Imperialism, the highest stage of capitalism: a popular outline

Lenin's Theory of Capitalist Empire

Vladimir Lenin wrote Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism in Zurich in the spring of 1916, while Europe was tearing itself apart in the First World War. The pamphlet argues that imperialism is not an accident or a policy choice but the inevitable final stage of capitalist development. As capitalism matures, competition gives way to monopoly. Monopoly capital merges with banking capital to form finance capital. Finance capital, concentrated in the hands of a few, needs new markets and new territories, and so the great powers divide and redivide the world among themselves.

The Argument and Its Legacy

Lenin draws heavily on the work of J. A. Hobson and Rudolf Hilferding, but he sharpens their arguments and draws more radical conclusions. The war, he insists, is an inter-imperialist war, fought not for national honor but for colonial spoils. This framing became foundational for anti-colonial movements throughout the twentieth century and permanently changed how the global left understood the relationship between capitalism and empire. The pamphlet is short, tightly argued, and written for a popular audience. International Publishers' standard edition has been the cheapest English paperback for decades.

About This Edition

Author: V. I. Lenin
Publisher: International Publishers
Format: Paperback