Moses Hess: The Holy History of Mankind and Other Writings

Moses Hess is a major figure in the development of both early communist and Zionist thought. The Holy History of Mankind appeared in 1837, and was the first book-length socialist tract to appear in Germany, representing an unusual synthesis of Judaism and Christianity that showed the considerable influence upon Hess of Spinoza, Herder and Hegel. In due course many of Hess’s ideas would find their way into the work of Karl Marx, and into subsequent socialist thought. The distinguished political scientist Shlomo Avineri provides the first full English translation of this text, along with new renditions of Socialism and Communism, A Communist Credo; and The Consequences of a Future Revolution of the Proletariat. All of the usual reader-friendly series features are provided, including a chronology, concise introduction and notes for further reading, in a work of special relevance to students of politics, modern European history, and the history of Zionism.

• New rendition of key writings by a major early socialist and Zionist thinker • Shlomo Avineri is the author of one of the classic analyses of Marx’s thought, and a political scientist of great distinction • All the usual student-friendly series features, including notes for further reading, chronology, and contextual notes

Introduction; Note on the text; Chronology; Bibliographical note; The Holy History of Mankind; Socialism and Communism; A Communist Credo; Consequences of a Future Revolution of the Proletariat; Appendix: Christ and Spinoza (from Rome and Jerusalem: The Last Nationality Question); Index.