Shlomo Avineri, Moses Hess: Prophet of Communism and, Zionism by M. Mishkinsky

Summary

There has been no shortage of writing about Moses Hess. Even the titles of the works in the selected bibliography at the end of Avineri's book (which has since also been published in Hebrew under a different title, Between Socialism and Zionism), reflect the extent of interest in Hess's life, his thought and his deeds. Scholarly interest in Hess has in fact increased in recent decades in many countries and under different political regimes, and it is instructive to note the reasons for this.

One set of factors accounting for this renewed interest in Hess is related to his socialism - for example, the upsurge of interest in the radical, leftist group with which he was associated, the Young Hegelians. Connected with this, but none the less distinct, is the increasing legitimacy of historical research into the young Marx, both in the Communist world (though not unrestrictedly) and elsewhere. The emergence of neo-Marxist factions and the renewed interest in such trends as religious socialism, anarchism, and ‘Utopian socialism’, as well as in moral philosophy, has also played its part.

A second set of factors is connected with Hess's nationalism. Thus, research into the development of the nationalist idea and nationalist movements in the socialist camp in the nineteenth century has also sparked renewed interest in Hess. The development of Zionist, and particularly Socialist-Zionist, historiography, which received a particular impetus with the establishment of the State of lsrael, was also a major factor.

Scholars are united in recognizing that the development of Hess's thought was far from clear or methodical. Nevertheless, there is widespread acclaim of his imagination and originality, and of the breadth of his public (and political) activity. This was such as to have bearing, to a greater or lesser extent, directly or indirectly, on all the topics mentioned. In fact, the very extent of his interests has in itself aroused scholars’ curiosity and inspired attempts to explain ambivalent terminology and concepts. This has given rise to a multitude of explanations, albeit sometimes conflicting. There have also, of course, been attempts to identify strands of unity and continuity in Hess's writings over the decades, or at least to regroup the many shades of his opinions into a rainbow of distinct hues.