Marxism at the millennium

by Tony Cliff

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

86 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Born in Palestine to Zionist parents in 1917, Ygael Gluckstein became a Trotskyist during the 1930s and played a leading role in the attempt to forge a movement uniting Arab and Jewish workers. At the end of of the Second World war, seeing that the victory of the Zionists was more and more inevitable, he moved to Britain and adopted the pseudonym Tony Cliff.

In the late 1940s he developed the theory that Russia wasn’t a workers’ state but a form of bureaucratic state capitalism, a theory which has characterised the tendency with which he was associated for the remaining five decades of his life. Although he broke from “orthodox Trotskyism” after being bureaucratically excluded from the Fourth International in 1950, he always considered himself to be a Trotskyist although he was also open to other influences within the Marxist tradition.

Reviews

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The strength of this book is that it covers the broad spectrum of what Marxism is and why it is important in a way that is accessible for new activists. Clear examples in a non-academic and accessible language made this a very enjoyable read and some of my first "a-ha" moments where some concepts went from abstract to crystal clear.

One of my favourite examples was from the importance of going "a mile further" to show solidarity with the oppressed is a timeless example which is relevant in any national context.

Excerpt:

"To achieve unity between white and black workers the white workers must move toward the black workers and go a mile further. To achieve unity between male and female workers, the male worker must go out of his way to prove that he is not part of the oppressors. Lenin put it very simply in 1902. He wrote that when workers go on strike for higher wages they are simply trade unionists. Only when they go on strike against the beating of Jews or of students are they really socialists.

A strike involving black and white workers helps to undermine racism. A strike strengthens solidarity, and therefore has an impact beyond the immediate issue. The spiritual changes in workers is the most precious result of the strike."

The book is full of such examples and contains a contagious enthusiasm which should resonate with both first time activists and veterans..

[Lily Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not really into political novels and things of that kind but I liked this one. It was recommended to me by a friend and I have to thank her because I quite enjoyed reading this. Tony Cliff gave me a different perspective and outlook completely different from what I have been taught all my life.

[Shady · Rating 2 out of 5]

اعتقدت ان الكتاب هيحاول يعمل محاكاه لمفهوم الثورة الماركسيه فى العصر الحديث
و لكن كنت مخطاً
الكتاب اتكلم عن الثورة الماركسيه عاماًو عن تاريخ بعض الثورات و الاشخاص
و ده شئ كويس و لكن اسم الكتاب غير مضمونه
لكن فى المجمل كتاب كويس

[Hugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

good sum of Cliff's main perspectives, pretty general, pretty funny, too much sloganeering for my taste.

[Basel Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

رغم صغره لا انصح به منلا يعرف شئ عن الماركسية

[Liam Mccafferty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb and concise summary of Cliff's collossal contributions to the Marxist tradition.