Hobsbawm in Conversation with Jacques Attali

Nearly fifteen years after the collapse of 'existing socialism' and over a decade after Derrida warned of the return of specters of Marx, there certainly is a new found respect for Marx, even though he is now seen as a champion of globalization and free trade.

The pitamah of Marxist historiography, Eric Hobsbawm in conversation with international banker Jacques Attali, whose recent biography of Marx, the second one after the collapse of Soviet Union, is selling like hot cakes in France.

If you look at the history of mankind in the past two centuries, this is the fourth attempt at globalisation. The first came at the end of the 18th century, collapsing with the Napoleonic wars. The second came at the end of the 19th century and collapsed with the First World War. The globalisation of the 1920s collapsed with the Second World War. We are in the fourth attempt at globalisation in two centuries and the most probable outcome is that this attempt will go the same way as the previous, leading to isolationism and protectionism.

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