Lenin's Moscow

by Alfred Rosmer Introduction by Ian Birchall

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Description

When Alfred Rosmer arrived in Russia in 1919 it was considered by millions to be the center of world revolution. It was also a society beleaguered by civil war and encircled by hostile powers seeking to snuff out the promise and potential the first successful workers’ revolution represented. It was in this context that revolutionaries from across the globe undertook the creation of the Communist International, hoping to forge an instrument to fan the flames of the struggle against global capitalism.

In this gripping political memoir of his time in Moscow, Rosmer draws on his unique perspective as both a delegate to the Cominternand as a member of its Executive Committeeto paint a stunning and inspiring picture of the early years of Soviet rule. From the debates sparked by the publication of Lenin’s State and Revolution and Left-Wing Communism to the efforts of the International to extend its influence beyond Europe with the Congress of the Peoples of the East in Baku, Rosmer documents key developments with an unparalleled clarity of vision and offers invaluable insights.

Author Bios

Alfred Rosmer (1877–1964) became a committed revolutionary syndicalist in the early years of the twentieth century, and was one of only a handful of French socialists who opposed the First World War from the outset. The victory of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia led him to become a communist. He attended the Second, Third and Fourth Congresses of the Communist International and was a member of its Executive Committee. He also played a leading role in the founding of the Red International of Labour Unions and was a member of the political bureau of the French Communist Party. Though he was expelled from the French Communist Party in 1924, he remained a convinced revolutionary until his death.

Ian Birchall is a socialist historian and translator based in London. His books include The Spectre of Babeuf, Sartre Against Stalinism, A Rebel’s Guide to Lenin, and Tony Cliff: A Marxist for His Time.

More Info

Publication date: July 19, 2016

Reviews

"Rosmer's book should be on the shelf of every militant."
—Christopher Hitchens

“Lenin’s Moscow remains a vital primary source for historians of the International, written by a
participant witness. Rosmer’s account is clear and unpretentious, and can also serve as an introduction for those beginning to study the subject. Rosmer’s narrative sets the debates in
their historical context, making us aware of the danger of repeating quotations from Lenin
or Trotsky torn from the circumstances in which they were originally made.”
—Ian Birchall, from the new preface
"Rosmer's book should be on the shelf of every militant."
Christopher Hitchens

Lenin’s Moscow remains a vital primary source for historians of the International, written by a
participant witness. Rosmer’s account is clear and unpretentious, and can also serve as an introduction for those beginning to study the subject. Rosmer’s narrative sets the debates in
their historical context, making us aware of the danger of repeating quotations from Lenin
or Trotsky torn from the circumstances in which they were originally made.”
Ian Birchall, from the new preface

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"Rosmer's book should be on the shelf of every militant."
—Christopher Hitchens

“Lenin’s Moscow remains a vital primary source for historians of the International, written by a
participant witness. Rosmer’s account is clear and unpretentious, and can also serve as an introduction for those beginning to study the subject. Rosmer’s narrative sets the debates in
their historical context, making us aware of the danger of repeating quotations from Lenin
or Trotsky torn from the circumstances in which they were originally made.”
—Ian Birchall, from the new preface

"Rosmer's book should be on the shelf of every militant."
Christopher Hitchens

Lenin’s Moscow remains a vital primary source for historians of the International, written by a
participant witness. Rosmer’s account is clear and unpretentious, and can also serve as an introduction for those beginning to study the subject. Rosmer’s narrative sets the debates in
their historical context, making us aware of the danger of repeating quotations from Lenin
or Trotsky torn from the circumstances in which they were originally made.”
Ian Birchall, from the new preface