September 10, 2025

Lenin's The State and Revolution: An Innocent Reading

Key Points

A critical defense of Lenin challenges Polan's Weberian-inspired critique.
The argument explores what type of Marxism can address modernity and democratic expansion.
A synthesis of Marxist and Weberian thought may be needed to surpass liberal democracy.
The paper questions the applicable political frameworks in contemporary discourse.

Abstract

A. J. Polan's Weberian-inspired and seemingly persuasive critique of Lenin in Lenin and the End of Politics has gone unanswered. In the process of refuting Polan a critical defense of Lenin is offered. The general question is raised about what kind of Marxism is needed in the face of modernity in order to broaden the horizon of democratic possibility. This requires some kind of Marxist-Weberian synthesis that goes beyond liberal democracy.

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Cite this study

Jules Townshend (Fri,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/68c1e30854b1d3bfb6100a4b — DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/003682379906300104

Authors

Jules Townshend

Manchester Metropolitan University

Journals

Science & Society

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Manchester Metropolitan University

References and Citations

Connected Papers

Building similarity graph...

Analyzing shared references across papers

Lenin's The State and Revolution: An Innocent Reading

Key Points

Abstract

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion

Cite this study

Authors

Journals

Actions

Institutions

References and Citations

Citation Network

Connected Papers

Discussion