Benjamin’s stated Marxism was not backed by practical competence in Marxist theory

Evidence

On the basis of his experience and his committed work as a left intellectual writer, Benjamin should in fact have had a closer relationship to Marxist theory than Adorno. But did he really show greater competence in practising what he wrote in his Theses on the Philosophy of History'that historical materialism is easily a match for anyone if it enlists the services of theology, which today, as we know, is wizened and has to keep out of sight’? — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 889

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to Benjamin’s ‘Theses on the Philosophy of History’ theological-redemption claim, which resurfaces in discussions of historical materialism’s religious borrowings. — connects to: Theology-Marxism mediation hindered rather than helped Benjamin’s originality — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 890; Adorno judged Benjamin’s Marxism an unwitting productive misreading, not orthodoxy — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 297; Benjamin’s Marxism retained a Talmudic exegetical mode of thought — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination: A History…, 599 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Adorno judged Benjamin’s Marxism an unwitting productive misreading, not orthodoxy #corroborates (0.82) — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 297
• Theology-Marxism mediation hindered rather than helped Benjamin’s originality #complicates (0.78) — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 890
• Benjamin’s Marxism retained a Talmudic exegetical mode of thought #qualifies (0.75) — Martin Jay, The Dialectical Imagination, 599
• Adorno’s criticisms of Benjamin’s Marxism reveal his own conception of Marxian critique #complicates (0.72) — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 221