Roman Rosdolsky
Encyclopedia
Roman Rosdolsky (July 19, 1898 – October 15, 1967) was an important Marxian
scholar and political activist. He was born in Lviv
in Galicia, at that time in the Austro-Hungarian empire, now in Ukraine
, and died in Detroit, MI (USA). The city of Lviv was annexed by Poland after the world war, occupied by the Red Army
in September 1939, occupied by the Nazi
s in 1941, and liberated in 1944 by the Red Army. Rosdolsky's father was a Ukrainian linguist of some repute.
As a youth, Rosdolsky was a member of the Ukrainian socialist Drahomanov Circles. He was drafted in the imperial army in 1915, and edited with Roman Turiansky the journal Klyči in 1917. He was a founder of the International Revolutionary Social Democracy (IRSD) and studied law in Prague. During World War I he founded the antimilitaristic "Internationale Revolutionäre Sozialistische Jugend Galiziens" (International Revolutionary Socialist Youth of Galizia) . He became a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Eastern Galicia, representing its émigré organization 1921-1924 and a leading publicist of the Vasylkivtsi faction of the Ukrainian Communists. In 1925, he refused to condemn Trotsky and his Left Opposition
, and was later, at the end of the 1920s, expelled from the Communist Party.
In 1926-1931, he was correspondent in Vienna of the Marx-Engels Institute in Moscow, searching for archival materials. At that time, in 1927, he met his wife Emily. When the labour movement in Austria
suffered repression, he emigrated in 1934 back to L'viv, where he worked at the university as lecturer. He published the Trotskyist periodical Žittja i slovo 1934-1938, and was arrested by the Gestapo
in 1942, but survived internment for three years in the concentration camps of Auschwitz, Ravensbrück and Oranienburg
. He emigrated to the USA in 1947, and worked there as independent scholar - failing to obtain a university post. He published also under pseudonyms such as "Roman Prokopovycz", "P.Suk.", "Tenet" and "W.S.".
Rosdolsky is mainly known in the Anglo-Saxon world for his careful scholarly exegesis The Making of Marx's Capital, a collection of essays some which had previously been published, which overturned many previous interpretations of Das Kapital
. Yet he published much more, especially on historical topics (see below). During his life, he corresponded with numerous well known Marxist writers including Isaac Deutscher
, Ernest Mandel
, Paul Mattick
, and Karl Korsch
. Mandel called Rosdolsky's work on the National Question the only Marxist criticism of Marx himself.
Online MIA archive http://www.marxists.org/archive/rosdolsky/index.htm
pp. 31-40, pp. 29-35, pp. 38-42, pp. 33-39; pp. 26-30; pp. 32-39.
http://www.marxists.org/nederlands/mandel/1968/1968rosdolsky.htm (obituary)
Marxian economics
Marxian economics refers to economic theories on the functioning of capitalism based on the works of Karl Marx. Adherents of Marxian economics, particularly in academia, distinguish it from Marxism as a political ideology and sociological theory, arguing that Marx's approach to understanding the...
scholar and political activist. He was born in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
in Galicia, at that time in the Austro-Hungarian empire, now in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, and died in Detroit, MI (USA). The city of Lviv was annexed by Poland after the world war, occupied by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in September 1939, occupied by the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
s in 1941, and liberated in 1944 by the Red Army. Rosdolsky's father was a Ukrainian linguist of some repute.
As a youth, Rosdolsky was a member of the Ukrainian socialist Drahomanov Circles. He was drafted in the imperial army in 1915, and edited with Roman Turiansky the journal Klyči in 1917. He was a founder of the International Revolutionary Social Democracy (IRSD) and studied law in Prague. During World War I he founded the antimilitaristic "Internationale Revolutionäre Sozialistische Jugend Galiziens" (International Revolutionary Socialist Youth of Galizia) . He became a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Eastern Galicia, representing its émigré organization 1921-1924 and a leading publicist of the Vasylkivtsi faction of the Ukrainian Communists. In 1925, he refused to condemn Trotsky and his Left Opposition
Left Opposition
The Left Opposition was a faction within the Bolshevik Party from 1923 to 1927, headed de facto by Leon Trotsky. The Left Opposition formed as part of the power struggle within the party leadership that began with the Soviet founder Vladimir Lenin's illness and intensified with his death in January...
, and was later, at the end of the 1920s, expelled from the Communist Party.
In 1926-1931, he was correspondent in Vienna of the Marx-Engels Institute in Moscow, searching for archival materials. At that time, in 1927, he met his wife Emily. When the labour movement in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
suffered repression, he emigrated in 1934 back to L'viv, where he worked at the university as lecturer. He published the Trotskyist periodical Žittja i slovo 1934-1938, and was arrested by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in 1942, but survived internment for three years in the concentration camps of Auschwitz, Ravensbrück and Oranienburg
Oranienburg
Oranienburg is a town in Brandenburg, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Oberhavel.- Geography :Oranienburg is a town located on the banks of the Havel river, 35 km north of the centre of Berlin.- Division of the town :...
. He emigrated to the USA in 1947, and worked there as independent scholar - failing to obtain a university post. He published also under pseudonyms such as "Roman Prokopovycz", "P.Suk.", "Tenet" and "W.S.".
Rosdolsky is mainly known in the Anglo-Saxon world for his careful scholarly exegesis The Making of Marx's Capital, a collection of essays some which had previously been published, which overturned many previous interpretations of Das Kapital
Das Kapital
Das Kapital, Kritik der politischen Ökonomie , by Karl Marx, is a critical analysis of capitalism as political economy, meant to reveal the economic laws of the capitalist mode of production, and how it was the precursor of the socialist mode of production.- Themes :In Capital: Critique of...
. Yet he published much more, especially on historical topics (see below). During his life, he corresponded with numerous well known Marxist writers including Isaac Deutscher
Isaac Deutscher
Isaac Deutscher was a Polish-born Jewish Marxist writer, journalist and political activist who moved to the United Kingdom at the outbreak of World War II. He is best known as a biographer of Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin and as a commentator on Soviet affairs...
, Ernest Mandel
Ernest Mandel
Ernest Ezra Mandel, also known by various pseudonyms such as Ernest Germain, Pierre Gousset, Henri Vallin, Walter , was a revolutionary Marxist theorist.-Life:...
, Paul Mattick
Paul Mattick
Paul Mattick Sr. was a Marxist political writer and social revolutionary, whose thought can be placed within the council communist and left communist traditions...
, and Karl Korsch
Karl Korsch
-Biography:Korsch was born in Tostedt, near Hamburg, to Carl August Korsch, a secretary at the cantonal court and his wife Therese. In 1898 the family moved to Meiningen, Thuringia and Korsch senior attained the position of a managing clerk in a bank...
. Mandel called Rosdolsky's work on the National Question the only Marxist criticism of Marx himself.
Rosdolsky Archive
A description of the Rosdolsky archives can be found at the International Institute of Social History site http://www.iisg.nl/archives/en/files/r/10767769.phpOnline MIA archive http://www.marxists.org/archive/rosdolsky/index.htm
Main published works in English
- 1951 "The Distribution of the Agrarian Product in Feudalism", in: Journal of Economic History (1951), pp. 247–265
- 1952 "On the nature of peasant serfdom in Central and Eastern Europe", in: Journal of Central European Affairs, Vol. 12, 1952.
- 1963 "A Revolutionary Parable on the Equality of Men", in: Archiv für Sozialgeschichte, Bd. 3 (1963), pp. 291–293.
- 1965 "Worker and Fatherland: a Note on a Passage in the Communist Manifesto". Science & Society, Vol. 29, 1965, pp. 330-337 (reprinted in Bob Jessop & Dennis Wheatley (ed.), Karl Marx's social and political thought. London: Routledge, 1999).
- 1974 "Method of Marx's Capital". New German Critique, Number 3, Fall 1974.
- 1977 The Making of Marx's Capital. London: Pluto Press, 1977.
- 1986 Engels and the `Nonhistoric' Peoples: the National Question in the Revolution of 1848. Glasgow: Critique books, 1987. First published in Critique, No.18/19, 1986.
- 1988 "A Memoir of Auschwitz and Birkenau." (Introd. John-Paul Himka). Monthly Review Vol. 39, no. 8 (January 1988), pp. 33-38. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1132/is_n8_v39/ai_6319771
- 1999 Lenin and the First World War. London: Prinkipo Press, 1999.
- 2009 "The Jewish Orphanage in Cracow". In: [The Online Publications Series of the Center for Urban History of East Central Europe [www.lvivcenter.org/download.php?downloadid=107], No. 4, Lviv, October 2009 (translated by Diana Rosdolsky)
Published writing in German
- 1937 "Karl Marx und der Polizeispitzel Bangya, in: International Review for Social History", Vol. 2, Leyden 1937, pp. 229-245.
- 1938 "Die Geschichte der tschechisch-polnischen Beziehungen in der ersten Hälfte des 19. Jahrhunderts", in: [Prager Rundschau, Jg. 8 (1938)], pp. 114–140.
- 1948 "Das jüdische Waisenhaus in Krakau". In: Arbeiter Zeitung, Vienna, 15 April 1948.
- 1954 "Die ostgalizische Dorfgemeinschaft und ihre Auflösung". In: Vierteljahrschrift für Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeschichte. Franz Steiner Verlag, Vol. 41, Nr. 2, 1954, pp. 97-145.
- 1956 "Zur neueren Kritik des Marxschen Gesetzes der fallenden Profitrate", in: Kyklos, 2 (1956), pp. 208–226
- 1957 Review of Martin Trottmann, Zur Interpretation und Kritik der Zusammenbruchstheorie von Henryk GrossmanHenryk GrossmanHenryk Grossmanalternative spelling: Henryk Grossmann , was a Polish-German economist and historian of Jewish descent....
n, in: Kyklos, 3 (1957), pp. 353–355. - 1957 "Der esoterische und der exoterische Marx. Zur kritischen Würdigung der Marxschen Lohntheorie I–III", in: Arbeit und Wirtschaft, Vol. 11 (1957), Nr. 11ff., pp. pp. 348–351, 388–391, 20–24.
- 1959 Der Gebrauchswert bei Karl Marx. Eine Kritik der bisherigen Marx-Interpretation, Kyklos. Internationale Zeitschrift für Sozialwissenschaften, Vol. XII 1959, Basel, pp. 27-56.
- 1959 "Joan Robinsons Marx-Kritik", in: Arbeit und Wirtschaft, Vol. 13 (1959), Nr. 8f., pp. 178–183, 210–212.
- 1959 ’Zur Analyse der russischen Revolution’, in Die Sozialismusdebatte. Historische und aktuelle Fragen des Sozialismus, edited by Ulf Wolter, West Berlin: Olle & Wolter, 1978: 203-36. ISBN 3 921241 27 8
- 1961 Die grosse Steuer- und Agrarreform Josefs II. Ein Kapitel zur österreichischen Wirtschaftsgeschichte. Warsaw: Panstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1961.
- 1963 "Archivalische Miszellen über O. Bauer". International Review of Social History, vol. 8(1963), pp. 436-446.
- 1963 "La Neue Rheinische ZeitungNeue Rheinische ZeitungThe Neue Rheinische Zeitung - Organ der Demokratie was a German daily newspaper, published by Karl Marx in Cologne between June 1, 1848 and May 19, 1849. Its name refers to a paper earlier edited by Marx, the Rheinische Zeitung...
et les Juifs", in: Etudes de Marxologie, no.7 (Aug. 1963). - 1963 "Ein neomarxistisches Lehrbuch der politischen Ökonomie", in: Kyklos. Internationale Zeitschrift für Sozialwissenschaften, Vol. XVI, 1963, pp. 626-654.
- 1963 "Archivalische Miszellen über Otto Bauer". In: International Review of Social History, Vol. 8, pp. 436-446, 1963.
- 1963 "K. Marx und ein "Privatsekretär" Th. Sanders". International Review of Social History vol. 8(1963), pp. 282-285.
- 1963 "Archivalische Miszellen über Otto Bauer". In: International Review of Social History, Vol. 8, pp. 436-446, 1963.
- 1963 (Review) "Alfred Schmidt, Der Begriff der Natur in der Lehre von Marx". In: Schweizer Zeitschrift für Volkswirtschaft und Statistik, pp. 524-527, 1963.
- 1965 "Die Rolle des Zufalls und der "Grossen Männer" in der Geschichte" (1965) . Kritik, Vol 5, No. 14, 1977, p. 67-96, Verlag Olle & Wolter, ISSN 0170-4761.
- 1966 "Die serbische Sozialdemokratie und die Stockholmer Konferenz von 1917", in: Archiv für Sozialgeschichte, Vol. 6-7(1966-67), pp. 583-597.
- 1968 "Einige Bemerkungen über die Methode des Marxschen „Kapital“ und ihre Bedeutung für die heutige Marxforschung". In: Kritik der politischen Ökonomie heute. 100 Jahre „Kapital“. Frankfurt, Europäische Verlagsanstalt, pp. 9-21, 1968.
- 1969 "Der Streit um die polnisch-russischen Staatsgrenzen anlässlich des polnischen Aufstandes von 1863", in: Archiv für Sozialgeschichte, Vol. 9(1969), pp. 157-180.
- 1973 Studien über revolutionäre Taktik : 2 unveröffentlichte Arbeiten über d. 2. Internationale u. d. österr. Sozialdemokratie. With comments about the author and the edited texts by Emily Rosdolsky. Berlin : Verlag für d. Studium d. Arbeiterbewegung, 1973.
- 1976 Die Bauernabgeordneten im konstituierenden österreichischen Reichstag 1848 - 1849. Introduced by Eduard März. Vienna: Europaverlag, 1976.
- 1992 Untertan und Staat in Galizien : die Reformen unter Maria Theresia und Joseph II. Mainz: Von Zabern, 1992.
- 1979 Zur nationalen Frage. Friedrich Engels und das Problem der 'geschichtslosen' Völker, Verlag Olle & Wolter, Berlin 1979, ISBN 3 921241 56 1.
Writing in Italian
- 2007 "La situazione rivoluzionaria in Austria nel 1918 e la politica dei socialdemocratici", in: Antonio Moscato (ed.), Trockij e le pace necessaria: 1918, la socialdemocrazia e la tragedia russa. Argo: 2007.
Writing in Polish
- 1927 (Pseudonym T. Prokopovy) "Fridrych Engel’s pro Ukrajnu". In: Ervonyj Šljach, pp. 161-186, 1927.
- 1951 "Do historij ukrainskogo livo-socijalisty kogo ruchu v Galycyj". In: Vpered, 1951, Nr. 3-4.
- 1962 "Do historij “Krawego Roku” 1846". In: Kwartalnik Historyczny, pp. 403-321, 1958.
- 1962 Stosunki poddańcze w dawnej Galicji. Warsaw, Paňstwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe, 1962.
- 1962 "„Spowied“ Goslara." In: Kwartalnik Historyczny, 1962.
- 1969 "Do historij “Sojuzu vyzvolennja Ukrajny”". In: Ukrajan’kik Samostijnik, 1969 et seq.
pp. 31-40, pp. 29-35, pp. 38-42, pp. 33-39; pp. 26-30; pp. 32-39.
About Roman Rosdolsky
- Ernest MandelErnest MandelErnest Ezra Mandel, also known by various pseudonyms such as Ernest Germain, Pierre Gousset, Henri Vallin, Walter , was a revolutionary Marxist theorist.-Life:...
, "Roman Rosdolsky (1898-1967)", Quatrième Internationale, 33 (April 1968). English translation: "Roman Rosdolsky - a genuine Marxist scholar", Intercontinental Press (New York), 6, 21: 512-514, 3 June 1968. Dutch translation: "Wie was Roman Rosdolsky"
http://www.marxists.org/nederlands/mandel/1968/1968rosdolsky.htm (obituary)
- Obituary of Emily Rosdolsky http://www.vsp-vernetzt.de/soz/0122152.htm
- Janusz Radziejowski, "Roman Rosdolsky: man, activist a scholar", in: Science & Society, Vol. 42 (1978) Nr. 2, pp. 198-210 (provides biographical details).
- Ralph Melvile 1992, ’Roman Rosdolsky (1898-1967) als Historiker Galiziens und der Habsburgermonarchie’, in: Roman Rosdolsky, Untertan und Staat in Galizien. Die Reformen unter Maria Theriasia und Joseph II, Mainz: Von Zabern: VII-XXV.
- "On Roman Rosdolsky as a Guide to the Politics of the Neue Rheinische Zeitung", Science & Society, Vol. 63, Nr 2, pp. 235-241
- Review of Roman Rosdolsky, Engels and the `Nonhistoric' Peoples. http://www.revolutionary-history.co.uk/backiss/Vol3/No2/Rosdolsk.html
- Raya DunayevskayaRaya DunayevskayaRaya Dunayevskaya was the founder of the philosophy of Marxist Humanism in the United States of America. At one time Leon Trotsky's secretary, she later split with him and ultimately founded the organization News and Letters Committees and was its leader until her death.-Biography:Of Jewish...
, A Critique of Roman Rosdolsky: Rosdolsky’s Methodology and the Missing Dialectic http://www.thehobgoblin.co.uk/journal/6rosdolsky.htm - Manfred A. Turban, "Roman Rosdolsky's Reconsideration of the Traditional Marxist Debate on the Schemes of Reproduction on New Methodological Grounds", in Koropeckyj, I. S., ed. Selected Contributions of Ukrainian Scholars to Economics. Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute Sources and Documents series. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute distributed by Harvard University Press, 1984, pages 91–134.
- John Paul Himka, "Roman Rosdolsky's Reconsideration of the Traditional Marxist Debate on the Schemes of Reproduction on New Methodological Grounds: Comments", in Koropeckyj, I. S., ed. Selected Contributions of Ukrainian Scholars to Economics. Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute Sources and Documents series. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute distributed by Harvard University Press, 1984, pages 135-47.
- João Antonio de Paula, "Roman Rosdolsky (1898-1967): um intelectual em tempos de extremos". Nova Economia, vol.17, n.2, 2007. http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-63512007000200004&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=pt
- Anson G. Rabinbach, "Roman Rosdolsky 1897-1967: An Introduction". New German Critique, No. 3 (Autumn, 1974), pp. 56-61.
External links
Wikiuniversity Rosdolsky reading circle (Vienna) http://de.wikiversity.org/wiki/Projekt:Rosdolsky-LesekreisSee also
- Emily Rosdolsky (de) :de:Emily Rosdolsky