Sohn-Rethel’s supposed decisive influence on Adorno is overstated in the literature

Evidence

In discussions of Adorno’s understanding of economy, Alfred Sohn-Rethel is often pointed to as the very first person to familiarise Adorno with the critique of political economy, and as the decisive influence on Adorno’s philosophy in general.ThisclaimisprimarilysupportedbyanenthusiasticletterfromAdorno to Sohn-Rethel, and by the fact that the latter is mentioned in a passage in Negative Dialectics. However, the relationship between the two – both biographically and intellectually – was not nearly as harmonious as it may at times appear. — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 300

Categorization

• XREF: The standard Sohn-Rethel-as-influence narrative is exactly the kind of received view the reader’s revisionist reading targets. — connects to: Sohn-Rethel’s parallel work gave Adorno support for his own value theory — Dirk Braunstein, Adorno’s Critique of Political Economy, 327