Marx and Engels
The Manifesto of the Communist Party places class relations and the organisation of production at the centre of its account of modern society. It connects the development of capitalism with changes in social life, political power and international economic relations.
Its structure moves from an account of the bourgeoisie and proletariat to the relationship between communists and other political currents, the socialist literature of its time and the political setting in which it appeared. The work belongs to a specific historical moment while raising questions that recur in later socialist thought.
The library’s Manifesto record identifies the historical work, its English edition and its principal themes. The prefaces included with different editions also show how Marx and Engels situated the text in changing circumstances.
Lenin and the state
The State and Revolution examines the state through Marxist debates on class power, social transformation and political authority. Lenin returns to Marx and Engels while arguing about the nature of the state and the conditions of transition beyond capitalism.
The work connects theoretical interpretation with the political questions of its period. Its discussion of state institutions, public power and social administration forms an important part of the Marxist-Leninist tradition to which the League refers.
The library record identifies the chapter structure and publication history. It provides a route to the complete work and the particular argument developed in each part.
Socialism with Chinese characteristics
Contemporary Chinese socialism connects a socialist political direction with the historical conditions and development tasks of China. Its theoretical language brings together political leadership, productive development, reform, public provision, national modernisation and the international setting.
The Constitution of the Communist Party of China provides an institutional account of the party’s guiding ideas and organisational principles. The report to the 20th National Congress develops a political assessment and programme across economic, social, cultural, ecological and international fields.
These documents have complementary functions. The constitution defines the party’s own framework; the report develops its account of a historical period and the tasks ahead. Their contents connect the theoretical discussion with the institutions and priorities of contemporary governance.
CPC Constitution: 2022 text · Report to the 20th National Congress
Xi Jinping Thought and contemporary development
Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is a central theoretical reference in contemporary Chinese political documents. Its subject matter extends across party leadership, governance, development, social provision, ecological questions and international relations.
For the League, the study of this thought connects broad political formulations with the practical fields developed in the China collection. Planning, public services, ecological transition and scientific capacity are concrete subjects through which that connection can be examined.
The library includes an official announcement concerning the study outline. The announcement identifies the publication and its intended theoretical role; the full outline is a separate work with its own edition.
Concepts across the collection
| Concept | Principal question |
|---|---|
| Production and social relations | How economic activity and social organisation are connected |
| State and political authority | How public power is organised and exercised |
| Socialist development | How a political direction enters economic and social institutions |
| Modernisation | How productive, social, cultural and ecological change relate |
| Internationalism | How different social experiences enter a wider field of cooperation and study |
The glossary defines recurring terms. The modernisation dossier and economy dossier develop their practical setting.
Texts, editions and further study
Historical works circulate in different translations and editions. Contemporary political reports, constitutions and study publications likewise have specific dates and institutional forms. The source records identify these particulars alongside the substance of each work.
The League’s China statement sets out its own theoretical position. The source guide explains publication details used in citations, and the Reference Library connects theory with the wider collection of development and international documents.