Vladimir Lenin: Imperialism and War

The imperialism was one of the most intensively discussed issue among Marxist theoreticians and thinkers before WWI as well as during it. The following article is focused on Lenin's theory of imperialism and his considerations about definition of the imperialist war. According to detailed analysis conducted in first part of „Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism”, contemporary capitalism had passed into monopolistic stage and the most important consequence of this process had been colonial rivalry between European powers in order to conquer markets and raw material deposits. Any coherent and analytical definition of the imperialism was not formulated by Lenin, but he pointed out five elements essential (in his opinion) of any politically useful definition of imperialism: rapid concentration of production, hegemony of the financial capital and financial oligarchy, export of capital from high developed countries, division of the world markets among capitalist associations and division of the world among the Great Powers (not only by the system of colonies and protectorates, but also political domination over weaker and smaller countries). In Lenin's theory any world's division is unstable because of Great Powers' and monopolies' uneven development. In this perspective the war is the most natural way of reconstruction. In Lenin's opinion, WWI was caused by escalating rivalry between Great Powers, thus the war should be qualified as „imperialistic”. The second part of the following essay argues that theory of imperialism and imperialistic war was an important part of Lenin's political strategy in 1914-1917. Furthermore, explains why it was so persuasive for many Marxists and presents historical significance of Lenin's contribution to the theory of imperialism and imperialistic war.

Fundacja Studentów i Absolwentów Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego "Bratniak"