Karl Kautsky, 1854-1938

Kautsky was one of the most influential Marxists of his day, the mentor to an entire generation of Marxists. This book rescues him from relative obscurity: it guides us intelligently through the evolution of his thought (from "romantic socialist to consistent Marxist") and reconstructs his efforts to adapt Marx's theories and precepts to the political needs of a mass party. A very competent monograph.