Symposion. Theoretical and Applied Inquiries in Philosophy and Social Sciences Symposion. Theoretical and Applied Inquiries in Philosophy and Social Sciences
Landon Frim
ABSTRACT: In his 1843 essay, On the Jewish Question, Marx argues in favor of Jewish political emancipation. However, this entails freedom in a merely negative sense only – the absence of official discrimination before the law. The question thus remains: What of full human emancipation? Is Marx’s positive conception of freedom, based on rational enlightenment and universal solidarity, compatible with continued Jewish identity? This article maintains that it depends entirely on how one employs the word ‘Judaism.’ For his part, Marx already drew a critical distinction between what he called (1) ‘practical Judaism’ and (2) ‘pious’ Judaism. The former signifies the perceived role of Jewish people in the modern economy, while the latter refers to Jewish spiritual beliefs and rituals. To this list we add two further designations: (3) ‘popular Judaism’ and (4) ‘political Judaism.’ These denote, respectively, Jewish cultural expressions which are non-religious (such as secular Yiddish theater), and projects of Jewish national autonomy (notably Bundism and Zionism). This article will argue that ‘popular Judaism,’ in particular, is entirely consistent with full, human emancipation on the Marxist model.
