Politics in the Communist World

Although communism is a major political force in the modern world, there are very few books offering a comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to communist theory and practice. This book compares communist theory with the diverse practices of more than twenty states under communist rule. Setting his discussions within a clear, comparative and thematic framework, Holmes begins by examining the classic and most influential theories of communism—those of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. He then discusses how communists take and maintain power, the people and processes behind both legitimate and illegitimate politics in the different systems, the relations between communist states, and various approaches to the study and understanding of politics in the communist world.