Marxism and Morality

Not himself a Marxist, Dr Churchich has nevertheless won plaudits for this book from those committed to the philosophy. It is, they acknowledge, thoroughly researched, well reasoned, and balanced in its argument – even if that argument is one with which Marxists are bound to disagree, being based on the premise that 'ethical theories must ultimately rest on metaphysical and psychological preconceptions rather than on some imaginary empirical facts'. The declared aim of this work is to present a full exposition of Marx's and Engels' ideas on morality and ethics, and to indicate some of their errors and weaknesses. Unlike other studies of this subject, Churchich analyses all major aspects of morality, dealing not only with the writings of Marx himself but also with the works of most writers who have commented on Marxist morality and ethics. Marx himself intended to produce a work on social morality, but did not manage to do so. This book will therefore, and without doubt, become the standard work on his view of the subject. Superior to anything else on the topic written by non-Marxists, it is clearer on some aspects of Marx's view than the work of some Marxist writers – Churchich makes obvious for instance, how great was Althusser's mistake in arguing that there is 'not a grain of normative ethics in mature Marx'. Yet the author's objectivity allows him also to find values among the ethical arguments of Marx and Engels, making this a book which both Marxists and concerned Anglicans would find useful as a criticism of some current social trends. It also sounds a cautionary note for those who argue that the collapse of bureaucratic socialism in the former Soviet Union means the end of Marxism too – this is by no means Dr Churchich's view.