Karl Marx's Theory of Revolution Volume II: The Politics of Social Classes

Karl Marx's Theory of Revolution

by Hal Draper

This is the second installment of Hal Draper's incomparable treatment of Marx's political theory, policy, and practice. In forceful and readable language, Draper ranges through the development of the thought of Marx and Engels on the role of classes in society. This series, Karl Marx's Theory of Revolution, represents an exhaustive and definitive treatment of Marx's political theory, policy, and practice. Marx and Engels paid continuing attention to a host of problems of revolution, in addition to constructing their "grand theory." All these political and social analyses are brought together in these volumes, as the author draws not only on the original writings of Marx and Engels but also on the sources that they used in formulating their ideas and the many commentaries on their published work. Draper's series is a massive and immensely valuable scholarly undertaking. The bibliography alone will stand as a rich resource for years to come. Yet despite the scholarly treatment, the writing is direct, forceful, and unpedantic throughout, and will appeal to the beginning student as much as the advanced reader.

Genres: Politics, Class, Nonfiction

768 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Hal Draper (born Harold Dubinsky) was an American socialist activist and author who played a significant role in the Berkeley, California Free Speech Movement. He is known for his extensive scholarship on the history and meaning of the thought of Karl Marx.

Draper was a lifelong advocate of what he called "socialism from below", self-emancipation by the working class, in opposition to capitalism and Stalinist bureaucracy, both of which, he held, practiced domination from above. He was one of the creators of the Third Camp tradition, a form ("the form", according to its adherents) of Marxist socialism.

Reviews

[Martin Empson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remarkable. On to volume III.

[Randall Downey]

Great series beginning with State and Bureaucracy. Along with the original texts an excellent education and review. Highly recommended.

[Roberto Yoed · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it is a good historical and political study of all social classes (yes, all of them), Draper falls on positivistic grounds: his exposition is boring, descriptive and there is no reflection.

I'd only recommend this to someone who is researching the background of a specific social class (ex.: peasants).