From: John Holloway (johnholloway@prodigy.net.mx)
Date: Fri Dec 13 2002 - 14:38:42 EST
What is to be Done?
Leninism, Anti-Leninist Marxism and the Question of Revolution Today
Werner Bonefeld and Sergio Tischler
Ashgate, London. $79.95/£45.00
On the eve of the first centenary of Lenin's, What is to be Done?,
this book provides a critical assessment of the theory and practice of
revolution at the start of the new millennium. The volume shows the
pertinence of revolution in our post-socialist world and provides a focus
for critical social inquiry, revealing the significance of the theory of
revolution and its practical meaning. By identifying the weaknesses of
orthodox accounts into social and political change, it offers a timely
reassessment of the left-communist critique of Leninism and shows its
contemporary relevance. Against the background of the globalization of
capital, anti-capitalism has to dream revolution. The book shows the
practical and theoretical meaning of this dream: the society of the free and
equal.
Contents
What is to be done?
Leninism, anti-Leninist Marxism and the
question of revolution today, Werner Bonefeld and Sergio Tischler.
What is to be Done? In Historical and
Critical Perspective: Kronstadt: proletarian spin-off of the Russian
revolution, Cajo Brendel;
Perspectives on left politics: on the development of anti-Leninist
conceptions of socialist politics, Diethard Behrens;
Was Lenin a Marxist? the populist roots of Marxism-Leninism, Simon Clarke;
The dialectic of labour and human emancipation, Mike Rooke.
What is to be Learned?
Contemporary Capitalism and the Politics of Negation: The command of
money-capital and the
Latin American crises, Alberto Bonnet;
State, revolution and self-determination, Werner Bonefeld;
Lenin on the production of revolution, George Caffentzis;
The crisis of the Leninist subject and the Zapatista
circumstance, Sergio Tischler.
What About Revolution?
Ends and Means: Emancipation: paths and goals,
Johannes Agnoli;
Revolt and revolution or get out of the way,
capital!, John Holloway;
Index.
Reviews
'This book combines a solid critique of Leninism, with a sharp
attantion to the fundamental questions it
raised. It breaks with the revolutionary dogmas of a long
tradition but it invites current global movements to
think about revolution for our times. It suggests that the new
times are in many ways different from the old,
but retain one thing in common: the question of how to break with
capital and in the process build a real
community of human beings. It shoud be read by all interested in
making "another world" possible.' Dr.
Massimo De Angelis, Senior Lecturer, University of East London UK
'This necessary book celebrates the anniversary of an essential
question for the present time. What is to be
done? offers both a rich and critical assessment of Lenin's
thought and politics, and a fresh and exciting
journey into the possibilities of reinventing revolution in the
new times. What could be more welcome than
that?.' Dr Ana C. Dinerstein, Lecturer, University of Bath,
England
'A book for those who take seriously the prospect of a world
beyond capital. By returning to the now
so-unfashionable legacy of Lenin, the contributors compel
themselves and their readers to confront the hard
questions about what "revolution" can mean today. An antidote to
both easy radical euphoria and repressive
militarist terror, this is a collection that will help take the
upsurge of counter-globalization activism to a new
level in a new century.' Nick Dyer-Witheford, University of
Western Ontario, Canada
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