This new volume from esteemed Marxist historian Jairus Banaji collects his reflections on historical materialism from over fifty years of activism and academic research.

Historical materialism as Marx understood it was always an integrated conception or field of research, not one divided into separate disciplines. The essays gathered in this volume are a remarkable example of how this works across a wide range of subjects as diverse as agrarian history, capitalism, Hegel’s influence on Marx, and class struggles in India. As such, they embody Banaji’s lifelong engagement with Marxist theory. The collection includes his recent papers on merchant capitalism, as well as a biographical sketch contextualizing Banaji’s work.