Marxist thought was a powerful force in French political and intellectual life throughout the twentieth century. This book takes you from its early beginnings to its peak in the 1970s, when it dominated the battle of ideas. You will follow conceptual debates on the materialist dialectic, explore Marxism as a system of thought, and experience the ambition of the men and women of letters who sought to change the world. This second edition is augmented with essays on how Marxist thinkers grappled with religion, everyday life, the Cold War, and other leading intellectual movements.