NIKOLAI BUKHARIN has for long been an enigma in the Soviet Union and among Marxists. Once a close ally of Stalin he was later condemned by him, branded a traitor and his works were banned. Even in the post- Stalin period, during Kruschev's time when the ban was lifted his works failed to draw much interest in his country and Marxists outside were wary of his alleged self- confession'. It is only recently, under pcrestroika, that Bukharin has been given the respect he deserves. Soviet scholars are showing a renewed interest in his works perhaps because they find in them some relevance to the current changes in the economy.