The previous chapter focussed on Williams's relationship with "received" Marxism and its influence on his reception of Marx's work. From at least as early as 1969, however, Williams began comparing his own work with that of some significant "Western Marxists".¹ This period of careful reception of parallel projects and redefinition of his own was abruptly interrupted in 1976 by Eagleton's Althusserian critique. Williams's response later the same year met that critique point by point but also recognized the need for a more consolidated announcement of the emerging cultural materialism.²