https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUXiMi4bY68

Yanis Varoufakis and Grace Blakeley: “Why everything feels broken”

Minute 7.50: (Grace: “One of my favourite Greek Marxist theorists, other than you (Yanis Varoufakis) is Nikos Poulantzas.”

Question to AI: Why did Nikos Poulantzas commit suicide?

AI response:

Nicos Poulantzas, a prominent Marxist theorist, died by suicide on October 3, 1979, at age 43 by jumping from a window in Paris. While the exact reasons are private, reports suggest it was driven by personal despair, feelings of intellectual failure regarding his work, and the pressures of political disillusionment.

Feelings of Failure: Witness accounts suggest that shortly before his death, Poulantzas expressed that his theoretical work was worthless and that he had failed in his efforts.

Political Disillusionment: He was reportedly disappointed by the, at the time, perceived failure of Euro-Communism and the lack of understanding or support within activist groups.

Personal and Professional Stress: Accounts note he was under significant pressure and felt personal despair, possibly compounded by not being granted a professorship.

Context of Death: He committed suicide by jumping from the apartment of a friend in Paris.

His death is often cited as a profound loss to Marxist theory and a, as described in a Duke University Press article, “symbolic death of Marxism” to some, although the precise, intimate reasons remain part of an “inexplicable tragedy”.