Randy McGuire's article in Michael Schiffer's latest compilation is a well placed contribution to the growing body of literature that challenges the hegemonic discourse on the history ofAmerican Archaeology dominated by Willey and Sabloff (1974, 1980, 1993). With this article and his earlier book, McGuire (1992) joins the ranks of the historians of the discipline who recognise that there are rich traditions within archaeology that are ignored or dismissed by this dominant discourse (e.g., Levine 1991, 1993; Patterson 1986; Trigger 1989, 1993). McGuire is an unapologetic marxist (I am following McGuire's lead by de-capitalizing "marxist") and here provides a concise summation of the history of the relationship between marxist thought and the theory and practice of archaeology in the New World.