Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 06:55:52 GMT From: Chris Burford <cburford-AT-gn.apc.org> Subject: M-I: Pannekoek: Lenin as Philosopher I have just been lent this text by a friend/comrade in our small London-based Marxism, Science and Philosophy study circle. The edition is by Merlin Press, London, 1975 and contains a 2 1/2 page introduction plus a 12 page biography of Pannekoek by Paul Mattick. Subject to Louis Godena's views I was considering typing up all or part of it for a discussion on Marxism-and-Sciences, as I would like to get to grips with the issues, in an open but critical atmosphere. The work was mentioned to me in the context of my friend saying that when Lenin criticised Mach in Materialism and Empirio-Criticism in 1908 Lenin was really a mechanical materialist. Only between 1914-1916 when he was reading Hegel did he become a dialectical materialist. Pannekoek who was an astronomer, and active in the Council Communist movement, seems to me arguably to offer an instructively different perspective to the Leninism of the 3rd International which also linked theory and practice, even if it was vulnerable to Lenin's criticisms of ultra-leftism. The work overall is only 110 pages with separate chapters on Mach and Dietzgen. The section specifically on Lenin covers 25 sides. Judging from the advantages for the Bhaskar list of having a text for slow reading, I wonder if anyone else thinks it might be worth trying this on marxism-and-sciences, which has been rather quiet for a long gap. Hopefully Louis G will see this and give his opinion. Chris Burford [other bibliographical information: First published in German as "Lenin als Philosoph" in Amsterdam in 1938. First English edition published by New Essays of New York 1948] --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---
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