Reform or Revolution?

Rosa Luxemburg's Reform or Revolution (1899) is a defense of Marxist orthodoxy against gradualist approaches to achieving socialism. In this work, Luxemburg argued against Eduard Bernstein's revisionist theories, which suggested that capitalism could be reformed through parliamentary politics and trade union activity.1234

Luxemburg contended that the inherent contradictions of capitalism would not diminish and that these contradictions would ultimately lead to a revolutionary opportunity for the proletariat to seize power. She emphasized revolutionary mass action as the key to achieving international socialism, contrasting with reformist strategies that she believed would not fundamentally alter the capitalist system.213