Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism

In this profoundly scientific work, the great Lenin examines the development of capitalism from its free-competition stage to the stage of monopoly capitalism — imperialism. Lenin describes imperialism as parasitic, decaying, moribund capitalism, characteristic for its export of capital abroad, reaction all along the line, and wars for the redivision of the world’s colonies and semi-colonies. Imperialism also generates in the imperialist countries a labor aristocracy, a stratum of trade union bureaucrats and bourgeoisified workers bribed by superprofits in order to lead the working-class towards opportunism and away from revolution. At the same time, owing to the immense socialization of production, imperialism is also the eve of the socialist revolution, as demonstrated in practice by the Great October Socialist Revolution.