This thesis presents a sociological analysis of the concept of
revolution in social forms. It is argued that any concept of
revolution makes available a version of the relationship of
speech to language. The concept of a revolution in social forms
is grounded in a view of the relationship of the revolutionary
enterprise to the dialectical transformation of man's nature or
essence. Two modes of orientation to Marx's revolutionary theorising are
analysed:
1. The principled version which understands Marx's theorising
as offering a concept of revolution as universal and engaged
orientation to principle.
2. The rule-bound version which views Marx as representing
revolution in terms of technique - the 'correct rules' for
subverting capitalism.
We investigate the redirection of the principled vision in Marx
by Lenin, Stalin, Trotsky and Mao. Finally we consider the
rediscovery and development of the principled tradition in
tendencies within modernism
