457 © Te Author(s) 2018 T. Rockmore and N. Levine (eds.), Te Palgrave Handbook of Leninist Political Philosophy, https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-51650-3_15 The Bloodiest Storm in History One issue that must be addressed in any assessment of Lenin’s thought today is its contemporary relevance. But the main question of substance at stake in his writings on imperialism—the relationship between global cap- italism and geopolitical struggles—undeniably retains its actuality. Tis is brought out by an article entitled “Te War and Modern Business” pub- lished in Te Economist on 19 December 1914 from which Lenin quotes in his Notebooks on Imperialism, the preliminary studies for Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism: Until the bloodiest storm in history burst at the end of July, it was hardly pos- sible to tell where Krupp began or Creusot ended. War loans were inextrica- bly mingled with peace loans, and deadweight debt with full capital issues. Whether to destroy or to construct, whether to build canals or forts, ocean liners or battleships, the whole world of business and fnance seemed to have centred itself in London, Paris and Berlin. Te fnancial houses were almost of necessity Anglo-German, Anglo-French and Anglo-American; directorships were interlaced, branches of agents existed in nearly all the cities of the Old World and of the New. Monster companies and corporations welcomed share- holders of all nationalities, with very little regard for the diplomatic alliances 15 Lenin and Imperialism Alex Callinicos A. Callinicos (*) European and International Studies, Kings College, London, UK e-mail: Alex.Callinicos@kcl.ac.uk