Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism

Vladimir Lenin

Aug 2010 · Penguin UK

About this ebook

Vladimir Lenin created this hugely significant Marxist text to explain fully the inevitable flaws and destructive power of Capitalism: that it would lead unavoidably to imperialism, monopolies and colonialism. He prophesied that those third world countries used merely as capitalist labour would have no choice but to join the Communist revolution in Russia.

GREAT IDEAS. Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are.

Ratings and reviews

Despite being a renowned communist, Lenin makes a lot of sense in this book. It is a critique of pre-1918 society, detailing the damaging effects of monopolies and the unethical exploitation by colonialist forces, which today aren't very controversial at all. The conclusion that these issues can only be fixed by a communist state is clearly wrong, yet apart from that this book is pretty solid in it's reasoning. Would definitely recommend to anyone looking to get a better view of what life was like during the colonial era, or to anyone interested in economics, monopolies and market failure. 7/10

The author says enough: Trash

Lenin is always a fantastic read!

About the author

Vladimir Lenin was born in 1870 and was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. He became a revolutionary, a communist politician, the principal leader of the October Revolution, the first head of the Russian Soviet Socialist Republic and, from 1922, the first de facto leader of the Soviet Union. He wrote Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism while in exile in Switzerland during the First World War.