Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- A Note on Translations
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Marxism: Beyond Dogma, an Alternative Quest
- 1 The Communist Manifesto after 150 Years: Some Observations
- 2 Rosa Luxemburg's Vision of Socialism: Some Reflections
- 3 Antonio Gramsci and the Heritage of Marxism
- 4 Contrasting Perspectives of International Communism on the Working Class Movement: 1924–1934
- 5 Comintern: Exploring the New Historiography
- 6 History's Suppressed Voice: Introducing Nikolai Bukharin's Prison Manuscripts (1937–38)
- 7 Rosa Luxemburg's Letters as Texts of a New Vision of Revolutionary Democracy and Socialism
- 8 Understanding Socialism as Hegemony: Rosa Luxemburg and Nikolai Bukharin
- 9 Frankfurt School, Moscow and David Ryazanov: New Perspectives
- 10 Perestroika and Socialism: Promises and Problems
- Part II Marxism: Challenges and Possibilities in the New Century
10 - Perestroika and Socialism: Promises and Problems
from Part I - Marxism: Beyond Dogma, an Alternative Quest
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 May 2012
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- A Note on Translations
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Part I Marxism: Beyond Dogma, an Alternative Quest
- 1 The Communist Manifesto after 150 Years: Some Observations
- 2 Rosa Luxemburg's Vision of Socialism: Some Reflections
- 3 Antonio Gramsci and the Heritage of Marxism
- 4 Contrasting Perspectives of International Communism on the Working Class Movement: 1924–1934
- 5 Comintern: Exploring the New Historiography
- 6 History's Suppressed Voice: Introducing Nikolai Bukharin's Prison Manuscripts (1937–38)
- 7 Rosa Luxemburg's Letters as Texts of a New Vision of Revolutionary Democracy and Socialism
- 8 Understanding Socialism as Hegemony: Rosa Luxemburg and Nikolai Bukharin
- 9 Frankfurt School, Moscow and David Ryazanov: New Perspectives
- 10 Perestroika and Socialism: Promises and Problems
- Part II Marxism: Challenges and Possibilities in the New Century
Summary
Perestroika has lately become almost a catchword. As the advocates and opponents of socialism are vociferously struggling over this expression in defence of their respective positions, a large segment of the Left, quite understandably, seems to be almost awe-struck. The confusion has been made worse by the fact that many critics of socialism have started enthusiastically appreciating perestroika, hoping that the signal of dismantling of socialism in the Soviet Union is at last evident; on the contrary, we come across voices in the socialist world itself which also are unambiguously critical of perestroika, the argument being that the so-called process of restructuring would ultimately usher in the complete destruction of the gains of socialism. Along with this one witnesses the unmistakable phenomenon that perestroika has generated an overwhelming response and support from the masses in the Soviet Union.
Perestroika, then, is a complex question demanding an objective and dispassionate exposition. Time has perhaps not yet come for passing a final judgement. Any such attempt to either eulogize or condemn perestroika in absolute terms would not, after all, sharpen one's understanding of the phenomenon. A deeper exploration of the meaning of perestroika involves inquiry into quite a number of important issues: What was its historical necessity? What is the theoretical-ideological rationale underlying perestroika? What are the main directions of this process? What is the significance of perestroika for socialism?
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- Information
- Marxism in Dark TimesSelect Essays for the New Century, pp. 131 - 152Publisher: Anthem PressPrint publication year: 2012