Pan Xihua: A Comparative Study of Lenin's and Gramsci's Perspectives on Socialist Revolution
This book takes the conceptions of socialist revolution held by Lenin and Gramsci as its object of study. It develops an in-depth comparative investigation into these views across the dimensions of theoretical origins, realistic basis, fundamental concepts and methodology, core content, and revolutionary practice. By sorting through and clarifying the essential tenets of Marx and Engels’s thought on "social revolution," the book establishes a solid argumentative foundation for comparing the two thinkers' socialist revolutionary views. Through a comparison of their realistic bases, it provides a profound analysis of the practical sources behind the differences in their respective explorations of the path toward socialism. By comparing the fundamental concepts and methods of their revolution views, the book highlights their inheritance and innovation regarding the social revolutionary thought and methodology of Marx and Engels. Furthermore, by comparing the differences in how each leader guided their respective proletarian parties in exploring the path of socialist revolution, it accentuates the distinct characteristics of their views. Finally, by elucidating the "changes" and "continuities" [1] in Marxist theoretical innovation, socialist revolutionary practice, and the "great social revolution" [2] in the New Era, the book demonstrates the contemporary significance of their socialist revolutionary conceptions.
The publication of this book holds significant theoretical value and practical meaning. At the theoretical level, the book systematically expounds upon the theoretical origins, realistic bases, argumentative foundations, and practical differences in the socialist revolutionary views of Lenin and Gramsci, striving to discover new perspectives and focal points, provide new historical materials and lineages, and introduce new research paradigms and methods for domestic scholarship in this field. At the practical level, the book seeks to provide a theoretical basis for deeply understanding the differences and diversity of socialist revolutionary theory and practice across different historical contexts, countries, and regions; it further serves as a historical mirror for us to profoundly comprehend the "changes" and "continuities" of the great social revolution in the New Era.
Author Biography:
Pan Xihua (female, a native of Jinan, Shandong) is an Associate Researcher and Director of the Research Office for the History of the International Communist Movement within the Department of International Communist Movement Studies at the Institute of Marxism Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). She is a Master's supervisor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and holds a PhD in Philosophy. Her primary research interests include Scientific Socialism and the international communist movement, the history of Marxist development, and Western Marxism, with a particular expertise in the thought of Antonio Gramsci. She has served as the lead investigator for one National Social Science Fund project, led sub-projects or participated in three major National Social Science Fund projects, and participated in eight Innovation Engineering Projects of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. She has published three monographs and co-authored five books, and has published over 50 articles in venues such as Guangming Daily, World Socialism Studies, and Contemporary World and Socialism.
Table of Contents
Chapter I: Introduction Section 1: Origin of the Problem and Significance of the Research Section 2: Current Status of Research on Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Conceptions of Socialist Revolution in Domestic and International Theoretical Circles Section 3: Basic Content and Innovations of This Study
Chapter II: Comparison of the Theoretical Origins of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Conceptions of Socialist Revolution Section 1: Basic Connotations and Characteristics of Marx’s and Engels’s Thought on Social Revolution Section 2: Core Content of Marx’s and Engels’s Social Revolutionary Thought and Revolutionary Practice Section 3: The Relationship Between Marx’s and Engels’s Social Revolutionary Thought and Other Types of Revolutions Section 4: Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Study and Dissemination of Marxism
Chapter III: Comparison of the Realistic Bases of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Conceptions of Socialist Revolution Section 1: Lenin’s Reflections on the Historical Specificity of Russia in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries Section 2: Gramsci’s Reflections on the Historical Specificity of Italy in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries Section 3: Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Analyses of the Ruling Strategies of the European Bourgeoisie Section 4: Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Struggle Against Non-Marxist Trends of Thought Regarding Social Revolution
Chapter IV: Comparison of the Fundamental Concepts and Methodologies of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Conceptions of Socialist Revolution Section 1: Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Inheritance and Innovation of Marx’s and Engels’s Concepts Related to Social Revolution Section 2: Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Application and Manifestation of Marx’s and Engels’s Social Revolutionary Methodology
Chapter V: Comparison of the Core Content and Revolutionary Practice of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Conceptions of Socialist Revolution Section 1: Comparison of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Paths, Strategies, and Tactics of Socialist Revolution Section 2: Comparison of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Thought on the Leading Forces of Socialist Revolution Section 3: Comparison of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Conceptions of the Dynamic Forces of Socialist Revolution
Chapter VI: Contemporary Interpretation of the Comparison of Lenin’s and Gramsci’s Conceptions of Socialist Revolution Section 1: "Changes" and "Continuities" in Marxist Theoretical Innovation Section 2: "Changes" and "Continuities" in Socialist Revolutionary Practice Section 3: "Changes" and "Continuities" of the Great Social Revolution in the New Era
References
Expert Recommendations
This monograph by the young scholar Dr. Pan Xihua fills a gap in domestic research on Gramsci’s conception of socialist revolution, featuring exhaustive data, rich content, piercing analysis, and unique conclusions. It both affirms the decisive influence of the October Revolution and Leninism on Gramsci’s conception of socialist revolution and emphasizes how, under different historical conditions and proceeding from different social structures, the hegemony theory and "war of position" strategy proposed by Gramsci are inheritances and developments of Lenin’s theory of proletarian revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat. Notably, the author accurately grasps the relationship between the theoretical thought and revolutionary practice of different historical figures within different historical contexts. In short, this book is a tour de force in domestic Gramsci studies. — Tian Shigang, Researcher at the Institute of Philosophy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Member of the International Gramsci Society
The roots of revolution in various countries lie both in universal laws that must be followed and in their respective special conditions. Revolution is a total process; one must recognize the decisive role of the objective situation—shaped by economic movements and political developments—in the occurrence of revolution, while also seeing that without the exercise of the conscious agency of the revolutionary subject, revolution cannot become a reality. All things and processes are socio-historical phenomena related to human activity; every phenomenon and process is concrete and historical. These basic principles constitute the scientific worldview and methodological foundation of this book.
This book is one of the results of the "Trilogy of Gramsci Studies" that Dr. Pan Xihua has long been engaged in. It provides new perspectives, new ideas, new insights, and new paradigms for academic research on such topics. It is a research outcome of Marxist theory, Scientific Socialism, and the history of the international communist movement with significant innovative value—particularly as a landmark achievement in the study of early "Western Marxism." — Liang Shufa, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Marxism, Renmin University of China; Honorary President of the China Society for the History of Marxist Philosophy