Einstein's 'Why Socialism?' Revisited: John Bellamy Foster on Its Enduring Relevance

In a series of four articles focusing on ecology and materialism, John Bellamy Foster, who serves as the editor of Monthly Review and teaches sociology at the University of Oregon, examines the lasting significance of Albert Einstein's essay 'Why Socialism?', which first appeared in Monthly Review's inaugural issue in May 1949. Produced by Lynn Fries for GPEnewsdocs, Foster's analysis underscores Einstein's active political involvement, his contributions to the establishment of Brandeis University, and his relationships with prominent leftist thinkers such as Paul Sweezy, Leo Huberman, Otto Nathan, Paul Robeson, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Lillian Hellman. He asserts that Einstein was a committed socialist, challenging the common view of him as merely a liberal, and notes that the essay serves as a crucial entry point into socialist ideology. The series also addresses the suppression of socialist thought during the McCarthy era, Einstein's pioneering use of the First Amendment as a defense mechanism, and the pivotal Supreme Court case Sweezy v. New Hampshire, which became a benchmark for academic freedom. Foster calls for engaged organic intellectuals, resonating with Gramsci and Epicurus's sentiment, "It's up to us." This series draws from Foster's trilogy 'Marx's Ecology', 'The Return of Nature', and 'Breaking the Bonds of Fate', along with his book 'Albert Einstein's "Why Socialism?" The Enduring Relevance of His Classic Essay'.