Leszek Kolakowski, born in Radom, Poland, 23 October, 1927; died in Oxford, England, 17 July, 2009. Highlights include “My correct views on everything” in the 1974 Socialist Register (a reply to E. P. Thompson’s “Open Letter to Leszek Kolakowski” from the previous year), the second volume of Main Currents of Marxism, and his study of the Jansenists, God Owes Us Nothing.
Kolakowski wasa great man, at least from my skide of the fence. I honor hismemory. Perhaps I will write a short piece on him.
Could have done with forewarning of the length of Thompson’s letter, but glad of the reminder of how well he wrote.
Funny piece Kolakowski’s. Some of it really good, some of it manifestly unfair.
I’ve emailed the Socialist Register: there’s a couple of later pages in Thompson’s piece inserted too early in the pdf.