ABSTRACT This article reconstructs Oskar Negt and Alexander Kluge’s critical theory by articulating some of the key concepts of History and Obstinacy, their second collaboration. The objective is to detail the grounds of their critical theory and to show how it acquires its normative character. To this aim, in a first step, I reconstruct the basis of the anthropology developed by Negt and Kluge. This anthropology allows them to argue that subjects-insofar as they are creative beings-possess ‘obstinacy’, which they understand (...) as an intrinsic and material power to resist oppression. Following this, I discuss the concept of ‘primitive accumulation’, which is used by Negt and Kluge to expose the relation between capitalism and obstinacy. Finally, I clarify the way Negt and Kluge appeal to the concept of ‘human nature’ in order to show how their theory derives its normative character. To do so, I rely on Christoph Menke’s work on ‘inner nature’. (shrink)