The Democratic Socialism of Emile Vandervelde Beteen Reform and Revolution [Hardcover]

Winner of the Pierlot Prize in Contemporary History This political biography of Emile Vandervelde traces the path of European socialism at the turn of the century. Vandervelde defined democratic socialism as a compromise between orthodox and revisionist Marxism. As President of the Second International, he brought French, British, and German socialists together as comrades in a common revolutionary struggle.This history of the struggles of two generations of socialists to define and practise what Vandervelde called 'revolutionary reformism' draws attention to the Marxist origins of democratic socialism and will appeal to anyone interested in politics, comparative history or labour movements.Janet Polasky Professor of History,University of New Hampshire

I am convinced that The Democratic Socialism of Emile Vandervelde will become a classic. Jean Stengers, Emeritus Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Brussels

Polasky's book on the Belgian socialist Emile Vandervelde is a masterpiece. Andrei S. Markovits, Professor and Chair, Board of Studies in Politics, University of California, Santa Cruz

Janet Polasky has managed to bring Vandervelde alive. This book should be used in many of the courses presently being developed to study 'the other socialism' and its history. Patricia Penne Hilden, Institute of Liberal Arts, Emory University

Janet Polasky's thorough and well-constructed reappraisal of Vandervelde is fascinating not only for the light is sheds on its main subject, but also as a case study in the evolution of European socialism. ...Polasky's model political biography is at the same time a case study of the evolution - some would say degeneration - of an ideology and a movement which hoped to change the world. It holds lessons for us all. Socialist History

...will surely come to be viewed as an important contribution to the history of democratic socialism...a work of great erudition, butl“,