Lenin and the Logic of Hegemony: Political Practice and Theory in the Class Struggle (Historical Materialism Book)

In "Lenin and the Logic of Hegemony," by means of a careful textual and contextual analysis of the writings of Lenin and his Marxist contemporaries, Alan Shandro traces the contours of the (anti-) metaphysical event identified by Gramsci in Lenin s political practice and theory, the emergence of the philosophical fact of hegemony. In so doing, he effectively disputes conventional caricatures of Lenin s role as a political actor and thinker and unearths the underlying parameters of the concept of hegemony in the class struggle. He thereby clarifies the conceptual status of this pervasive but now increasingly elusive notion and the logic of theory and practice at work in it." Contents......Page 7 Acknowledgements......Page 10 1 A Philosophical Fact: Hegemony in the Class Struggle......Page 11 Gramscian Hegemony and Lenin......Page 13 The Post-Marxist Deconstruction of Hegemony......Page 20 Lenin as Symbol......Page 27 Hegemony in the Philosophy of Lenin’s Politics......Page 32 The Thread of the Argument......Page 34 2 On the Relation of Theory and Practice: Karl Kautsky and theFirst Post-Marxist......Page 42 Orthodoxy and Apostasy......Page 43 ‘Critical Marxism’ and Orthodoxy......Page 47 The Agrarian Prelude......Page 54 The First Post-Marxist......Page 57 The Rejoinder......Page 63 Theory and Consciousness......Page 69 History......Page 72 Science......Page 74 Workers and Intellectuals......Page 76 Politics and Epistemology......Page 79 Practice and Theory......Page 82 Political Will and the Party......Page 85 Theory in a Community of Struggle......Page 87 3 Situating Marxism in Russia: Ambiguous Coordinates......Page 90 Karl Marx and the Russian Commune......Page 91 Georgii Plekhanov and the Transformation of Russian Society......Page 97 Forces of Revolution and the Problem of Hegemony......Page 102 Intellectuals, Consciousness and Hegemony......Page 105 Lenin and Marxist Orthodoxy......Page 110 Class Struggle in the Democratic Revolution......Page 113 Hegemony as Socialist Consciousness......Page 118 4 Marxism, Lenin and the Logic of Hegemony: Spontaneity and Consciousness in the Class Struggle ......Page 125 Conventional Wisdom......Page 126 Historical Questions......Page 134 Political Questions......Page 138 An ‘Irreconcilable Antagonism . . . to the Whole’......Page 141 A Logic of Political Struggle......Page 145 A Strategic Analysis......Page 148 Some Implications......Page 154 5 Dogmatism and Criticism: Freedom in theClass Struggle......Page 159 The Argument About Freedom......Page 160 The Argument About Theory......Page 166 6 Two Orientations to Hegemony: Mensheviksand Bolsheviks......Page 174 The Iskra Consensus and Its Limits......Page 177 The Congress and the Split......Page 183 Menshevism and Hegemony......Page 190 Rosa Luxemburg’s Critique......Page 195 Lenin and the Logic of Factional Struggle......Page 197 Two Orientations to Hegemony......Page 203 From Orientation to Revolution......Page 207 7The Mechanics of Proletarian Hegemony: Solidarity in the Class Struggle......Page 211 An Alliance of Workers and Peasants......Page 217 Class Alliance in Theory and Practice......Page 223 Proletarian Hegemony and Historical Materialism......Page 227 Proletarian Hegemony and Peasant Ideology......Page 230 ‘Permanent Revolution’......Page 235 The Advent of the Soviets......Page 243 Lenin’s Intervention......Page 247 The Spontaneous Movement and Hegemony......Page 250 Theory and Practice in the Struggle for Hegemony......Page 256 The War and the Split in Socialism......Page 260 A Hegelian Epiphany?......Page 262 ‘Kautskyism’ and the Highest Stage of Capitalism......Page 267 Parasitism and Social Decay......Page 273 ‘Imperialist Economism’......Page 277 The State and the Logic of Revolution......Page 282 The Logic of Revolution and Hegemony......Page 289 A People’s Revolution......Page 295 9 The Arm of Criticism and the Criticism of Arms:Courage in the Class Struggle......Page 299 Class Struggle and the Rule of Law......Page 301 Class Power and Political Form......Page 307 Class Struggle and Political Community......Page 311 Community and Class Consciousness......Page 317 Class Consciousness and Courage......Page 321 10 A Modern Prince to Discourses of Resistance . . . and Back?......Page 325 From Empire to Commonwealth?......Page 327 The Modern Prince and the ‘Discourses’......Page 332 Prince and People......Page 336 Appendix 1 Karl Kautsky, ‘The Revision of the Austrian Social Democratic Programme’......Page 340 Appendix 2 Text and Context in the Argument of Lenin’s What Is to Be Done?......Page 356 Appendix 3 Lenin as a Reader of What Is to Be Done?......Page 369 Bibliography......Page 373 Index......Page 391 In Lenin And The Logic Of Hegemony, By Means Of A Careful Textual And Contextual Analysis Of The Writings Of Lenin And His Marxist Contemporaries, Alan Shandro Traces The Contours Of The '(anti-) Metaphysical Event' Identified By Gramsci In Lenin's Political Practice And Theory, The Emergence Of The 'philosophical Fact' Of Hegemony. In So Doing, He Effectively Disputes Conventional Caricatures Of Lenin's Role As A Political Actor And Thinker And Unearths The Underlying Parameters Of The Concept Of Hegemony In The Class Struggle. He Thereby Clarifies The Conceptual Status Of This Pervasive But Now Increasingly Elusive Notion And The Logic Of Theory And Practice At Work In It. A Philosophical Fact : Hegemony In The Class Struggle -- On The Relation Of Theory And Practice : Karl Kautsky And The First Post-marxist -- Situating Marxism In Russia : Ambiguous Coordinates -- Marxism, Lenin And The Logic Of Hegemony : Spontaneity And Consciousness In The Class Struggle -- Dogmatism And Criticism : Freedom In The Class Struggle -- Two Orientations To Hegemony : Mensheviks And Bolsheviks -- The Mechanics Of Proletarian Hegemony : Solidarity In The Class Struggle -- Imperialism And The Logic Of Hegemony : The People In The Class Struggle -- The Arm Of Criticism And The Criticism Of Arms : Courage In The Class Struggle -- A Modern Prince To Discourses Of Resistance...and Back? -- Appendix 1: Karl Kautsky, The Revision Of The Austrian Social-democratic Programme -- Appendix 2: Text And Context In The Argument Of Lenin's What Is To Be Done? -- Appendix 3: Lenin As A Reader Of What Is To Be Done? By Alan Shandro. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 363-380) And Index. In Lenin and the Logic of Hegemony Alan Shandro traces the emergence of the concept of hegemony in Lenin's engagement with the concrete characteristics of the class struggle in Russia and thereby clarifies how the concept works