The egoistic individual stands at the centre of liberal philosophy: from "great man" versions of history to a legal system based on individual property rights. Liberals argue that this starting point can deliver freedom and rights for everyone. But this nice language conceals a deeply unfree society, where individuality is subservient to chance and class divisions. So how do we create a "society in which the genuine and free development of individuals ceases to be a mere phrase", as Marx hoped for? This session will discuss the role of the individual in history and politics, and present a Marxist critique of liberal individualism.