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A review by starrybooker
Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition by Cedric J. Robinson
Only took me a year and a bit, but I finally managed it. Black Marxism, while absolutely a political book, is equally a history book. Charting the history of labour through feudal Europe into the Atlantic slave trade and through into 20th century black radicals, Cedric Robinson writes with a knowledge and depth that’s kind of intimidating but ultimately rewarding.
I can’t do justice to have broad his scope is, going across continents and colonies, correcting and expanding the historical record as he goes. Robinson makes clear that enslaved African people weren’t passive in the face of their captivity, and tracks the various revolts and rebellions that helped to drive out slavery as a practise, particularly on the island of Haiti.
This book also serves as a skewering of western Marxism. I’m a huge leftie, but I’m also believe that all ideologies need to be criticised to move forward, especially when said ideology is hundreds of years old. I loved reading the latter chapters where Robinson goes through and analyses the politics of thinkers like W. E. B. Du Bois and Richard Wright, both of whom were drawn in by the communist movement before being disillusioned by the party’s racism and lack of understanding of the racialised nature of western labour.
So yeah, really great book. I wouldn’t necessarily blind-recommend it because it’s definitely not for every reader. It’s extremely dense, and Robinson often assumes prior-knowledge of events and language that I personally had to look up (especially in the opening chapters - I’m a nerd, but there’s only so far my knowledge of medieval European history goes). But if you can get through the academic language and slow pace, it’s a very rewarding read.
I can’t do justice to have broad his scope is, going across continents and colonies, correcting and expanding the historical record as he goes. Robinson makes clear that enslaved African people weren’t passive in the face of their captivity, and tracks the various revolts and rebellions that helped to drive out slavery as a practise, particularly on the island of Haiti.
This book also serves as a skewering of western Marxism. I’m a huge leftie, but I’m also believe that all ideologies need to be criticised to move forward, especially when said ideology is hundreds of years old. I loved reading the latter chapters where Robinson goes through and analyses the politics of thinkers like W. E. B. Du Bois and Richard Wright, both of whom were drawn in by the communist movement before being disillusioned by the party’s racism and lack of understanding of the racialised nature of western labour.
So yeah, really great book. I wouldn’t necessarily blind-recommend it because it’s definitely not for every reader. It’s extremely dense, and Robinson often assumes prior-knowledge of events and language that I personally had to look up (especially in the opening chapters - I’m a nerd, but there’s only so far my knowledge of medieval European history goes). But if you can get through the academic language and slow pace, it’s a very rewarding read.