This book is a comparative and historical study of the impact of European integration upon the policies, ideology and future prospects of Left parties across the European Union. It is the first such study to focus upon parties to the left of social democracy—communist, "new left" and "green left" parties. The book highlights the broad range of responses to European integration that these parties have formulated—from pro-integrationist or pro-federalist positions to staunchly anti-integrationist views. It sets the emergence of such diversity in historical and theoretical context, paying attention to a broad range of factors that have influenced the evolution of the parties' European policies. Richard Dunphy examines the Left parties' views on how to build an "alternative Europe" that goes beyond free market capitalism.
Synopsis
Keynes was an elitist and pro-capitalist economist, whom the left should embrace with caution. But his analysis provides a concreteness missing from Marx and engages with critical issues of the modern world that Marx could not have foreseen. This book argues that a critical Marxist engagement can simultaneously increase the power of Keynes's insight and enrich Marxism.Dunn explores Keynes's work in the context of the extraordinary times in which he lived, his philosophy, and his politics. By offering a detailed overview of his critique of mainstream economics and General Theory, Dunn argues that Keynes provides an enduringly valuable critique of orthodoxy, and develops a Marxist appropriation of Keynes's insights. The book considers the prospects of returning to Keynes, critically reviewing the practices that have come to be known as 'Keynesianism' and the limits of the theoretical traditions that have made claim to his legacy.
About the Author, Richard Dunphy
Richard Dunphy is Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Dundee.
