"Scholars of Marxism will be in Nick Knight's debt for this pioneering study of one of the most important figures in the development of Marxism in China. Knight makes an important case about the relationship of Chinese Marxist thought to Marxist thought in general (with particular attention to Soviet Marxism). The book makes available to readers not just important texts of Chinese Marxism, but a whole series of texts of Marxism that were crucial to the political discourse of the thirties. Knight displays impressive erudition and command of these texts. In spite of the strong case he makes for his thesis, he retains throughout an admirable critical self-awareness that enhances the plausibility of his argument." -Arif DirlikDuke University

Nick Knight

Li Da (18901966) was one of Chinas most important Marxist intellectuals and a founding member of the Chinese Communist Party, yet he has been little studied in the West. In this seminal work, Knight analyzes Li Das contribution to the dissemination of Marxist philosophy and theory in China and explores his philosophical relationship with Mao Zedong. Through the lens of Lis life and thought, this book provides a detailed assessment of the introduction and dissemination of Marxist philosophy and social theory in China. Li Da (18901966) was one of Chinas most important Marxist intellectuals and a founding member of the Chinese Communist Party. He played a major role in the introduction of Marxist philosophy and theory to China and in its dissemination among Chinese revolutionaries. His works are now regarded in China as classics of Marxist philosophy, and he is numbered among the ten most influential Chinese intellectuals of this century. Yet, almost nothing has been written about Li Da in English.In this seminal study, Knight analyzes Li Das contribution to the flowering of Marxist philosophy and theory in China, examining Lis writings and placing them in the context of the Marxist tradition. Knight also explores Li Das philosophical relationship with Mao Zedong, who was heavily influenced by Lis works. Through the lens of Lis life and thought, this book provides a detailed assessment of the introduction and dissemination of Marxist philosophy and social theory in China.

Preface -- The Life of a Philosopher During an Era of War and Revolution -- Marxist Philosophy and Social Theory: The Origins of Li Da's Thought -- Li Da and Marxism, 1919-23 -- Li Da and Marxist Theory, 1923-32 -- Translation and the Dissemination of Marxism in China -- Li Da's Elements of Sociology and Marxist Philosophy in China -- Elements of Sociology: The History, Laws and Categories of Dialectical Materialism -- Elements of Sociology: Epistemology and Logic -- Li Da and Mao Zedong Thought -- Writings on Marxist Philosophy and Theory of the 1950s and 1960s -- Conclusion: Li Da and Marxist Philosophy in China