Preface to the 1882 Russian Edition Summary and Analysis

The first Russian-language edition of the document was translated by the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin and was published in c. 1863. It was viewed in Western Europe as only a literary curiosity. Much has changed since then. The original document's Part 4 considered Communism's relation to various other opposition parties and clearly indicates the then-limited influence of Communism. Notably, Russia and the United States were not even mentioned. The preface suggests that the mass of recent American immigrants is poised to strike a decisive Communist blow to the emerging American bourgeoisie who are rapidly amassing capital. The Russian Revolution of 1848-9 shocked Europe. In present-day Russia, more than half of the land is owned in common. This stands in hopeful contrast to Russian bourgeois exploitation. The authors hope that the Russian revolution will continue and become...