Abstract

Eric Hobsbawm is widely considered to be one of the most influential English-language historians of the twentieth century. Yet he is rarely, if ever, considered to be a great theorist. He certainly does not feature in the canon of “great” European social theorists of his generation, nor is he generally included in the more restricted list of major Marxist thinkers of his age. In this paper, I push back against this common view. I begin by exploring the underpinnings of Hobsbawm’s generalist history writing, which provides the key to understanding his theoretical approach. I then explore one specific theme in his work: capitalism. I identify three key concepts that gave shape to Hobsbawm’s theory of capitalism – transition, revolution, and modernity – and I look at how he mobilised each one to develop a comprehensive vision of the origins and development of capitalism (above all, in Europe). I close by asking what his theory of capitalism has to offer to historians and theorists in the twenty-first century – and whether we ought to take more seriously Hobsbawm’s theoretical aspirations.