Michael Harrington was a powerful voice in the American Left and the revered leader of the Democratic Socialists of America. In this book, he examines socialist theory and practice throughout history to differentiate between true democratic socialism and the pseudo-socialism represented by the failed dictatorships in Eastern Europe. Harrington discusses thinkers as diverse as Marx and Keynes; analyses the paths taken by Soviet Russia, China, Western Europe and the Third World; and charts socialism's response to poverty, the environmental crisis and the technological revolution. Socialism: Past and Future is a testament to a major socialist theoretician of the twentieth century.

'Magnificent ... more than anything this book is about hope.' Los Angeles Times

'Harrington is a scholar of extraordinary diligence and depth.' J.K. Galbraith

'This must be among the very best books about socialism now available.' Labour Research