The Economic Legacy of Eugen Varga

This book explores the legacy of economist Eugen Varga and the continued importance of his life and work. It examines the influence of Marx and Luxemburg on Varga’s ideas, particularly his analysis of the capitalist mode of production and his theoretical work on the development of an alternative mode of production. How Varga found limitations in not just his own strongly empirical epistemology, but also in the anti-dialectic Stalinist system are discussed, alongside why these critiques remain relevant in relation to neoliberal theories, inequality, and ecological concerns. Varga’s specific notion of the modern state, his political economy analysis, and his position within the Marxist economic tradition are also covered.
This book provides insight into the challenges faced when attempting to overcome the capitalist mode of production, as well as the historical limitations of scientific research and how ideas can be corrupted by personal, political, and societal forces. It will be relevant to students and researchers interested in Marxist economics, the political economy, and the history of economic thought.

Judith Dellheim has been a Senior Research Fellow at the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
Frieder Otto Wolf is Professor of Philosophy at the Free University of Berlin.