Theories of the transition to socialism typically invoke, in one
way or another, the notion of revolution. This dissertation is a
discussion and analysis, largely conceptual in character, of the
political dimensions of this notion. More exactly, it is a
discussion of some principal Marxian accounts of revolution.
In Part I the theoretical foundations of this account are
explored by way of a methodological introduction (invoking the
construct of essential contestedness).
In Part 2 the contours of this account are sketched, and
subjected to some (largely internal) analysis. The focus here is
on Marx and the dominant figures in the political tradition to
which his work gave rise, namely Lenin, Kautsky, Luxemburg and
Gramsci.
In Part 3 this distinctively Marxian account is subjected to a
critique on two lines: the first line concerns the validity of
its account of class, and the second the plausibility of its
model of collective action. In both cases the Marxian account is
found to be inadequate. Since the very heart of this account is
a notion of purposive class action, the Marxian theory of
revolution is thus called into serious question. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1988.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/7629 |
| Date | January 1988 |
| Creators | Greaves, Duncan Bruce. |
| Contributors | De Kadt, Raphael. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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