This is an outstanding description and analysis of the history of Marxism as a philosophic enterprise and doctrine. Kolakowski's goal is a fair and lucid history of Marxism as an intellectual enterprise. This is a highly ambitious undertaking requiring familiarity with a huge range of writers and thinkers, ranging from famous figures like Marx and Hegel to obscure 19th and 20th century ideologues. Kolakowski also appears to be remarkably well versed in the secondary literature on Marxism as well. The breadth and depth of scholarship is remarkable and is matched by Kolakowski's lucid exposition. Considerably credit has to be given to the translator, PS Falla, for the fluent English. Main Currents is divided into 3 volumes, the first covering the origins of Marxism and Marx himself, the second devoted to the apogee of Marxist thought, and the last to history of Marxism since the Russian revolution.

Kolokowski begins in an apparently surprising place; the Neoplatonism of the Classical world. He points out that some of of the themes implicit in Marx have very deep roots. The ideas of man alienating aspects of his essence and then being restored to completion in a dramatic and catastrophic event are ancient. Kolakowski traces these ideas and the accompanying aspects of eschatology and soteriology through major philosophers and theologians of both the Classical and Medieval period into the end of the 18th century. He then moves to a brilliant description of the Hegelian - Idealist tradition that forms the immediate background of Marx's work. Kolakowski's analysis of Marx's wholesale modification of Hegel's concepts and his synthesis of Hegelian thought with the Romantic ideals of early 19th century socialism and economic ideas is simply the best description of this difficult subject I have ever encountered. He then moves through a careful chronological reconstruction of Marx's thought, emphasizing the continuity from Marx's earliest substantial work to the last completed parts of Capital. Kolakowski particularly highlights the key role of the concept of alienation in Marx's thought. The description of Marx is lucid and evenhanded. Kolakowski is very respectful of Marx's brilliance as a thinker and provides outstanding discussions of difficult concepts like Marx's concept of surplus value and his concept of history. Kolakowski's exposition gives a very strong sense of why Marx's system was so attractive to generations of intellectuals. This is not to suggest that Kolakowski is uncritical. Quite the opposite. Kolakowski's critique of key issues in Marx such as the concept of surplus value or the claims of historical materialism are ruthlessly effective.

The second volume covers the period from death of Engels to the Bolshevik Revolution. This is also approximately the period of the Second International. Kolakowski describes this as the "Golden Age" of Marxist thought, a period characterized by a diversity of Marxist thinkers and continued interaction of Marxists with other intellectual traditions. This volume has all the virtues of Vol. 1., exhibiting Kolakowski's remarkable command of Marxist and general philosophical history, his solid knowledge of European history, a fluid writing style, and his incisive judgement about the subjects under discussion. In the the first half of this volume, Kolakowski shows the interesting diversity of the Marxist tradition during this period. This includes both a variety of interpretations of Marx and also the interaction of Marxism with other philosophical traditions, such as the Kantian revival of the late 19th century. Kolakowski covers some figures not thought of usually as part of the Marxist mainstream, such as Sorel and Jean Jaures, as well as illuminating discussions of the Revisionist and Austro-Marxist movements.

The second half of this volume is devoted to the pregnant subject of Russian Marxism. Kolakowski provides a very nice overview of the relevant Russian intellectual history leading up to a detailed discussion of various Russian Marxists. This concludes with an intensive examination of the work and career of Lenin, who is presented as a mediocre thinker but essentially as a successful leader of the cult that founded the Soviet state.

The third volume covers the decline of Marxism as a viable intellectual enterprise. Kolakowski presents the decline as occurring in two different ways. The first and most important is the development of Marxism in its Leninist-Stalinist form in which certain aspects of Marxism were emphasized by Lenin to develop the ideology that came to underpin the Soviet State and its Eastern European conquests. Kolakowski argues convincingly that the resulting ideology was not a "deformation" or distortion of Marx but rather a logical though far from inevitable interpretation of Marx's doctrines. With the articulation of the Soviet state and the cult of Stalin, this process involved the impoverishment of Marxist thinking, disconnection from other philosophical traditions, and ultimate evolution into a sterile ideology used solely to justify totalitarianism. Providing an accurate historical analysis of this phenomenon required Kolakowski to read not only figures of real importance like Lenin and Stalin but also the painful but necessary task of thoroughly reading a number of minor Stalinist ideologues.

The second aspect of the Breakdown is Kolakowski's analysis of post-Stalinist Marxism including such varied figures as Gramsci, the School of Frankfort, and others. By and large, this is a depiction of an essentially decadent intellectual tradition though Kolakowski writes relatively sympathetically of figures for whom he has some respect such as Habermas and Gramsci. Kolakowski has a very evenhanded writing style but his treatment of some of these individuals is harshly critical without using hyperbolic language. His chapter on Marcuse is a textbook example of intellectual demolition without name calling. One of the most interesting treatments in the book is that of Gyorgy Lukacs. Kolakowski presents Lukacs as someone melding both aspects of the breakdown. Kolakowski clearly respects Lukacs as man of considerable intellect. Lukacs' judgements on Marx, notably his analysis of the role of Marx's Hegelianism, his emphasis on alienation, the need to interpret history as a teleological process, and others, mirror Kolakowski's own analysis and may well have influenced the younger Kolakowski. Kolakowski also demonstrates as well that the essential thrust of Lukacs' work was to provide a sophisticated defense of Stalinism, a morally and intellectually bankrupt undertaking.

Marxism as a vital intellectual tradition is probably, as Kolakowski argues, at a dead end. Still, achieving an understanding of the history of the last century is impossible without understanding the history and role of Marxism. The superb book is an invaluable resource in any effort to understand the events of the last century.

First of all, Leszek Ko³akowski was a superb intellectual, philosopher and historian of ideas. After the Second World War he devoted himself to marxism, but after visiting Moscow he left stalinism and became a revisionist marxist. Stalinism as a subreligion within a religion (Marxism) condemned the heretic, no schism was allowed. Ko³akowski was expelled from the Polish United Workers' Party.

Now, lets go to the book that made Ko³akowski famous. The purpose of the book in the words of Ko³akowski: "to understand Marx's basic thoughts as answers to questions that have long excercised the minds of philosophers, but at the same time to comprehend them in their uniqueness both as emanations of Marx's genius and as phenomena of a particular age." Ko³akowski did not write a history of Western philosophy to understand Marx, but as he said "a brief account of the questions in regard to which Marxism can be described as constituting a new step in the development of European philosophy." Therefore Ko³akowski does a real genealogy of marxism, you can not study Martxism as an isolated ideology. "The phrase Marxism before Marx has no meaning, but Marx's thought would be emptied of its content if it were not considered in the setting of European culltural history as a whole..." Thus, Ko³akowski begin analysing the origins of dialectitic BRIEFLY (but not lacking of depth) Plotinus, Saint Augustine and the contingency of human existence, the concept of the "One" before and after Christianity and how can men can reach non duality or the union with the One, which in the followers of Plato is in one way and in christianity (influenced by Plato) in another way. The he examined interesting figures like Meister Eckhart and the dialectif of deification, Nicolas de Cusa and the coincidentia oppositorum, the Enlightenment, Rousseau, Hume, the Germans: Kant (Prussian), Fichte, Hegel (as you should know and important part of the book) and the Hegelian Left. Young Hegelians: Ludwig Feurbach (The essence of Christianity) and Moses Hess and his philosophy of action. Then starts the analysis of Marx writting (and Engel's) Marxism before and after the Russian "Revolution" (was it a Revolution?. Lev Trotsky, the marriage between Marxism-Leninsm-Stalinism. Also interesting the part about Antonio Gramsci, Györg Lukács and other "perhaps" less known: German Marxist theorist Karl Korsch (Marxism and Philosophy)and French philosopher and sociologist, Lucien Goldmann. The Frankfurt school is obviously included with some of their leading figures and former figures: Horckheimer, Adorno, Marcuse, Fromm. The book finish with Ernst Bloch and Marxism after De-Stalinization.

If you want to understand Marxism you should have this book in your room and combine it with the original works of the authors. This is more a philosophical work than a history book about marxism. You should have a philosophical basis to read some parts of the book. You can read a really good history book about marxism and communism, better than Robert Service's "Comrades", its called The Red Flag (David Priestland)

Prof. Kolakowski is a flat out genius and writes a 'real' war and peace equivalent about Marxism> I would have loved this book but for the relentless intensity of his writing style and masive lenght of the tome. For those who wish (really wish) to learn about the truth of Marxism and why it declined this is the bible. Oddly those who blindly follow Marx and wish to inflict it upon mankind seem reticent to even pick up this book = religion?

Kolakowski reviews and summarizes the history of Marxism with as much nuance and precision to detail as Chopin dealt with music in his piano concertos. The author is a maestro of holistic interpretation while at the same time paying excruciating detail to references and influences that shaped, transformed, radicalized and pragmatically utilized Marxist philosophy from its very inception until the 1970's. I would be willing to bet that most people who call themselves Socialists or attack Socialism have no idea behind the complex debates that formed this humanistic philosophy. Drawing from an extensive collection of manifestos and books on the subject from mostly European sources, Kolakowski is brilliantly able to paint an eloquent picture of this often, misunderstood and misapplied philosophy. My favorite line of his in this work (which I here paraphrase) is that Marxism can be compared to Christianity because of the multitude of interpretations derived from core beliefs of both ethical systems of thought. My only criticism of his approach, which reflects his Polish background, is the heavy handed contempt that he attributes to Marxism/Leninism and its resultant growth into Stalinism. Yet he expounds upon his seemingly biased view with credible facts which are hard to deny. After reading this tome, it is unavoidable to come to the conclusion that Marxism fails ultimately because of the frailties of human nature. There can be no worldwide, worker's Utopia because man is inherently exploitive and, to believe otherwise, is sheer folly. If "religion is the opiate of the people," then Marxism is the rabbit hole of philosophical thought and offers no definitive solution to the societal dilemma faced by modern man.

3 years ago when I was a junior in high school I begged my mom to by this for me because it was the first thing that came up on the amazon search on Marxism. I opened it a the language seemed impenetrable. I opened it again a few weeks ago and I was so immersed I didn't leave my dorm for the entire weekend and skipped my first class on Monday to finish reading. Rather than finding it impenetrable, I know see it as one of the most important books on Marxism along with the writings of Marx himself and Karl Popper work the Open Society and Its Enemies. Kolakowski explains his subject in a very accessible manner without sacrificing academic integrity. "The Founders" is probably the greatest achievement, he explains the origins of Marxism in manner surpassed by no one that I know of. READ THIS BOOK

The beginning chapter overview of the history of dialectics (from the Platonists to Hegel) alone is worth the price of this book, and that's only the first 50 or so pages.

Kolakowski presents you with the best summary of Marxist thought: its origins, development, strengths and weaknesses. Kolakowski was a Polish dissident, a scholar of Marxism who became disenchanted with the socialist bloc. He's fair, however, and while he makes some devastating criticisms of Marxist ideas, he will acknowledge the many places where Marx, Engels, and others contributed mightily to our understanding of the world. Highly recommended.

Scary, yet enlightening - the mind of a mad man or genius?

Seuls les deux premiers tomes du tryptique sont parus en France, traitant de Marx et Engels pour le premier et du marxisme classique pour le second; d'une manière synthétique et critique extrêmement pertinente. Le troisième livre des présentations critiques et magistrales d'auteurs comme Lukacs, Adorno, Bloch, etc.et en généra du marxisme "contemporain" de l'auteur (années 70).Le climat français de l'époque a empêché la parution de ce troisième tome. La présente version anglaise reprend en un seul volume les trois tomes. Il s'agira de la somme sur le marxisme théorique, sans laquelle celui-ci ne peut être compris dans toute sa signfication.

Plus qu'une simple histoire du marxisme, Kołakowski propose une généalogie fascinante des idées qui ont façonné le monde moderne. La rigueur avec laquelle il examine les fondements philosophiques (de Platon à Marx en passant par Hegel) est impressionnante.

Livro excelente sobre a história e desenvolvimento do marxismo, especialmente no início do séc. XX. Leitura muito elucidativa, apesar de complexa.

This is a essential work to understand the roots and the development of the Marxism. Kolakowski is one the great philosophers of the 20th century and writer able to expose the ideas in a clearly way.

Leszek Kolakowski's three-volume behemoth is a bible for both the Marxist thinker and historian. Not only it one of the few comprehensive overviews of the many streams of thought which shaped the Marxist debate over 150 years, but it's impressively lucid and concise to boot. Kolakowski summarises the biography, theory and critique of each thinker with an intellectual rigour that creates the standard for histories of ideas.

One of the key selling points of the `Main Currents of Marxism', however, is the objectivity with which Kolakowski treats his material. Once a diligent communist, he gradually became disillusioned with the philosophy which underpinned Soviet Poland and to such an extent that he actively funded dissident groups to undermine the system. He even came to believe that that the `aberrations' of Karl Marx's original works - propagated by Stalin, Pol Pot and Ceausescu, for example - were actually credible end products of the grand mage's logic.

However, Kolakowski didn't abandon his intellectual heritage altogether, and this translates into his work. He examines each thinker, each diverse form of the philosophy, carefully, and without presuppositions. His conclusions about each theory are philosophical rather than moral, singling out contradictions and paradoxes rather than the thoughts that might have provided the intellectual foundation for various atrocities.

Granted, Kolakowski can only say so much in his analyses, since his overview summarises rather than studies. But as an introduction to particular strands of Marxist thought and the problems associated with them, the `Main Currents of Marxism' is unbeatable. Kolakowski's prose is as lively as it is erudite; the content as rich as it is varied.

A true feast!