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Rudolf HilferdingAustrian and German Marxist
Date of Birth: 10.08.1877
Country:  Austria |
Content:
- Rudolf Hilferding: A Marxist Pioneer
- Political Activism
- Economic Theorist
- World War and Revolution
- Ministerial Roles
- Tragic End
Rudolf Hilferding: A Marxist Pioneer
Early Life and EducationRudolf Hilferding, born in 1877 in Vienna, Austria, to a Jewish family, developed socialist leanings during his medical studies at the University of Vienna. Alongside his studies, he delved into Marxist theory, history, and philosophy with fellow socialists like Otto Bauer and Karl Renner.
Political Activism
Upon graduating as a pediatrician, Hilferding shifted his focus to politics. He relocated to Berlin and joined the Social Democratic Party of Germany, contributing articles to its theoretical journal, "Neue Zeit." In 1902, he penned a critique of marginal utility theory with "Böhm-Bawerk as a Critic of Marx."
Economic Theorist
In 1907, Hilferding became editor of "Vorwärts," the party's central newspaper. His magnum opus, "Finance Capital" (1910), is a seminal Marxist work on capitalism. He conceptualized "finance capital" and analyzed the growing influence of banking and corporations.
World War and Revolution
During World War I, Hilferding opposed German socialists' support for the war but avoided radicalism like Vladimir Lenin. In 1918, he co-founded the Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany and played a role in the November Revolution.
Ministerial Roles
In 1919, Hilferding gained German citizenship and joined the Economic Council. He served as Minister of Finance during the 1923 inflation crisis and again in 1928-1929. With the rise of Adolf Hitler, the Jewish and socialist Hilferding fled to France.
Tragic End
After the German occupation of France, the Vichy regime extradited Hilferding to the Nazis. He died in a Gestapo prison in Paris in 1941, a victim of persecution and the Holocaust.
