Good and Bad Infinites in Hegel and Marx

Abstract

This chapter reveals the conceptual affinities between Marx’s Grundrisse and Hegel’s Logic by examining the works in the light of Hegel’s notion of good and bad infinites. The dynamic of concepts in these works will be shown to turn upon the negative, unsatisfactory character of conceptualisations (bad infinites), which run up against external barriers, and the positive pull of progressively more satisfactory conceptualisations (good infinites), which treat seemingly external barriers as internal moments of their own specification. In sum, the hallmark of a rich and inclusive explanation for Marx, as it is for Hegel, is one that leaves nothing merely presupposed or external. Hence they maintain a paradigm of reflexive, totalising explanation.