Fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism

by Otto Wille Kuusinen (Editor), Clemens Dutt (Translator)

From the jacket of the first edition: "This book provides the most complete and authoritative account yet published of the theory and practice of world Communism. It presents a lucid summary of the fundamental ideas of Marxism, applying and developing them in relation to the present world situation. Its scope is indicated by the five parts into which it is divided - the philosophical foundations of Marxism, the materialist conception of history, the economics of capitalism, the transition from capitalism to socialism, and the problems of building socialism and communism. Written by a group of Soviet authors and edited by well-known 'Old Bolshevik' Otto Kuusinen, it was first published in the U.S.S.R. in 1960. The English translation follows exactly the text of the original Russian edition."

Genres: Theory, Nonfiction, Soviet Union, Economics

892 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Otto Wilhelm (Wille) Kuusinen (Russian: О́тто Вильге́льмович Ку́усинен, Otto Vilgelmovich Kuusinen) was a Finnish and, later, Soviet politician, literary historian, and poet who, after the defeat of the Reds in the Finnish Civil War, fled to the Soviet Union, where he worked until his death.

Reviews

[Cengiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marxism is the theory of understanding and inetrpreting the past in order to change world. Marx said "all the philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways, the point is to change it" So Marx's doctrine is revolutionary and his understanding of history is dialectical, linear and historical. After The French Revolution French conservative thinker Tocqueville tried to understand the causality behind the revolution so as to prevent next revolutions and he did much research about it. However, Marx, too, tried to find out the driving force behind the historical change in order to cause new revolutions. Marx suggested that he discovered the laws of historical change and social development. Contrary to the methods of the French materialists who believed that change would actualize in the mind of humans through education. For Marx, driving force behind the civilization was class struggle. The principal agent of the historical change are social classes and as he said "“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."
Therefore, he invented dialectical materialism in order to undertsand the history so as to make future revolutions.
As a starter for those who are trying to understand Marxism after Marx is a detailed work. However, the world and the ways of understanding it and insights into Marx, Marxism and as its reflection has changed too much since this book was written. However, it must be remembered that those who wrote this book were under the deep influence of soviet interests as a state and its perception about Marxism.

[Skramzisnice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far the most comprehensive analysis of Marxist-Leninist theory that I’ve read. I’m not going to write some Brobdingnagian review of everything in here, as since it is remarkably trenchant, it’s best to read yourself. What I will discuss is my main complaint. The last bit on communism was pure party dogma and contestably un-Marxist. Kuusinen states that communism involves “self-government,” “very high degree of planned organisation of the entire social economy,” and other revisionist nonsense. Ironically, he states that petty-bourgeois individualists and anarchists are those who disagree with this notion of communism, when, in fact, it is they who promote this idea of “statism without a state.” Communism is stateless, and, to be stateless, it has to involve the absence of economy. The absence of economy is the absence of work, ie organized labour, thus planning in communism is oxymoronic. As much as I adore the first sections of the book, the last made it feel just dogmatic and revisionist.

[DrAroosa Mughal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marxism–Leninism holds that a two-stage communist revolution is needed to replace capitalism. A vanguard party, organized through democratic centralism, would seize power on behalf of the proletariat and establish a one-party socialist state, called the dictatorship of the proletariat.
The book remains important in understanding the philosophy and politics of the Soviet Union; it consolidates the work of important contributions to Marxist theory.
the book is an excellent introduction for those looking to learn the science of revolution, the history, methods and outlook of scientific socialism. It breaks down complex questions of philosophy, organizing and others into easily understandable terms, making it good for beginners and an excellent primer for those who already have a grasp on Marxism-Leninism and are looking to sharpen their understanding. For those seeking to do away with capitalism and its system of corporate exploitation, class oppression and national oppression, this is the book for you.
The book begins with an explanation, not only of the purpose of its publication, but of a brief history of Marxism-Leninism. Ottow makes clear that Marxism didn’t just fall out of the sky one day, it arose out of the three component parts: socialism, political economy, and philosophy, and was (and continues to be) refined over the course of the practical experience and application of it in the struggles of working and oppressed people the whole world over.

In addition to dealing with the basics of Marxism, the book addresses problematic bourgeois ideological currents like post-modernism, otto take on settler colonialism, and pragmatism, which are harmful to the efforts to construct a revolutionary movement in this country.
This book comes at a period of major importance today. As Mick Kelly, political secretary of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, states in the forward, “Not since the rise of the new communist movement in late 1960s and early 70s have we seen such large numbers of people arriving at the conclusion that monopoly capitalism is a failed system, and that revolution and socialism are necessities. Many new revolutionaries are making the leap and helping to build revolutionary organization.”

[MaterialistAtheist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best single volume work for understanding marxism. It is clearly written and easy to read, however the second half is unecessary to understanding marxism because it just is describing the economy of the soviet union. The first half explains the materialist philosophy of marxism, the modes of production and the capitalist economy.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read. Condensed ideology into one reader's digest style text. This book is so hopeful and inspiring. Highly recommend to anyone interested in communism.

[Michael Shull · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's fine. Part One on the philosophical underpinnings is good and helped me understand some things better. It becomes less abstract and more concrete as it progresses, while also becoming less grounded and more fanciful. Kind of neat as a historical document, but not very helpful in a prescriptive sense.