Robert Paul Wolff

In Defense of Anarchism, published in 1970, sold more than 200,000 copies, articulating the thesis that a robust commitment to individual autonomy precludes the existence of a de jure legitimate state. This work established the academic trajectory of Robert Paul Wolff, a thinker who spent over five decades navigating the intersections of political philosophy, Marxism, and university governance.

Academic Career and Appointments

Born in New York City in 1933, Wolff completed his B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in philosophy at Harvard University between 1953 and 1957. His teaching career began at Harvard, where he served as an instructor from 1958 until 1961. Subsequently, he held an assistant professorship at the University of Chicago from 1961 to 1964, followed by a tenure at Columbia University, where he rose to the rank of professor. In 1971, he moved to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. There, he served as a professor of philosophy until 1992, at which point he transitioned to become a professor of Afro-American studies until his retirement in 2008, holding the title of professor emeritus thereafter.

Political and Philosophical Scholarship

Wolff’s scholarship frequently challenged prevailing liberal orthodoxies. In The Poverty of Liberalism, he critiqued the inconsistencies within 20th-century liberal and conservative traditions. His engagement with John Rawls resulted in the 1977 book Understanding Rawls: A Critique and Reconstruction of A Theory of Justice, in which he argued that Rawls’s framework functioned as an apology for capitalist social relations and the existing status quo. Beyond political theory, Wolff produced significant commentary on the work of Karl Marx, including the volumes Understanding Marx and Moneybags Must Be So Lucky, an analysis of the rhetorical structures found within Das Kapital. His textbook, About Philosophy, became a standard resource for introductory college courses.

Institutional Advocacy and Public Life

In his 1969 book The Ideal of the University, Wolff proposed that higher education institutions should shift governance models toward participatory democracy, favoring faculty and student control over external market pressures. His commitment to educational access extended to the founding of the University Scholarships for South African Students in 1990, an organization established to provide funding for disadvantaged students in South Africa. Later in his life, he chronicled his transition from the philosophy department to the department of Afro-American studies in the 2005 work Autobiography of an Ex-White Man. Wolff maintained a blog titled The Philosopher's Stone to discuss ongoing political and philosophical issues. He died at Duke University Hospital on January 6, 2025.

Fast facts

• Born: 1933, New York City
• Died: 2025, Duke University Hospital
• Education: Harvard University
• Primary Field: Political Philosophy
• Notable Publication: In Defense of Anarchism
• Retirement Status: Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Founder: University Scholarships for South African Students

Questions readers ask

What was the central argument of In Defense of Anarchism?

Wolff argued that if one accepts the requirement for individual autonomy, there can be no de jure legitimate state.

What subjects did Wolff teach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst?

He served as a professor of philosophy from 1971 to 1992 and as a professor of Afro-American studies from 1992 to 2008.

Achievements

• Notable work: In Defense of Anarchism
• Held posts at Harvard University, University of Chicago and University of Massachusetts Amherst