This is an excellent book published in 1968 [unsure if book is from 1986 or 1968--18] by a German journalist concerned with why Germany never had its often- prophesied proletarian revolution.

Haffner explains why the right, the Social Democrats and even the Spartacists (communists) wrote attempted proletarian revolution out of the history books.

The military and the Kaiser of Germany had nothing but disdain for the uprising of the masses of Germany at the end of World War I. It was only so much chaos and rioting to them.

Social Democratic leaders who came to rule civilian Germany shared the traditional ruling class's contempt for the attempts at governance by the soldiers, sailors and workers of Germany, but added the element of betrayal. Haffner shows in no uncertain terms how the Social Democrats paved the way for Hitler and saw to the assassination of communist leaders Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht.

Finally, Haffner unintentionally detailed how Luxemburg and Liebknecht lagged behind the times. Despite a sympathetic after word by Richard Bruch, the overall impression of the book is that the Spartacists were too little too late. Nothing could be more indicative than that the party only formed after the initial events of the revolution.

It appears that Liebknecht in particular was in touch with the anti-militarist movement and even symbolized it, but he did not lead it, nor did his party.

The only hesitation that a Leninist could have with the book is Haffner's own tendency to see the period in terms of personalities, some more stupid than others. The book is excellent political history, but the underlying political economy of the period is left in the dark. On wishes there were a counterpart to Haffner's book on the political economy of Germany.

Overall Failure of a Revolution should be required reading on Germany because it teaches many political lessons chronicling a heroic but naive uprising against militarism and counterrevolution.

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