The best book on Leninism?

[JimmyJazz]

Here are some that I've found (http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/listmania/fullview/R30EXZAFUS4GK0/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view?ie=UTF8&lm%5Fbb=), but I'm open to other suggestions. What book should I read if I can read just one? What have y'all read?

I actually haven't read any of the books on my list, although I have a used copy of the Sidney Hook book that I found cheap.

[Q]

Here are all works of Lenin (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/index.htm).

I personally recommend:

- Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1916/imp-hsc/index.htm)
- The Tasks of the Proletariat in Our Revolution (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/tasks/index.htm)
- War and Revolution (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/may/14.htm)
- The state and revolution (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1917/staterev/index.htm)
- Left-Wing Communism: an Infantile Disorder (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1920/lwc/index.htm)
- "Last Testament" - Letters to the Congress (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1922/dec/testamnt/index.htm)

Happy reading :)

[chegitz guevara]

The best two books on Lenin and his work are: Lenin and the Revolutionary Party, by Paul Le Blanc and Lenin Rediscovered: 'What is to be Done?' In Context, by Lars Lih. The problem is that most people fail to put Lenin's writings in context, and instead take them to be universal pronouncements. Nothing could be further from the truth, and even Lenin himself fought against such notions. That is what his own book, Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder, is about. In it, he attacks those in the West who simply were aping the Bolsheviks methods and refusing to take advanatage of the opportunities they had in their own countries.

[JimmyJazz]

The problem is that most people fail to put Lenin's writings in context, and instead take them to be universal pronouncements. Nothing could be further from the truth, and even Lenin himself fought against such notions.

This is true, and exactly why I want to read a modern book on Leninism before I dig too much into Lenin's works. For example, instead of just reading An Infantile Disorder, I recently read The Comintern (1985) (http://www.marxists.org/archive/hallas/works/1985/comintern/index.htm), which puts Lenin's tactical choices wrt things like voting in parliamentary elections in their historical context. But thanks for the reply Q, I'll get there eventually.

chegitz: both of the books you mentioned are on my list, and one is an 888-pager (:blink:), so I think it's clear which one I should go with for now.

any more suggestions would be good.

[Die Neue Zeit]

^^^ To get the core of "Leninism" (unlike the orthodox replies around here), I think you should also read Kautsky's The Class Struggle on MIA (particularly Chapter 5).

[Sprinkles]

For example, instead of just reading An Infantile Disorder, I recently read The Comintern (1985) (http://www.marxists.org/archive/hallas/works/1985/comintern/index.htm), which puts Lenin's tactical choices wrt things like voting in parliamentary elections in their historical context.

You might as well have read An Infantile Disorder since the basic thrust of both books are the same. If you want to put it into perspective you might want to read something from the other side as well, Gorter, Bordiga, Dauvé etc.

Gorter's Open Letter to Comrade Lenin is quite concise:
http://www.marxists.org/archive/gorter/1920/open-letter/index.htm

For your other question, personally I just read Lenin as it is. Especially since it's freely available online that way, so I can't help you there. Q-collective's suggestions were quite good though.

[Lenin's Law]

I agree with the consensus here though I would definitely put an asterisk on State and Revolution (a must read IMO) and Left Wing Communism.

[Niccolò Rossi]

What book should I read if I can read just one? What have y'all read?

Well that depends on what you are after. Are you looking for a Lenin biography, a selection of his own works etc.

If I were to suggest a selection of his works it would be the Lenin Anthology by Robert C. Tucker (he also compiled a Marx-Engels Reader counterpart), which you can find on the list you posted. It is an 800 page selection of Lenin's most important works along with other minor works of historical or theoretical interest. On Amazon you can view the contents page for a complete listing of the included texts but works such as Left-Wing Communism and State and Revolution are presented in full, with lengthy experts form WITBD.

[JimmyJazz]

I would discourage going for semi-contemporary works though.

Why?

[Prairie Fire]

Foundations of Leninism by J.V.Stalin is a good overview of Leninism in it's entirety.
http://www.marx2mao.com/Stalin/FL24.html

[JimmyJazz]

Alot of them are biased against Lenin and construct false notions about him, to play in with an anti-communist audience.

The ones covering his theoretical contributions to Marxism? I doubt that. The history books, I agree, are horribly biased against socialism: Conquest, Service, Pipes, et al.

Check out the list of books I linked in the first post. Those are the kind I'm looking at.

[chegitz guevara]

chegitz: both of the books you mentioned are on my list, and one is an 888-pager (:blink:), so I think it's clear which one I should go with for now.

any more suggestions would be good.

It is long, but it's a surprisingly easy read, and about a third of the book is actually Lih's new translation of What is to Be Done? You could also google Lars Lih and Lenin. There are a few good articles by him in International Review lately. Also a six part review of his book by some Irish Trotskyists. BTW, Lenin Rediscovered is only $35 on Amazon.com. That may seem like a lot, but the hardcover went for $162. :scared:

While a number of comrades suggest reading Lenin directly, and I don't disagree, I think it's of key importance to read more than just Lenin. The historical context and the arguments of these against whom Lenin directs his polemics are so important for understand what he's on about. You don't have to understand the 19th Century to read Capital, but if you don't understand the 1905 revolution and the 1917 revolution, you won't understand The State and Revolution as much as you could. Read TSaR (now that's ironic) and John Reed's, Ten Days That Shook the World, and Trotsky's, History of the Russian Revolution and a couple other books.


Well that depends on what you are after. Are you looking for a Lenin biography, a selection of his own works etc.

If I were to suggest a selection of his works it would be the Lenin Anthology by Robert C. Tucker (he also compiled a Marx-Engels Reader counterpart), which you can find on the list you posted.

Given all of this stuff is online for free, I wouldn't bother with either of Tucker's books. I don't like the editorial choices Tucker makes, which push his view of what he thinks Marxism is about. The only book from Tucker I'd buy is Stalin as Revolutionary.

[Niccolò Rossi]

Given all of this stuff is online for free, I wouldn't bother with either of Tucker's books.

True, but given that many dislike reading from a screen and it collects the essentials in a single volume is desirable.


I don't like the editorial choices Tucker makes, which push his view of what he thinks Marxism is about.

Would you care to be a little more specific? What is Tuckers view of Marxism? In what ways does he push it?

[Sprinkles]

While a number of comrades suggest reading Lenin directly, and I don't disagree, I think it's of key importance to read more than just Lenin. The historical context and the arguments of these against whom Lenin directs his polemics are so important for understand what he's on about.

I have to stress this as well. If you're actually interested in understanding the subjects then Lenin's critique of either Ultra-leftism or anarchism are useless.
They simply weren't intended to foster understanding but were only meant as a polemic to reject them out of hand all together.

To put Gorter and the Ultra-left into context, you could do worse then read Eclipse and Re-Emergence of the Communist Movement.
It's a fairly short modern day reflection on the communist movement, specifically chapter 3. Leninism and the Ultra-Left, which is a summary of the history and interaction between the two.

http://libcom.org/library/eclipse-re-emergence-giles-dauve-3



The genius of Lenin is that his works are everthing at the same time, they are dialectical, meaning they are concrete at the same time as theoretical, they are a perfect application of theory and practise in the real-world.

This is idealist, Leninism with all it's qualities and flaws was a product of the time and the revolutionary movement as it was then. If it was perfect it wouldn't have failed so spectacularly.



The world hasn't seen someone since Lenin who is really like him in that way.
Great men of history, yadda yadda...

[Kassad]

From the Leninists I have spoken to, I would say that State and Revolution is the one they recommend consistently.

[chegitz guevara]

True, but given that many dislike reading from a screen and it collects the essentials in a single volume is desirable.

That's why God gave us printers.


Would you care to be a little more specific? What is Tuckers view of Marxism? In what ways does he push it?

Tucker views Stalin as the legitimate successor of Lenin, so he tends to view Lenin as more authoritarian than he was, etc. In his M/E Reader, Tucker rearranges the sections of The German Ideology and cuts out important passages.

[Niccolò Rossi]

That's why God gave us printers.

"Us"?


Tucker views Stalin as the legitimate successor of Lenin, so he tends to view Lenin as more authoritarian than he was, etc. In his M/E Reader, Tucker rearranges the sections of The German Ideology and cuts out important passages.

Despite still being scarce on evidence I'll agree that that's probably likely. But I suppose that's a problem you will always encounter in selected works.

[chegitz guevara]

"Us"?

"God" you let slide, but "us" you question me on?


Despite still being scarce on evidence I'll agree that that's probably likely. But I suppose that's a problem you will always encounter in selected works.

It's been 14 years since I last looked at the book.