Eric Hobsbawm was one of the most influential historians of the 20th century, known for shaping Marxist historiography and shifting historical writing away from kings and governments toward the lived experience of ordinary people — an approach often called “history from below.” A lifelong Marxist and member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, Hobsbawm combined class analysis with attention to politics, culture, nationalism and popular movements to build a genuinely total history of the modern world.
This article explains Hobsbawm’s key concepts — the Dual Revolution linking the French and Industrial Revolutions, his periodisation of the “long 19th century” and “short 20th century,” the idea of invented tradition, his theory of social banditry, and his modernist account of nationalism. It also covers his tetralogy on modern history, his role in founding the journal Past and Present, his intellectual relationship with E.P. Thompson, and common criticisms of his Marxist approach. Useful for students of history, political theory, sociology and UPSC or state civil services aspirants.
Author: Darshita Neeraj
Senior Researcher,
Mudita Learning and Knowledge Private Limited
Email: info@muditabooks.com
Date of post: 26.08.2026
Want to access the content offline?
Download our PDF now and enjoy seamless reading anytime, anywhere!