August H. Nimtz, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota, and Kyle A. Edwards, a curriculum administrator and class struggle researcher, explore the interplay of revolutionary liberalism and communism. They delve into the significance of historical figures like Marx and Douglass during the Civil War. Their discussion connects these ideas to modern movements like Black Lives Matter. They also critique how historical narratives, such as the 1619 Project, overlook class struggles, emphasizing the importance of grassroots activism over traditional politics.
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Project Genesis
Kyle Edwards, a curriculum administrator, was inspired by August Nimtz's book Marx versus Liberalism and David Blight's Douglass biography.
This led to conversations and eventually their co-authored book comparing Marx and Douglass.
insights INSIGHT
Activism Comparison
August Nimtz, a political science professor, emphasizes the importance of comparing Marx and Douglass as political activists.
This comparison helps analyze their democratic credentials through their actions, not just words.
insights INSIGHT
Contemporary Relevance
Contemporary interest in racial oppression and emancipation prompted the authors to revisit the American Civil War.
They examine Marx and Douglass's writings to understand effective political strategies for emancipation.
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Marx versus Liberalism, a real-time comparative politics
Marx versus Liberalism, a real-time comparative politics
August Nimtz
Marxism versus Liberalism: Comparative Real-Time Political Analysis
Marxism versus Liberalism: Comparative Real-Time Political Analysis
August Nimtz
The Ballot, the Streets―or Both: From Marx and Engels to Lenin and the October Revolution
The Ballot, the Streets―or Both: From Marx and Engels to Lenin and the October Revolution
August Nimtz
The Communist and the Revolutionary Liberal in the Second American Revolution: Comparing Karl Marx and Frederick Douglass in Real-Time
The Communist and the Revolutionary Liberal in the Second American Revolution: Comparing Karl Marx and Frederick Douglass in Real-Time
Kyle Edwards
August Nimtz
Frederick Douglass
Philip Sheldon Foner
Frederick Douglass
Yuval Taylor
This compilation includes selected works from Frederick Douglass's extensive writings, such as his autobiographies, speeches, and essays. It provides a comprehensive view of his life, from his experiences as an enslaved person to his rise as a leading abolitionist and civil rights advocate. The editors, Philip Sheldon Foner and Yuval Taylor, have curated these works to showcase Douglass's powerful oratory and literary skills, as well as his significant contributions to the fight against slavery and for equal rights.
The last decade has seen a resurgence of interest and urgency to questions of racial oppression and emancipation. We’ve now had about a decade of activists fighting for the idea that Black Lives Matter which eventually culminated in the summer of 2020 with millions taking to the streets. The actual concrete victories have been more of a mixed bag, which leads us to the question: what sort of politics are needed to achieve real emancipation? This led Kyle Edwards and August Nimtz back to the American Civil War, and more specifically to the writings of Karl Marx and Frederick Douglass. Both wrote quite prolifically on the events that were happening and were enthusiastic about its possibilities for the advancement of human freedom, but both brought some very different political values and ideas to their analysis. In studying these two figures together, Edwards and Nimtz are able to show how both a fight for Communism rooted in class struggle and a revolutionary liberalism rose to this profound historical moment. The result is The Communist and the Revolutionary Liberal in the Second American Revolution: Comparing Karl Marx and Frederick Douglass in Real-Time (Brill, 2024), a study with a concrete answer to the question of what sort of politics will be needed going forward.
Published as part of the Historical Materialism book series by Brill and Haymarket.
Kyle Edwards is a Curriculum Administrator at the University of Minnesota, and a member of AFSCME 3800.
August Nimtz is a professor in the political science department at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of numerous books, including Marxism versus Liberalism: Comparative Real-Time Political Analysis and The Ballot, the Streets―or Both: From Marx and Engels to Lenin and the October Revolution.
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