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Paul (Z, OPE-L 2510) is right. This was discussed on this list several
years ago. My memory is a bit fuzzy these days, but the story is
something like this: Marx's papers were in the hands of the Avelings.
Aveling wrote a book, _The Student's Darwin_ or something like that, that
he wanted to dedicate to Darwin. He wrote to Darwin and sent a copy of
the book. Darwin wrote back thanking him for the book and declining the
offer of dedication. This letter got mixed in with Marx's papers and
that's the beginning of the myth.
But of course there's more to it than that. The myth was perpetuated
because it conformed to a prevalent evolutionist, scientistic, positivist
notion of "Marxism."
The whole episode was exposed by Margaret Fay, writing in Monthly Review,
I think, maybe about 20-25 years ago. I can't remember any more details.
BTW, the way I always heard the myth was that it was *Vol. I* that Marx
wanted to dedicate to Darwin.
Andrew Kliman
----- Original Message -----
From: Paul Zarembka <zarembka@acsu.buffalo.edu>
To: <ope-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, March 14, 2000 11:11 PM
Subject: [OPE-L:2510] Re: Marx & Darwin
: I read somewhere that this whole thing about Marx wanting to dedicate
: Capital to Darwin is bogus. I cannot remember where I read it but it
: sounded convincing. Paul
:
: ***********************************************************************
: Paul Zarembka, supporting RESEARCH IN POLITICAL ECONOMY
: ******************** http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/PZarembka
:
:
: Alejandro Ramos <aramos@btl.net> said, on 03/14/00 at 10:02 PM:
:
: >Dear Patrick and Steve:
:
: >According to Draper's Chronology (M&E Cyclopedia, I, p. 189), Marx
sent a
: >copy of the 2nd edition of Capital I to Darwin on Sept 25, 1873.
Darwin
: >replied on Oct 1st. He also sent a copy to Spencer.
:
: >Unfortunately, I don't have a good collection of Marx's letters but
I'm
: >sure you can trace Marx's letter easily. I have a Spanish version of
: >Darwin's letter which is, as traditionally believed, a polite one.
:
: >It seems also that Marx wanted to dedicate the 2nd Volume of Capital
to
: >Darwin but he declined the honour for religious concerns.
:
: >By the way, Marx died on March 14, 117 years ago.
:
: >Alejandro
: >----------------------------------
:
: >At 18:47 14/03/00 -0500, you wrote:
: >>
: >>---------- Forwarded message ----------
: >>Date Tue, 14 Mar 2000 14:02:56 PST
: >>From: "Steve Keen" <stevekeen10@hotmail.com>
: >>
: >>I heard the same, with detail about Marx sending Darwin a copy of
Capital,
: >>and receiving a polite letter back. I'll go offline and see if I can
find
: >>the gist--hopefully someone will beat me to it though!
: >>
: >>Steve
: >>
: >>>From: "Patrick L. Mason" <pmason@garnet.acns.fsu.edu>
: >>>Reply-To: ope-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu
: >>>To: ope-l@galaxy.csuchico.edu
: >>>Subject: [OPE-L:2504] Re: Re: The employment contract
: >>>Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 09:31:43 -0500
: >>>
: >>>
: >>>OPE-Lers:
: >>>
: >>>Somewhere, sometime, someplace, I remember reading about or hearing
about
: >>>the relationship between Marx and Darwin. Does anyone have a
reference
: >>>handy?
: >>>
: >>>I ask because I am a co-author on a paper where racial identity and
wealth
: >>>are endogenous variables. The formal model is an application of
: >>>evolutionary game theory. I'd be happy to forward the paper (e-mail)
to any
: >>>interested person(s).
: >>>
: >>>Thanks, patrick l mason
:
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