The
State and Revolution in the The
State and Revolution in the
Twentieth Century
Major Social Transformations
of Our Time
Berch Berberoglu
With James F. Petras and David L. Elliott
"This book provides a theoretically sophisticated and empirically rich class analysis of the state and revolution that has been long overdue. Given the fast-paced changes taking place in Eastern Europe, the former Soviet republics, and now Latin America, the appearance of Berberoglu's book at this critical time makes us doubly fortunate." Martin Orr, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Boise State University
"The State and Revolution in the 20th Century is an excellent example
of the application of class analysis to the study of the state and major socialist
revolutions of the past century. It provides a much needed comparative-historical
perspective for studying key social movements that have succeeded in taking
state power to effect change." Rhonda Levine, Professor of Sociology,
Colgate University
"An outstanding contribution to the understanding of the world historical
period from 1917 to 1989 -- a period that has witnessed dramatic socialist revolutions."
James W. Russell, Professor of Sociology, Eastern Connecticut State University
"Providing an incisive analysis of the state and social revolution in the twentieth century, this book brings to life the struggles of oppressed workers and peasants for state power with exceptional clarity, articulating the linkage between theory and practice in these revolutionary processes and offering essential lessons for building today's movement for global justice and equality." Walda Katz-Fishman, Professor of Sociology, Howard University
"This book excels in providing a comprehensive, class-based historical
analysis of key revolutionary struggles of the past century. It makes an important
contribution to the literature in the sociology of social movements and revolution.
Highly recommended for sociology, political science and history courses."
Alan Spector, Professor of Sociology, Purdue University, Calumet
This book deals with a topic that is central to the most important and decisive issues and events of our time--the state and revolution in the twentieth century. Social scientists have made numerous attempts to understand the causes of revolutions by examining the underlying factors that contribute to revolutionary uprisings. To further these efforts, this book addresses some of the key issues related to this process through both theoretical and empirical inquiry into the nature and dynamics of the state and revolution as a basis for an understanding of the major socialist revolutions of the twentieth century. The book provides a comparative-historical analysis of the state and socialist revolutions in Russia, China, Vietnam, Cuba, and Nicaragua. The thread that runs through each of the chapters that make up this book, especially the case studies of revolutions taken up for study, is the class nature of the state and the class forces involved in the revolutionary process leading up to the taking of state power, as well as-and more importantly so- the class nature of the forces that have taken power and rule over society in the post-revolutionary period. Applying class analysis to the study of the state and revolution, this book helps us understand the nature and dynamics of class struggles in societies that have gone through a revolutionary process.
* * *
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Conventional Theories of the State and Revolution: Classical Statements
2. The Marxist Theory of the State and Revolution: The Classics
3. Twentieth Century Socialist Revolutions and Their Class Components
by James F. Petras
4. The Russian Revolution: The Proletariat Takes State Power
5. The Chinese Revolution: Workers and Peasants Rise Up in the Long March to Power
6. The Vietnamese Revolution: People's War and the Protracted Struggle for Independence and Socialism
by David L. Elliott
7. The Cuban and Nicaraguan Revolutions: Imperialism, Dictatorship, and Popular Resistance
by James F. Petras
Conclusion
Bibliography
Index
About the Author
To read the "Introduction" and "Conclusion" of this book, click here [pdf file]
Publication date: January 2007
ISBN: 0-7425-3884-2 (paper)
0-7425-3883-4 (cloth)
