Prison Manuscripts, The: Socialism And Its Culture

Description:
Bukharin's 'Prison Manuscripts' were written in Moscow's Lubyanka prison during 1937-1938 while awaiting his inevitable liquidation. As with Gramsci's 'Prison Notebooks', Bukharin's 'Manuscripts' focus on culture, ideology and philosophy in the context of building an alternative vision of socialism. A socialism to set against capitalism, fascism and the kind of socialism practised in the Soviet Union after Lenin's death. The book brings together Bukharin's key writings on socialism and its culture from the Manuscripts. Here Bukharin explores the realization of the concept of total man, the problems of freedom, equality and hierarchy, the style of socialist culture, the nature of progress, diversities in capitalism and socialism, the role of the Party, and the dictatorship of the proletariat in the cultural revolution. Its publication will be a major event for anyone interested in cultural and political history, philosophy, and ethics.

Review:
'First, as a human document from a key Bolshevik figure it [The Prison Manuscripts] is high tragedy; second, it gives an insight into the ideological world of millions of Communists during the central decades of the 20th century; finally, and most importantly, it provides a fascinating defence of socialism which even today is fresh and stimulating.' Donny Gluckstein, International Socialism

Table of Contents:
* Preface: To the Reader-Svetlana Gurvich-Bukharina* On the Historical Point of View and Historical Criteria for Making Evaluations* The Material Base for Socialist Culture* Creating a Whole Person* The Problem of National Cultures and the Creation of an Integrated Socialist Culture (Europe and Asia)* Creating an Integrated Humanity* Diversity in Capitalist Society and Diversity in the Society of Socialism* The Problem of the Individual and Society* The Problem of Equality and Hierarchy* The Problem of Freedom* The Problem of Progress* The Style of Socialist Culture* Role of the Party and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat in the Cultural Revolution* Conclusion* Appendix: Fundamental Problems of Contemporary Culture-Speech to the Association pour l'etude de la culture sovietique (Association for the Study of Soviet Culture) in Paris, April 3, 1936

Author Biography:
Nikolai Bukharin was one of the leaders of the 1917 Russian Revolution and one of its most important theorists. Executed for treason, he was exonerated 50 years later by Gorbachov.