursprung und Geschichte von Vernunft.
- 8.
Schopenhauer (1969), p. 35).
- 9.
Thomas Hobbes once wrote: human beings are animals who are famished by future hunger. Cf. Gehlen (1986), p. 50).
- 10.
Cf. Backhaus ed 2006).
- 11.
Kesting (1973).
- 12.
It should be noted that the emphasis on such “hindrances” to a better, just society is still a strong political factor in our day. The terminology for the groups to be fought has changed, however, to groups such as “radicals,” “racists,” “neo-nazis,” and “islamo-fascists,” etc.
- 13.
Muravchik (1999).
- 14.
Cf. Kesting (1974, p. 8).
- 15.
Cf. Löwith, (1964, p. 119).
- 16.
Landauer (1892).
- 17.
This path was paved by Schopenhauer who combined epistemological expertise with inspired vitalism.
- 18.
Dühring (1875, p. 498).
- 19.
Dühring did his doctorate and afterwards habilitated in Philosophy at the Friedrich-Wilhelms Universität in Berlin.
- 20.
Dühring had been inspired by Robert Mayer’s theory of energy conservation, which postulated that energy was neither destroyed nor created, but simply changed its form.
- 21.
Chamberlain (1905, pp. 23f).
- 22.
Dühring (1875a, pp. 179f).
- 23.
In his works on intellectual history, Dühring often emphasized the importance, if not the necessity, of “failure” (Scheitern) in paving the way for new ideas; this gave his perspective a touch of existantialism. Cf. Geldsetzer (1968, p. 161).
- 24.
Dühring (1875a, 46).
- 25.
Dühring (1875a, p. 265).
- 26.
In the last part of the first edition to his book “Werth des Lebens,” Dühring claimed that reactive feeling or resentment was the only recognizable principle of justice or injustice. Cf. Dühring (1865, pp. 219ff). This emotive element existed according to Dühring not only in individuals, but also in societal groups. Cf.Dühring (1875a, p. 224).
- 27.
Dühring (1875a, p. 423).
- 28.
Dühring’s system of economic communes was analyzed by Chilosi in: Backhaus (2002, pp. 293–305).
- 29.
Dühring (1876, pp. 322).
- 30.
Cf. Albrecht (1927, p. 229).
- 31.
Cf. Ibid (p. 243).
- 32.
Friedrich Engels’ attack against Dühring in 1878 should be viewed in the background of the philosophical deficits of Marxism at the time which Engels was attempting to make up for.
- 33.
Sombart speaks of an “all powerful goddess of reason”. Cf. Sombart (1908, p. 38).
- 34.
Bibliography
Albrecht, G., (1927), Eugen Dühring, Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Sozialwissenschaften, Gustav Fischer, Jena.
Backhaus, J., ed., (2002), Eugen Dühring (1833–1921) and the freedom of teaching and research. Journal of Economic Studies, 29(4/5). 255–363.
Backhaus, J., ed., (2006), The social question (part I and II). Journal of Economics, 33(3/4). 175-236, 239–316.
Bebel, A., (1874), Ein neuer “Communist”, in: Der Volksstaat, Nr. 30, 33, März.
Chamberlain, H.S., (1905), Heinrich von Stein und seine Weltanschauung, George Müller, München und Leipzig.
Dühring, E. (1865), Der Werth des Lebens, Edward Trewendt, Breslau.
Dühring, E.(1875a), Cursus der Philosophie, Erich Koschny, L. Heimann’s Verlag, Leipzig.
Dühring, E. (1875b), Kritische Geschichte der Nationalökonomie und des Sozialismus, Theobald Grieben, Berlin (1871).
Dühring, E. (1903), Sache, Leben und Feinde, C.G. Naumann, Leipzig (1882).
Dühring, E. (1892), Cursus der National- und Socialökonomie, O.R. Reisland, Leipzig.
Dühring, E. (1875a), Cursus der Philosophie, Erich Koschny, L. Heimann’s Verlag Leipzig.
Dühring, E. (1875b), Kritische Geschichte der Nationalokonomic und des Sozialismus, Theobald, Berlin (1871)
Dühring, E. Critical History of Political Economy and Socialism, 1871
Dühring, E. (1876), Cursus der National and Sozialokonomie, Fues’s Verlag (R. Reisland), Leipzig
Gehlen, A. (1986), Urmensch und Spätkultur, Aula Verlag, Wiesbaden (1956).
Geldsetzer, L., (1968), Die Philosophie der Philosophiegeschichte im 19. Jahrhundert – Zur Wissenschaftstheorie der Philosophiegeschichtsschreibung und – betrachtung, Anton Hain, Meisenheim am Glan.
Höfding, H. (1955), A History of Modern Philosophy, Dover Publications Inc., New York (1921).
Koselleck, R. (1992), Kritik und Krise, Eine Studie zur Pathogenese der bürgerlichen Welt. 7 edn., Surkamp, Frankfurt am Main (1973).
Kesting, H. (1973) Herrschaft und Knechtschaft.
Landauer, G. (1892), Referat über Dühring’s Kursus der National- und Sozialökonomie, in: Der Sozialist, Aug. 1892.
Löwith, K.(1986), Von Hegel zu Nietzsche. Der revolutionäre Bruch im Denken des neuzehnten Jahrhundert, Fritz Meiner, Hamburg (1941).
Löwith, K. (1964), From Hegel to Nietzsche. The Revolution in Nineteenth-Century Thought, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York, Chocago, San Francisco.
Mauthner, F. (1912). Zur Sprachwissenschaft, Beiträge zur Kritik der Sprache, 2 edn., Cotta, Berlin.
Muravchik, J. (1999), The Rise and Fall of Socialism SPEECHES AEI Bradley Lecture Series, Date Feb. 8, 1999.
Schnädelbach, H. (1984), Philosophie in Deutschland 1831–1933. Surkamp, Cambridge.
Schopenhauer, A. (1969), The World as Will and Representation, Dover Publications, Inc., New York (1818).
Sombart, W. (1908), Sozialismus und Soziale Bewegung, Gustav Fischer, Jena (1897).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gay, E.J. (2011). Eugen Dühring and Post-Utopian Socialism. In: Backhaus, J. (eds) The State as Utopia. The European Heritage in Economics and the Social Sciences, vol 9. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7500-3_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7500-3_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-7499-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-7500-3
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsEconomics and Finance (R0)