CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORY General Editor: ANTHONY GIDDENS This series aims to create a forum for debate between different theoretical and philosophical traditions in the social sciences. As well as covering broad schools of thought, the series will also con centrate upon the work of particular thinkers whose ideas have had a major impact on social science (these books appear under the sub series title of 'Theoretical Traditions in the Social Sciences'). The series is not limited to abstract theoretical discussion - it will also include more substantive works on contemporary capitalism, the state, politics and other subject areas. Published titles Tony Bilton, Kevin Bonnett, Philip Jones, Ken Sheard, Michelle Stanworth and Andrew Webster, Introductory Sociology Simon Clarke, Marx, Marginalism and Modern Sociology Emile Durkheim, The Rules of Sociological Method (ed. Steven Lukes, trans. W. D. Halls) Anthony Giddens, A Contemporary Critique of Historical Materialism Anthony Giddens, Central Problems in Social Theory Anthony Giddens, Profiles and Critiques in Social Theory Anthony Giddens and David Held (eds), Classes, Power and Conflict Ali Rattansi, Marx and the Division of Labour Gerry Rose, Deciphering Sociological Research John Scott, The Upper Classes: Property and Privilege in Britain Steve Taylor, Durkheim and the Study of Suicide John B. Thompson and David Held (eds), Habermas: Critical Debates John Urry, The Anatomy of Capitalist Societies Forthcoming titles Martin Albrow, Weber and the Construction of Social Theory Clive Ashworth, Chris Dandeker and Terry Johnson, Theoretical Sociology David Brown and Michael Harrison, Industrial Sociology Emile Durkheim, The Division of Labour in Society (trans. W.D. Halls) Boris Frankel, Beyond the State Anthony Giddens, Between Capitalism and Socialism David Held, Bureaucracy, Democracy and Socialism Geoffrey Ingham, Capitalism Divided Jorge Larrain, Marxism and Ideology Claus Offe, Structural Problems of the Capitalist State Michelle Stanworth, Gender and Class John B. Thompson, Language and Ideology CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORY General Editor: ANTHONY GIDDENS Theoretical Traditions in the Social Sciences This series introduces the work of major figures in social science to students beyond their immediate specialisms. Published titles Barry Barnes, T. S. Kuhn and Social Science Julian Roberts, Walter Benjamin Forthcoming titles Ted Benton, Althusser and the Althusserians David Bloor, Wittgenstein and Social Science Chris Bryant, Positivism in Social Theory John Forrester, Jacques Lacan John Heritage, Garfinkel and Ethnomethodology Athar Hussain, Foucault Bob Jessop, Nicos Poulantzas James Schmidt, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Social Theory Dennis Smith, Barrington Moore: Violence, Morality and Political Change Robin Williams, Erving Goffman Walter Benjamin Julian Roberts M ©Julian Roberts 1982 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1s t edition 1982 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without permission. First published 1982 by THE MACMILLAN PRESS L TO London and Basingstoke Companies and representatives throughout the world ISBN 978-0-333-30619-2 ISBN 978-1-349-17018-0 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-17018-0 Typeset in areat Britain by ILLUSTRAT EO ARTS The paperback edition of this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. Gang leaders Stride about like statesmen. The peoples Are no longer visible under the armaments. So the future lies in darkness, and the forces for good Are weak. All this you saw ... BRECHT, 'On the suicide of the refugee W. B.' (1941) Contents Preface IX Introduction 1 The highly respected enigma 1 Instructions for use 8 I Benjamin's Life Studentship 13 The move towards politics 1919-25 15 Maturity 1926-39 16 Coda 1939-40 19 II Context and Background 1. The Early Years 23 The youth movement 24 Universities 36 Zionism 43 2. Socialism and the Writer 49 Leftism and the literary avant-garde 50 The Institute for Social Research 65 3. The Intellectual Background 76 Traditionalism 77 Interventionism 91 III Benjamin's Work 1. From Ethics to Politics 103 Critique of symbolism 104 Ethics and practice 133 viii Contents 2. Historical Materialism 153 The dialectic of practice 154 Technik and intellectual practice 157 False consciousness 169 3. The Revolution - Utopia or Plan? 196 The problem of the 'Theses on History' 196 Utopianism and Benjamin's work 199 The theoretical context 208 Materialism and 'hermeneutics' 216 Notes and References 227 Index 247 Preface lowe many thanks to those who read and commented on this book as it took shape. They include John Ashton, Chloe Chard, Tony Giddens, David Held, Charles Lewis and John Winckler. I am particularly indebted to the deep scholarship and unfailing support of James Bradley. I am very grateful to my colleagues at the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology for making it possible for me to take a year off to write this, and also to the German Academic Exchange Service for their financial help. lowe perhaps most to the learning and loyalty of my parents, Mark Roberts and Rosalind Depas, and to the affectionate fore bearance of Philippa Bush. Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology JULIAN ROBERTS October 1981 Introduction The highly respected enigma Since his death in 1940 Walter Benjamin has become recognised as one of the major figures of modern philosophy. For a man who during his life had no proper career and published little except short articles and book reviews, the acclaim he has now received in the academic world and among publishers is remarkable. The 'Benjamin renaissance' started in 1955 with the publication of a slim selection of pieces. Since then output has multiplied enor mously, and we are at present half way through the massive Collected Works which have, to date, produced nine substantial volumes. This project is a monument of editorial skill and inno vation.1 The upsurge of interest in Benjamin was also accompanied, as might have been expected, by extensive contributions from aca demic researchers. A rich body of commentary accumulated throughout the 1970s - most of it in the form of doctoral disserta tions and scholarly articles. A great deal of this has appeared outside Germany. 2 At the same time the assimilation of Benjamin's work among a wider public is less conspicuous. Despite the enormous attention paid to him by specialists, it is noticeable that Benjamin still has no generally recognised theoretical identity. There is nothing which people would commonly acknowledge as 'Benjaminian' in the same way that they might locate 'Brechtian' or 'Lacanian' motifs in a theoretical text. It is almost unthinkable that anyone might be described as 'a Benjaminian'; or at least it would be entirely obscure what that might signify. Similarly, Benjamin does not reap the citations which might be felt appropriate to a thinker of his