In July 1917; when the Provisional Government issued a warrant for his arrest; Lenin fled from Petrograd; later that year; the October Revolution swept him to supreme power. In the short intervening period he spent in Finland; he wrote his impassioned; never-completed masterwork The State and Revolution. This powerfully argued book offers both the rationale for the new regime and a wealth of insights into Leninist politics. It was here that Lenin justified his personal interpretation of Marxism; savaged his opponents and set out his trenchant views on class conflict; the lessons of earlier revolutions; the dismantling of the bourgeois state and the replacement of capitalism by the dictatorship of the proletariat. As both historical document and political statement; its importance can hardly be exaggerated.For more than seventy years; Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1;700 titles; Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors; as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
#114612 in Books imusti 1993-05-04 1993-05-04Original language:RussianPDF # 1 7.76 x .46 x 5.10l; .34 #File Name: 014018435X192 pagesPenguin Classics
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Poor translationBy Nicholas JohnsonLots of paragraphs seem jumbled or out of order or perhaps even missing entire words; not sure what was going on but it made it difficult to read in places.4 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Marxism and the stateBy Joel BjorlingThis book outlines the Marxist/Communist view of the state as enunciated by V.I. Lenin; a leading Marxist theoretician. According to Marx; the state; itself; is oppressive and is used by the ruling powers against the working class. Lenin notes that even the corrupt bourgeois has abused Marxist views for their own ends; but the state needs to be demolished by revolution and seized by the working class. This book also critiques the views of anarchists and of fellow revolutionaries as Kautsky and Pannekoek.1 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Outstanding.By James EatonAs always with Penguin Classics; "The State and Revolution" is beautifully introduced; this time by Robert Service. It is a must have for any Marxist-Leninist as well as anyone interested in the rich history of Russia and the path Lenin saw as the way forward.
