This article discusses the criticism made by analytical Marxists to theoretical and methodological statements of traditional Marxism. At first, the article presents the content of this criticism, especially those on functional explanation; afterwards, it evaluates in what extent is it possible to elaborate a defense of that kind of explanation; thirdly, it discusses the methodological proposal of the analytical Marxism and its limits and advantages; finally, we make some considerations on what must be taken into account in this criticism to strengthen Marxism as a social science.
Analytical Marxism; Functional explanation; Methodological individualism; Social science