Critiques offers a compelling defence of development, showing that Marxist approaches to this contentious concept still have much to offer us today.
Tom Brass pushes back against claims that development is outdated, environmentally destructive and Eurocentric, arguing instead for the revival of a Marxist analysis focused on class struggle, economic production and redistribution. The book takes aim at two dominant interpretations of rural development: populism and postmodernism. Under the misleading guise of new paradigms, these approaches have sought to exorcise two ghosts: not just development itself, but also Marxist theory about development. The book includes a discussion of one aspect of the debate about racism – labour market competition – and asks why the reproduction of this ideology is more acute at some historical conjunctures but not others. This same question, Brass suggests, can also be asked about the “industrial reserve”.
ISBN: 9798888905562
Publication date: October 28, 2025
“Critiques: In Defence of Development is essential reading for anyone engaged in critical debates about development and its links to climate change, identity politics, and neoliberalism. Brass’s incisive analysis and unflinching defense of Marxist approaches provide a refreshing and necessary intervention in development discourse amidst the many complex challenges of today’s contemporary era. The book is a call for academics and practitioners to reassess the fundamentals of development and resist the dilution of economic struggles in favor of depoliticized critiques.” —Luthfiah, Alem Febri Sonni, and Rahman Saeni, Community Development
Edited by Tom Brass and Raju J. Das
One of the best ways you can support Haymarket is by becoming a member of our subscription program. Receive up to 40 books per year and help ensure the future of radical publishing.
Join today and start your subscription with one or more of these new books!
