The influence of Vico's thought on A. Labriola

Abstract

Antonio Labriola (1843-1904) was undoubtedly one of the great theorists of Italian Marxism, as well as a philosopher, activist, and journalist. Well-versed in the works of Vico, he accessed Vico’s ideas through the influence of the teachings of B. Spaventa, which also influenced the understanding of Vico by B. Croce and G. Gentile, within the circle of the “Italian idealist renaissance”, particularly expressed in “Neapolitan Hegelianism”. Labriola’s interest in Vico is primarily focused on the development of Vico’s philosophy of history, which involves the analysis of concepts such as verum-factum, “corso and ricorso”, the role of “providence” in history as the “astuteness of reason”, and the relationship between theory and practice. These elements were highly valued a the theoretical Marxist construction, which he would also share, on the other hand, with A. Gramsci