Marxism is absolute historicism, not metaphysical materialism

Evidence

In reality the term immanence has here acquired a special meaning which is not that of the “pantheists” nor any other metaphysical meaning but one which is new and needs to be specified. It has been forgotten that in the case of a very common expression [historical materialism] one should put the accent on the first term—” historical”—and not on the second, which is of metaphysical origin. The philosophy of praxis is absolute “historicism”, the absolute secularisation and earthliness of thought, an absolute humanism of history. — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1646

Categorization

• DEFINE: Defines the philosophy of praxis as absolute historicism, shifting the accent onto ‘historical’ rather than ‘materialism.’
• XREF: This historicism-without-metaphysics chimes with how later theorists (Said, Hall) read Gramsci as rejecting fixed essence—a concept the Islamophobia readings will lean on. — connects to: Historical materialism is fundamentally historicist, not metaphysical; Marxism is anti-systematic and therefore concludes philosophy by refusing metaphysical closure — Fredric Jameson, Marxism and Form, 711; Marxism continues immanence stripped of metaphysics onto historical terrain — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1599 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Historical materialism is fundamentally historicist, not metaphysical #corroborates (0.90)
• Historical materialism requires no metaphysical-materialist foundation #corroborates (0.85)
• Marxism is anti-systematic and therefore concludes philosophy by refusing metaphysical closure #expands (0.75) — Fredric Jameson, Marxism and Form, 711
• Marxism continues immanence stripped of metaphysics onto historical terrain #qualifies (0.75) — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1599
• Historical specificity, not mere materialism, defines Marx’s theory of culture #expands (0.75)
• Historical specificity distinguishes Marx’s materialism from vulgar or technological determinism #qualifies (0.72) — Hall, Stuart, Essential Essays, Volume 1, 881