Nicos Poulantzas was born in Athens in 1936 and died in Paris in 1979. His other published works include "Political Power and Social Classes" and "State, Power, Socialism". James Martin is Senior Lecturer in Politics at Goldsmith's College, London, and is the author of "Gramsci's Political Analysis", co-author of "Contemporary Social and Political Theory: An Introduction", and editor of "Antonio Gramsci: Critical Assessments".