1919 / 1970
English
The ABC of Communism
The ABC of Communism
(Originally published in 1919 in Russia)
Historical Context
The book was written just after the Bolshevik Revolution (1917), during the early years of the Soviet Union when the new communist government was trying to educate workers and peasants about Marxist ideas and the goals of socialism.
Bukharin and Preobrazhensky were both leading members of the Bolshevik Party and early Soviet theorists. Their goal was to make Marxist theory accessible to ordinary people, hence the title “ABC,” implying a foundational guide.
It became one of the most widely read communist textbooks in the early Soviet Union. However, by the 1930s, Bukharin and Preobrazhensky both fell out of political favor — Bukharin was executed during Stalin’s purges, and their early optimism was later viewed as “too idealistic” compared to Stalin’s hardline policies.
Main Purpose
It’s essentially a primer on Marxist-Leninist theory — explaining what communism is, why the revolution happened, and how a socialist society should function.
Think of it as an ideological “manual” for building the new socialist order.
Key Ideas and Themes
-
Critique of Capitalism: They describe capitalism as inherently exploitative, where workers are alienated and wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few.
- The Role of the Proletariat: The working class is seen as the revolutionary force capable of overthrowing capitalism.
- The Dictatorship of the Proletariat: They argue that after the revolution, the working class must hold political power to defend the revolution and reorganize society.
- Socialization of Production: Private ownership of land, factories, and banks should be abolished and replaced with collective, state ownership.
- Transition to Communism: They explain how society would evolve from socialism (state control and planning) to full communism (classless, stateless society where goods are distributed “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs”).
- Education and Culture: The authors emphasize re-educating the masses, promoting literacy, and developing a new socialist culture.
CHAPTER-BY-CHAPTER SUMMARY
Bukharin and Preobrazhensky divided The ABC of Communism into 16 chapters, each building the logic of Marxism step by step — from the failures of capitalism to the vision of a communist society.
1. The Aim of Communism
Bukharin and Preobrazhensky begin by explaining what communism is for: the complete abolition of private property and the creation of a classless society where production is organized for human need, not profit.2. The Structure of Capitalist Society
Outline of capitalism’s structure: bourgeoisie (owners) vs. proletariat (workers).Capitalism, they argue, is built on exploitation; workers produce value but receive only a small wage, while capitalists pocket the surplus.
3. The Development of Capitalism
This chapter traces capitalism’s rise from feudalism. Industrialization brought progress, but also deep inequality and periodic crises (like unemployment and overproduction).
4. The Working Class and Its Struggles
Class struggle = the engine of history. Trade unions and strikes are seen as the early forms of workers’ resistance, paving the way for revolution.
5. The Collapse of Capitalism
Capitalism contains the seeds of its own destruction: as monopolies grow and crises worsen, the system will collapse under its contradictions.
6. Socialism and Communism
They distinguish socialism (the transitional stage) from communism (the final goal).Under socialism:
-
The state controls production.
- Everyone works and receives wages
Under communism:
- The state “withers away.”
- Goods are distributed based on need.
7. The Dictatorship of the Proletariat
A temporary form of rule where workers must defend their revolution from counterrevolutionaries. Can be thought of as the political power necessary to reorganize society after the old elite is overthrown.
8. The Soviet System
They praise the soviets (councils of workers, peasants, and soldiers) as a new democratic structure — direct rule by workers rather than professional politicians.
9. The Communist Party
The Party is portrayed as the “brain” of the proletariat — the organized, disciplined force that guides the working class and keeps the revolution on track.
10. The Role of the Peasantry
A pragmatic chapter — they acknowledge peasants are crucial to the revolution but warn that small private farming can breed individualism. The solution: collectivization over time.
11. The Transition to Socialist Production
Here they describe the economic transformation:
-
Factories nationalized
-
Banks centralized
-
Planned production replaces market chaos
This, they claim, will eliminate unemployment and poverty.
12. Labor and Wages under Socialism
Work becomes a duty to society. Wages will still exist under socialism but become more equal, eventually giving way to free distribution of goods in communism.
13. Education and Culture
Stress on mass literacy, scientific education, and the creation of a new socialist culture. Religion, they predict, will fade away as people embrace reason and collective ethics.
14. The Communist Morality
They argue morality isn’t eternal — it changes with economic systems.Communist morality, they say, is built on solidarity, equality, and devotion to the collective good.