Ashbāḥ-i Mārx: Wazʿīyat-i Dīn, ʿAmal-i Sūgvarī va Bayn‑al‑Mellal-i Navīn Persian 2025

The book “Specters of Marx” by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, first published in 1993, is one of the most influential and debated works in late twentieth-century political philosophy. Based on Derrida’s lectures at the University of California, Irvine, the book revisits the legacy of Marxism in the post–Cold War world and demonstrates how ideas and historical movements, or “specters,” continue to be active and influential in the present.

In this work, Derrida, employing a deconstructive approach, interrogates Marxist concepts such as class struggle, historical materialism, and justice, and critiques how modern capitalism continues to cast its shadow over global politics, culture, and economy. He presents Marxism not as a closed doctrine but as an ethical and political legacy that requires ongoing engagement, critique, and reinterpretation.

The book focuses on key themes such as the immortality of ideas, moral responsibility toward the future, and the interplay of memory, history, and justice, emphasizing that ignoring lessons from the past risks repeating systemic injustices. The characters in the book are conceptual—Marx himself, capitalism, communism, and the specters of ideology—engaging in a philosophical dialogue that explores political and economic structures while highlighting the necessity of ethical responsibility in the modern world.

“Specters of Marx” received widespread attention and acclaim, recognized both as a major resource in poststructuralist political philosophy and critical theory, while also drawing critiques for its dense and deconstructive style. The work stands as a prominent example of Derrida’s engagement with political and ethical issues, illustrating how philosophy can illuminate pressing social and historical concerns.