Customer Reviews

Lenin: A Study in the Unity of His Thought (Verso Classics)

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Lukács's biographical sketch was written just after Lenin's death, and was his personal response to the leader of the Russian Revolution. Following the Hegelian lines of his main early theoretical work, "History and Class Consciousness", in "Lenin" he portrayed the Russian leader as a "philosopher of praxis". By this he meant that Lenin represented a dialectical unity of theory and practice; he took Marxist theory and applied it to actual circumstances, to guide the Revolution. Lukács discusses, for example, the role of the Party in the Revolution; he argues that the party must be in dialectical interaction with the proletariat, both being created by them, and helping to create their consciousness. Lenin is therefore seen as the epitome of Marxist-Hegelian philosophy.

Equally, however, "Lenin" is a very personal response to Lenin the man and the revolutionary leader. In the light of his earlier aesthetic works, particularly "Theory of the Novel", it seems that Lukács saw Lenin as a Tolstoyan or Dostoevskyan hero; Lenin was the individual agent able to bring out the essence of totality for the good of society.

"Lenin" is a rich and rewarding book; moreover, being far simpler than much of Lukács's work, it serves as an excellent introduction to the main themes of his thought. It offers a fascinating philosophical interpretation of Lenin, as an example for Marxist revolutionaries to follow. At the same time, however, it provides a deep insight into Lukács, helping to understand why this sensitive aesthetic theorist managed to convince himself to accept the excesses of the Russian Revolution. In that sense, it helps even those unsympathetic to Marxism understand what attracts people to this revolutionary theory.

Sir:

I did purchase the same day this book by Lukacs together with the book by David Romer Advanced Macroeconomics. However, I have received only the book by Romer.

Thanks for your atttention

Jose Oscategui