Home
https://www.versobooks.com/blogs/3312-the-crisis-of-marxism-an-interview-with-louis-althusser
I am pretty sure I saw an interview somewhere with Slavoj Zizek saying that he wasn't a Marxist that would have dovetailed nicely into this.
Althusser: Marxist philosophy does not exist, and it cannot exist. I mentioned this a long time ago, two months after I wrote a brief introduction for the Italian edition of Capital. After the publication of the book, I understood that almost everything was wrong. Finally one had to talk about the Marxist position within philosophy, but not of Marxist philosophy. Now, I am sure — and I am speaking with the experience of 15 years — that a Marxist philosophy is impossible to exist, just impossible.
Journalist: Can dialectical materialism not exist either?
Althusser: They are the same thing, even worse…
On Communism
Journalist: The word "auto-determination" refers to the word "communism"?
Althusser: Well, not for me...
Journalist: What is the difference?
Althusser: Because the word "auto-determination" does not have until now any substance/content. On the other hand, communism exists. Auto-determination does not exist, but communism does. For example, it exists among us here on this rooftop of Rome.
Journalist: In what sense?
Althusser: Communism is a mode of production where there are no economic relationships of exploitation nor any political relationships of domination. Neither are there ideological relationships of intimidation or pressure, nor of ideological enslavement. And here among us these relationships do not exist.
I am pretty sure I saw an interview somewhere with Slavoj Zizek saying that he wasn't a Marxist that would have dovetailed nicely into this.