HKWM and MEGA complement each other 1

MONTY JOHNSTONE * HKWM AND MEGA COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER (1995) 4
extensive bibliography provided at the end of each entry will undoubtedly
prove very useful in this respect. Although all the entries are written in
German, the bibliography includes works in English and French. A
translation into Arabic, English, French, Russian, Spanish and Chinese of
the title of every entry is provided.
The contributions in this volume are not all of equal quality, but in
general the level of scholarship is high and often impressive. Obvious care
has been taken by the strong editorial team to avoid factual errors, though a
few have slipped through. Thus the entry on Arbeiterbewegung (labour
movement) presents democratic centralism as the organisational principle
adopted in Russia in 1903 by the Bolsheviks as against that of the
Mensheviks (in fact the principle was proclaimed for the first time by
both Mensheviks and Bolsheviks in 1905), and the date of Stalin's
enunciation of the possibility of socialism in one country is given as 1923
instead of 1924 (col. 436). In the bibliography to Aktionseinheit (unity of
action) the date of the Fourth Congress of the Communist International is
given as 1931 instead of 1922 (col. 126).
Unfortunately this volume does not contain an index, but I understand that
Volume 2 will carry a consolidated name index for the first two HKWM
volumes. Subsequent volumes, unlike the present one, will also list the countries
and institutions of the contributors including specifying the west or east
backgrounds of those from Germany.
At a time when one so often hears a wholesale dismissal of Marxist ideas, the
launching of this ambitious enterprise represents a bold challenge. Like the
decision to continue with the publication of the MEGA, it is founded on a
recognition that the ideas of Marx and Engels – »warts and all«, if you will –
represent a precious part of our intellectual heritage. The two projects
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