Marxism and Social Reality in the 20th Century, by Ernest Mandel, Humanities Press, £15.
Reviewed by Steve Lloyd The republication in an accessible form of a number of key essays by Ernest Mandel is very welcome.
Mandel is a key figure in the post-1945 Trotskyist movement, not just from the viewpoint of the practical role he has played in the leadership of the Fourth International, but also from the viewpoint of deepening the Marxist analysis of 20th century socio-economic reality.
To a broader public Mandel is known as a "Marxist economist". But he has written widely on virtually every aspect of 20th century history and politics.
The essays republished here resume and deepen classical Marxist theory on a series of key questions - notably the Leninist theory of organisation, Ernest Mandel: a central leader of today's Fourth International the revolutionary International and permanent revolution.
Also included are penetrating essays on Rosa Luxemburg and Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
Mandel's essay on The Leninist Theory of Organisation, published in pamphlet form many times, has been of value to thousands of revolutionary activists. It represents a real deepening of Lenin's theory, explaining the complex interaction of the revolutionary nucleus, the advanced workers and the broader ranks of the working class. Permanent revolution A large part of the far left internationally will proclaim itself "Leninist". Much more controversial are the theory of permanent revolution and the fight to build the Fourth International.
The theory of permanent revolution is a key instrument for understanding the dynamics of revolution in the "third The current developments in South Africa once again demonstrate the impossibility of meeting the basic needs and demands of the masses when the revolution is kept within the bounds of capitalist "democracy".
Every national revolutionary organisation which passes a certain threshold in size and •weight is confronted with the question of how to organise internationally.
There are two approaches which have failed this task of international co-ordination of the revolutionary currents. The first is the attempt to cobble together diverse trends without any programmatic detinition -which inevitably leads to short-term splits and disintegration.
The second is the attempt to organise around one large national "boss" organisation -which is what the Lambertists in France and the SWP in Britain have attempted. Mandel in this volume explains in detail the fundamental principles for constructing a revolutionary International.
Readers who are new to Trotskyist politics and have not read these essays are strongly urged to get hold of this book.