Paul Le Blanc Books

Forward Dear Paul M y friend Paul LeBlanc and I have had many wonderful adventures together over the years. I knew we were going to be friends when we first met on a film called "Silence of the North" in 1981. We were shooting in northern Canada in 40 degree temperatures. I had a scene where I had to run out of my cabin because a bear was on the roof, and shoot the bear. Paul and I were inside the cabin, just the two of us, waiting for my cue. When the bear went on the roof, the rafters of the cabin started sagging and the snow came pouring in. It looked like the roof was going to give way and the bear fall through and join us in the small cabin. We were terrified. At which point, Paul wailed, "Oh, please, I just wanted to be a hairdresser!" I laughed so hard I dropped my rifle. And what a hairdresser he is. He's always been my favorite, not just for his amazing artistry, which he demonstrated on me over and over again in many films, but most particularly in "Requiem for a Dream" in 2000. He's done my hair not only for films, but also for the Oscars, the Tonys, in Paris, in London, in limousines, in all temperatures and under every imaginable condition. But we've always had a great time together and he's always made me laugh, as I'm sure readers of his book will. Ellen Burstyn (2006)

Explores relevance of Marxism to emancipatory politics through critical examination of core concepts and key twentieth-century revolutionary figures and movements.

This collection features readings from influential figures such as Karl Marx, Frederick Engels, Rosa Luxemburg, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, Leon Trotsky, and Antonio Gramsci, encapsulating the labor, socialist, and communist movements that have significantly shaped modern history. The selections emphasize working-class revolution, presenting key political concepts like class consciousness, trade unionism, international solidarity, and the dynamics of revolution versus reformism. This volume uniquely compiles substantial political works from these authors, offering insights into the working-class struggle for cultural hegemony and the relationship between democracy and socialism. Paul Le Blanc's introductory essay examines the structure and dynamics of Marxism, highlighting connections among the readings, including capitalist development, labor movement theory, revolutionary strategy, and the transition to socialism. The essay also addresses other Marxist figures such as Plekhanov, Kautsky, Stalin, and Mao, alongside critiques from thinkers like Sidney Hook, Bertram D. Wolfe, and C. Wright Mills. Historical reflections intertwine with discussions on capitalism's resilience, the disillusionment surrounding workers' revolution, the "collapse of communism," and contemporary issues related to race, gender, the environment, and the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Trotsky's own words on revolutionary organization, from 1917 to 1940, highlight the dynamics of democratic initiative and principled centralism.

Analysing intersections of race, class, and gender alongside primary texts, this unique volume explores racism and antiracism in the US.

While the Civil Rights Movement is remembered for efforts to end segregation and secure the rights of African Americans, the larger economic vision that animated much of the movement is often overlooked today. That vision sought economic justice for every person in the United States, regardless of race. It favored production for social use instead of profit; social ownership; and democratic control over major economic decisions. The document that best captured this vision was the Freedom Budget for All Americans: Budgeting Our Resources, 1966-1975, To Achieve Freedom from Want published by the A. Philip Randolph Institute and endorsed by a virtual ‘who’s who’ of U.S. left liberalism and radicalism. Now, two of today’s leading socialist thinkers return to the Freedom Budget and its program for economic justice. Paul Le Blanc and Michael D. Yates explain the origins of the Freedom Budget, how it sought to achieve “freedom from want” for all people, and how it might be reimagined for our current moment. Combining historical perspective with clear-sighted economic proposals, the authors make a concrete case for reviving the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement and building the society of economic security and democratic control envisioned by the movement’s leaders—a struggle that continues to this day.

"As an advocate of social democracy and individual responsibility, Rosa Luxemburg (1871-1919) remains the most eminent representative of the revolutionary socialist tradition. She was a radical activist who was willing to go to prison for her beliefs, including her protest of the First World War. This volume provides a representative sampling of Luxemburg's essential writings, many of which have been rarely anthologized. Her examination of capitalist "globalization" in her era, the destructive dynamics of nationalism, and other topics are joined with hard-hitting political analyses, discussions of labor movement strategy, intimate prison letters, and passionate revolutionary appeals."

There are few more divisive names in history than the Soviet communist Leon Trotsky. To some, he was a betrayer, a hypocrite, and a totalitarian, and yet to many others he was a revolutionary of high esteem, who battled an outdated, oppressive dynasty and helped to usher in a new political era, and whose name became a political trotskyist. Whether colored by disdain or admiration, one thing is Trotsky was one of the most important figures of the twentieth century.           In Leon Trotsky , Paul Le Blanc delves deep into Trotsky’s life and relationships to reveal and make sense of his complex character and decisive actions. Interweaving dramatic historical events with examinations of Trotsky’s multi-faceted personality, he offers incisive views of the key facets of Trotsky’s his involvement with Soviet bureaucracy, the Spanish Civil War, and the rise of Hitler in the years before World War II. Illuminating Trotsky’s personal and political struggles and achievements, this balanced portrait will be invaluable to history students or anyone interested in the extraordinary lives that made up the twentieth century. 

A remarkable collection of essays illuminating Rosa Luxemburg's tremendous contributions to revolutionary struggle and enduring relevance.

This important volume traces efforts to advance the socialist goal through the organization of revolutionary collectives, engaging with a pantheon of relevant radical thinkers.