20 FEBRUARY 1971, Page 7

The usual buffoons

Luktics's most famous work, History and Class Consciousness, has for some time now been the sort of book with which any intel- lectual on the progressive merry-go-round would claim to be in tune. It was published in England last week. I looked at the Sunday papers expecting to see the usual buffoons giving their self-styled liberal blessing to its pre-Stalin Hegelianised Marxism. I was dis- appointed, since so far as I could discern, it wasn't reviewed at all. I am looking forward to the coming weekend.