Lenin on World War 1. And some other shit

[( R )evolution]

Hey guys, I am in need of a little clarification. I am currently studying world war 1 and I am wondering if anyone has a good critique of world war 1 from a leftist view point. I am aware that Lenin stated that worldwide imperialism was responsible for the war but how so was it economic imperialism that caused it?

"Lenin argued that large banking interests in the various capitalist-imperialist powers had pulled the strings in the various governments and led them into the war."

What was the benefit of the war for these banking interest? I know America had to enter the war to ensure that they got paid back the debts by the Allies but what about the European banking interest before the war?

Also, after the revolutions in 1917 that led to the establishment of the Russian Communist Party why did Lenin begin to kill the opposition, is there any reasonable justification for his slaughtering of the opposition (I know the Whites were anti-communist but does this justify killing them all)

Thank you

[The Grey Blur]

Well the economics of Imperialism go something like this -> rise of Capitalist industry -> creation of monopolies -> creation of monopoly banks which help fund and control this industry -> rivalry between the monopolies of different nations -> this expansion, economic and militarily, leads to a clash between these great Capitalist powers, made up of various monopolies.

I think anyway, I'm terrible with economics but read Imperialism. http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/

I would suggest getting a text copy though.


Also, after the revolutions in 1917 that led to the establishment of the Russian Communist Party why did Lenin begin to kill the opposition, is there any reasonable justification for his slaughtering of the opposition (I know the Whites were anti-communist but does this justify killing them all)
Yes there is actually. The Whites when they took a red village would round up all the Bolsheviks of the village and would proceed to torture before killing them. They represented the interests of Imperialism, of the the bourgeois and of the Tzarist reaction. Remember that these three forces overlapping and combined were responsible for the repressions and oppressions of the first world war, the tsarist regime and capitalist exploitation. Their opposition to the world's first socialist state was instrangient and had to be crushed.

"A revolution is not a tea party". Unfortunately.

[Janus]

Lenin, Trotsky and the First World war (http://www.marxists.org/archive/cannon/works/1940/mpa3.htm)

War and the International (http://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1914/war/index.htm)

Imperialism and the war (http://www.marxists.org/archive/kautsky/1914/09/war.htm)

Militarism and anti-militarism (http://www.marxists.org/archive/liebknecht-k/works/1907/militarism-antimilitarism/index.htm)

Junius Pamphlet (http://www.marxists.org/archive/luxemburg/1915/junius/index.htm)

Main Enemy is at home (http://www.marxists.org/archive/liebknecht-k/works/1915/05/main-enemy-home.htm)

Defeat of "our" gov. during the imperialist war (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1915/jul/26.htm)

Opportunism and the collapse of the first international (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/jan/x02.htm)

War and Revolution (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/may/14.htm)

[Guest1]

War and the international is the one you really want :)