The recent collapse of the Soviet Union made clear the weaknesses and deficiencies in Leninist theory and practice. In the period between the World Wars, however, an entirely different trend of socialist thought had briefly flowered in Europe, a trend which rejected the Leninist model of centralized party and state, and instead affirmed the democratic self-emancipation of the working class. This movement was “council communism.” “Non-Leninist Marxism” presents a selection of the most influential writings from the council communists, including Hermann Gorter, Anton Pannekoek, Sylvia Pankhurst, and Otto Ruhle.