Lenin: 1916/ni-gamma: PLAN OF THE BOOK IMPERIALISM, THE HIGHEST STAGE OF CAPITALISM

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

NOTEBOOK “γ”

(“GAMMA”)

PLAN OF THE BOOK IMPERIALISM, THE HIGHEST STAGE OF CAPITALISM

Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism
(A popular outline)


	Approximate title for censorship: “Principal Features of Modern (Recent, the Recent Stage of) Capitalism”

1.	The special stage of capitalism in our time. Theme: its study, analysis, conclusions.
2.	Growth of large-scale production. Concentrat- ion of production
	{	Censuses of 1882, 1895, 1907 in Germany
		” ” 1900, 1910 in the United States
	Idem on Russia (The Development of Capitalism?) Heymann’s statistics... β 108 [200-01].^[1]

		Branches (of banks) and their growth: α 15 [39].

		Assets of German joint-stock companies: α 22 [44].

“Combination”: Hilferding ϑ 4 and 5 [334-37]
(pp. 285, 358).
Concentration in the German coal industry: γ 26
[226-27]. Especially α 7-8 [33-35].

		New era of concentration: β 11 [85-86].

		Concentration of technique and finance. N.B. β 102-03 [194-96].

Cartels and Trusts.
(2)^[2] General figures: Liefmann: α 40 [55-56].
Riesser υ 8 [360-63]. Tafel β 37 [113].
(1) Periods of development: Liefmann. Vogelstein:
αα 33-34-35 [71-72].
(4) Technique: Tafel: β 38 [113-14].
(5) Compulsory Organisation by Kestner. α 23 [44-45]
et seq., 27 [46-47], especially 28 [47-48].
Immobility (hindrance to outflow) of fixed capital.
Hilferding υ 4 [334-35] (p. 274).

			Merchants=agents: Hilferding. υ 5 [335-37]

			(p. 322)

	Example: Cement: β 99 [189-90]. (3) Share of the United States Steel Corporation: γ 28-29 [228-30]. β 104 [197-98]. α40 [55-56]. ι 8 [378].
3bis.	Crises÷ Disproportional development of agriculture and industry. (6) Crises and monopolies: β 78 [160-61] (Jeidels). β 90 [173-74] (especially in fine). Chance, risk, bankruptcies: ι 11. 12-13 [379-81].
4.	Monopoly.
(2 bis)	Percentage of industry involved: Vogelstein. Kest- ner: α 23-24 [44-45].

5.	International Cartels. “Division of the world” among them. Cf. Hilferding υ 5 [335-37] (p. 491).
		6.	^[3] Total figure: Liefmann.
	5.	5.	Explosives trust: α 39 [55].
	2.	4.	Oil: β 13 [89-90]. β 64 [141]. β 87 [170-71].
			β 92 + 93 [175-77 + 177-79].
	3.	3.	Shipping: υ Riesser 10 [364-65].
	4.	2.	Rail cartel: υ Riesser 11 [367-68].
	Vogelstein: γ 28 [229].—Berglund, p. 169.
	1.	N.B.: Electricity trust. Die Neue Zeit, 1912:
	υ	7-8 [338-41] (cf. υ Riesser 1 [343-45]).
		+ β 64 [140]. β 89 [172-73].
	Trade in metals: α 11-12 [36-38]. Zinkhüttenverband: υ Riesser 13 [366].
		7. Conclusions and significance.

6.	Banks. 0. Their general role. Cf. Hilferding: υ 3 [333-34] (p. 105) and υ 4 [334-35] (p. 108, p. 116). 6. “The form of social production and distribu- tion” (Marx). Hilferding υ 4 [334-35] (p. 262) N.B.: β 41 [117-18] in fine.


		Growth of British banks: β 95 [181-83]

1. Their concentration: υ Riesser 1.5 [343-45,
349-51]. γ 5 [206-07] France; β 99-100 [88-92]; β 7
[80-81] (300 million: 300 persons); β 13 [89-90].
(β 78-79 [160-61]—Jeidels). α 45 and 48 + 1 [59-60
and 64-66 + 66].
4. Letters: υ Riesser 2 bis [349].
5. Accounts: γ 5 [206-07].
2. Branches: υ Riesser 13 [353-54]. (β 50 [125-27]
—Russia). β 66 [142-44] (France). β 67 [145-147] (Great
Britain). Banks in Russia (1905 and
after): β 42 and 43 [118-20].
Banks and the Stock Exchange: Hilferding. υ Riesser
3 [347-48] + β 10 [84-85]. (N.B.: α 42 [53-54]).
((α 42 [53-54])). α 46 [60-62]. 3. Banks and employees:
υ Riesser 3 [347-48]. β 66 [142-44]. β 100 [190-91].
α 43 [56-58].
5 bis. Banks and the Post Office: β 3 [77-78].
” ” savings banks: β 15 [92-93].

Banks.
7. Merged with industry. Hilferding: Marx, II, 79
(υ 3 [333-34]). β 80-81 [162-65] (Jeidels).
8. Members of Supervisory Boards, etc. Hilferding:
υ 4 [334-35] (p. 159. 162).—υ Riesser 7 [354-359].
—β 79 [161-62] (Jeidels). β 81 [163-65]. (α 41 [52-53]
example—bank’s letter to an industrial company).
9. “Universal character” (Jeidels): β 81-82. 83.
84-87 [163-65. 165-66. 166-70]. β 88 [171-72].
(Technical role.) β 90 [173-74].—β 99 [190-91]. N.B.
Tendency of the banks towards monopoly. Hilferd-
ing: υ 4 [334-35] (p. 278). α 48 [64-65].

8.	“Finance capital.” 1. “Holdings.” β 96-97 [183-86] (β 53 [127-29]). β 46 and 47 [121-123] (Germany. Deutsche Bank). β 56 [130-32]. β 94 [178-81]. υ 11 [380].

			N.B. example of distribution of shares: β 65 [140-42].

Ad § III. “Holdings” in Russian banks: β 49 (and 48)
[123-26 (and 122-23)].
2. “Interlocking.”
3. “Subsidiary companies.” β 9 [83-84]. β 105-06
[198-200] υ 7. 9 [377-78. 379].
Fraud.
Concessions.
Bribes.
7. “Transport trust” and urban land: β 12 [86-89]
+ β 94 [178-81].
(Speculation in land): β 15-16 [92-94].
8. Bank directors and officials (government): Russia
β 50-51 and 53. 55 [125-27 and 127-28. 129-30].
β 95-96 [181-85]. β 99 [188-90].
4. Company promotion; “Founders’ profit”:
Hilferding: υ 5 [335-37] (p. 336). Lysis: γ 19. 20
[220-221. 221-22]. + β 65 [140-42]. German example:
β 8 [81-83].
Foreign loans: Lysis γ 19-20 [220-22]. α 2 [66-67].
(German) β 14 [91-92].
9. Statistics of issues (1910-12): υ 9 [341-42]. υ 23
[386-87]. (Idem from 1871): β 17 and 68 [94-96
and 147-49]. β 68 [147-49] (Neymarck and Zollin-
ger]. α 47 [62-64] (ad § 18).
6. Profit from issues: α 38 [52]. ι 3. 5 [374-75.
376-77]. β 14 [91-92].
5. N.B. “Reconstruction.” Hilferding: υ [334]
(p. 172). Stillich: α 38 and 41 [52-53]. Liefmann: ι 3
[374-75]. The financial history of France: λ 2-3
[437-38].

9.	Export of capital (§ IV). Introduction? Growth of capital and its contradic- tions.
	Growth	{	Hobson—χ 9 [409-10]. Lescure: γ 5 [206-07]. β 67 [145-47].
			(Mehrens). β 69 [146] (Neymarck).
	Amount:		Neymarck (β 68 and 69 [147-49 and 149-51]) + υ Riesser 14 [371]. Harms: ξ 3-5 [286-87]. ξ 30 [323]. Arndt: ε 1 [273]. Diouritch: β 63 [139-40]. Kaufmann: β 66 [142-44].


		Schulze-Gaevernitz: a 2 [66-67].

Significance.
Connection with export of commodities. Exports
and investment of capital: β 30 [108-10]. (Hil-
ferding υ.) β 100-01 [191-94] (loans and
exports). N.B. See 20.^[4]
(Orders, etc.): β 14-15 [91-92].
Contracts: β 27 [105-06]. β 28 [107-08]. β 29 [108-09].
Banks in the colonies: β 65 [141-42]. α 30 [48-50].
(+ υ Riesser 7 [354-59]).
Foreign loans (? § III ?) (α 2 [66-67]) N.B.
Foreign capital in China, Japan, etc. β 17 [94-96].
German capital in Russia: γ 42 [249-50] (cf. β 58
[132-331). α 31 [68-69]. η 13 [330]. Foreign capital
in Argentina and other countries β 29 [108-09] and
β 30 [109-10].
Canada: β 94 [180-81].



			“Dumping”. Where to? Where? for § VII? see 16^[5]

10.

Colonies.
Their general significance: agriculture: β 18 [96-97].
Colonial loans ι 21 [386].
Colonial banks: υ Riesser 7 [354-59].
Social significance of colonies. Wahl: γ 27 [226-28].
Raw materials: β 18 [96-97].
Sales: exports to colonies. β 20 [98-100].
Suppression of industry and development of agri-
culture, etc. β 24-25 [103-05]. (India, etc.) β 26
[105-06].
America in the Philippines: β 26 [105-06].
Britain: Suez: α 44 [58-59].
(1) Monopolies—(raw-material sources).
(2) Export of capital (concessions).
Finance capital = domination.

11.	Growth of colonies. Morris: γ 47 [251] et seq. 1860 1880 χ 2-3 [406-08] 1900

12.	“Division of the world”: 1876 and 1914 (colonies). ξ 5-7 [294-99]. Britain’s virtual protectorate over Portugal, Norway, Spain (N.B.): β 21, 22, 23 [100-01-03]. Siam (ibidem). Argen- tina—Sartorius, p. 46 (Argentina): ξ 28 [545-46]. λ 25 [452-53]. (idem).
	N.B:	(αα Colonies....) (ββ Semi-colonies....) (γγ Financially dependent countries....)—cf.
	α 31 [69-70].


3	13.	Uneven growth and “redivision” of the world. Britain versus Germany. Crammond: υ 35-36 [398-400]. General (new discoveries) υ 12-13 [380-81]. Patents: λ 28 [453-54]. France versus Germany. Théry: γ 3 [204-05]. Hubert: γ 22 [223]. Bérard: γ 24 [223-24]. United States, Britain and Germany. Vorwärts, 1916. μ 1 [461-63]. London as world market and mon- ey power. β 4-5 [78-80]. (“¾ of trade”, etc.) (cf. α 46 [60-62]). (Not for § 7 or 8??) β 96 [183-85] (iron (world output): 1850-1910). β 98 [186-88] (deposits). Water-power: β 62 [137-38]. Cables: β 64 [140-41]. ζ 3 [290-93]. [[Iron, steel, electro-steel: β 99 [188-90].]] [α 31-32 [69-71]: drive of German imperialism!]

			Hobson: 103; 205; 144; 335; 386 [415-16; 419; 417-18; 429-30; 434-35].

2	14.	Picture of relationships in the world economy. R. Calwer. (Corrections.) υ [464-66]. Railways. 1890 and 1913. μ [484-490]. Comparison of their growth with that of iron and steel production. μ [490]. Chapter VII. 127-146-162.^[6]
1	15.	Summing up. Principal economic (industrial) features of imperialism....
	⎧ ⎪ ⎨ ⎪ ⎩		α: Concentration and monopoly.	1.	⎫ ⎪ ⎬ ⎪ ⎭
			β: Export of capital (chief thing).	3.
			γ: Bank capital and its “threads”.	2.
			δ: Division of the world by industrial monopo- lists	4.
			ε: Idem—colonies	5.

	K. Kautsky’s definition. δ [268] versus:
⎧ ⎪ ⎨ ⎪ ⎩	Incompleteness of Hilferding’s definition: υ 5 [335-37] (p. 338) cf. υ 6 [337-38] (p. 495). P. Louis in 1904: γ 43-45 [250-51]. Distinction from the old colonial policy. χ 1. 36. 40 [405-06. 427-28. 429-31]. Hobson’s definition or conception. χ 11 [411]. χ 13-14. 17 [412-14. 415-16]. χ 32 [425]. Chapter IX. 162

16.

“The economic policy of finance capital” and the
critique of imperialism?
“Dumping.”
“Protectionism”—its growth in Britain, Belgium,
Holland. β 19 [97-99].
The new significance of protective tariffs. Engels
in Hilferding. υ 5 [335-37] (p. 300).
Coercion χ 11 [411]; (annexations). 42 [431-33].
β 97 [185-86]: exports and finance capital.

17.	Back to free competition or forward to overcoming capitalism? Hilferding: υ 6 [337-38] (p. 567 N.B.).

18.

Parasitism and “decay” of capitalism.
The “rentier state”... (α 2 [66-67]). α 3 [67-69].
β 30 [108-10] (five creditor states). (!!) β 95 [181-83]
(Germany). γ 19 [445-47] (a creditor state).
γ 21 (22-23) [448 (449-51)]. γ 25 [452-53]. γ 26. 27. 28. 29
[452-56]. χ 46-48 [434-36]. χ 18. 21. 25. 34 [415-17.
417-19. 420. 426-27].
χ 9 [409-10] (15%) and 10.39 [410-11. 429-30] Hol-
land. γ 14 [214-15] (Moos).
Hildebrand = apprehensions about monop-
oly: β 34 [110-12] et seq.
Foreign workers in Germany (statistics, 1907).
Foreign workers in France. δ 8 [263-64].
Emigration and immigration. χ 5 [409].



			Statistics of issues from § 8.

N.B.: Sartorius ξ 29 [547-48].

19.

“Ultra-imperialism” or “inter-imperialism”?
χ 7 [430-32] (cf. λ 20 [447-48]).

20.	Kautsky and Hobson versus Marxism. N.B. Kautsky versus Agahd. β Exports to Canada: λ 20 [447-48]. Trade with independent and dependent countries. β 100-02 [191-95]. Puerto Rico. λ 21 [448-49].

21.

Apologists and petty-bourgeois critics of imperialism.
The apologist Schilder: β 27 [105-07]. Hildebrand:
β 35 [111-13].
Nieboer α 13 [38-39].—χ 25. 27. 30 [420. 421-22.
423-24] (Fabians). 31 [424-25]. Liefmann.
Hobson. χ 1 [405-06]. χ 15.
16 [414-16]. Cf. β 40 [116-17] on K. Kautsky.
American anti-imperialists. Patonillet.
γ 11 [209-11]. V. Bérard on Egypt: γ 23 [224].
Agahd: β 41 [117-18] et seq. β 54 [128-30]. β 59
[133-34]. β 60. 61 [135. 136-37].
(Eschwege. “Etatisation”; he is against it: β 94
[178-81]). β 100 [191]: against Baghdad.
Neymarck is for “peace”: β 69 [149-51] (125).
The Pereires are for world peace. α 42 [53-54].

			Apologists: Riesser (υ) and Schulze- Gaevernitz (α 47 [62-64]).

22.	Imperialism and opportunism. British liberal labour policy. Definitive split in the working-class movement. Upper stratum of workers. λ 18 [446]. 22. 22-23. 23. 30 [449-50. 449-51. 450-51. 456-57]. χ 24 [419-20] (205) (bribery). [ad 18?].

23.

Diplomacy and foreign policy 1871-1914
{brief mention}. α 3.
...Hilferding υ 6 [337-38] (p. 505) .... υ Riesser 11
[367-68].
British foreign policy (1870-1914)... β 23 [100-02].
German: β 97 [185-86].
Hishida: γ 6 [207].
Oceania: γ 27 [227-28].
Patouillet: γ 9 and 10 [209 and 210].
Hill: γ 46 [251].

3)	23 bis: Imperialism and democracy. Fi- nance capital and reaction (α 31 [68-70]). Nieboer: α 13 [38-39].

24.

The national question in the era of
imperialism (brief mention).


		“National wars.” Patouillet: γ 12 [210-11]. America and colonies. Patouillet: γ 10 [209].

Growth of the national movement. β 28-29 [106-08].
Hildebrand’s arguments contra. β 35 [111-12].
Nieboer: α 13 [38-39].
Hilferding: υ χ 17-19-20 [416-17-18]. ι 3 [374-75].
Conclusion. The place of imperial-
ism in history (?).

25.	“Interlocking” versus “socialisa- tion”.

⎧

⎨
⎩

Rate of growth and over-ripening... (their)
compatibility).
“Decay” and birth of the new....

⎫

⎬
⎭


		Bottle manufacturers. Die Neue Zeit, 1912 (30, 2), p. 567. The inventor’s name is Owens, not Owen!

Liefmann: α 40 [55-56].
Riesser: υ 3 and 10 [346-47 and 363-65].
Saint-Simon and Marx (Schulze-Gaevernitz):
α 43-44 [56-59].
Rate of growth: υ Riesser 9 [362-63].


		Technical progress and torment (Quälerei). Taylor and “Motion Study” β 70-77 [152-60].

Summing up and conclusions. Imperialism and
socialism. N.B.:
Optimism [regarding opportunism?].
Monopoly and free competition—banks and social-
isation.—
Interlocking and socialisation—division of the
world and redivisions.—
“Transition” to ...what? β 84 [166-69].
Tschierschky in favour of cartels (against trusts):
afraid: β 104 [197-98].
Incompleteness of Hilferding’s definition. § 15.
(To come here?)

Notes

[1] Figures in square brackets refer to pages of this volume.—Ed.

[2] The numbering in round brackets was made by Lenin later, in pencil.—Ed.

[3] Two columns of figures were pencilled in by Lenin later.—Ed.

[4] See p. 237 of this volume.—Ed.

[5] Ibid., p. 237.—Ed.

[6] * In Chapter VII, Lenin included §§ 13, 14 and 15 in reverse order; the numbers refer to the pages of the MS. of Lenin’s book Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism.—Ed.