Socialist Economics - Books

[Che Guevara]

Alright, I'm not much of a reader, but I thought, it's probably one of the best ways to learn. Soo, I thought I'd try to read some books. I'm going to Cuba during the Holidays, so I thought I'd bring some books for the flight.

I've already bought the Manifesto, but I was thinking, I'd like to get some others books on socialist economics. I plan to go into political economics when I get out of high school. I then plan to go into politics.


Now, I recently went to the bookstore, although, I wasn't too sure what books I should buy.

I'd like perspectives both on capitalist economics and socialist economics. I'd like to see some perspectives on capitalist economics because I think it'd help out a ton in arguments, debates, etc.


If you guys could lend a hand in what books I should read, that'd be great.

Thanks.

[mikelepore]

Paul Sweezy, who died in 2004, was a Harvard economist who was considered a Marxist. He wrote several books.

[RadioRaheem84]

Paul Sweezy, Harry Magdoff, Paul Baran and the founders of Monthly Review. Great stuff.

John Bellamy Foster's The Great Financial Crisis is a great book too.

[bailey_187]

Economics of Socialism:
The Shanghai Textbook (too expensive from Amazon though)
Helen Yaffe - Che Guevara: The Economics of Revolution
Josef Stalin(eek!) - Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR
Bertell Ollman - Market Socialism: The Debate Among Socialists
Mao Tse-Tung - Critique of Soviet Economics (not that great)


Economics of Capitalism:
Richard Wolff - Capitalism hits the fan
Chris Harman - Zombie Capitalism
Chris Harman - Economics of the madhouse
R Wolff - Economics: Marxian versus Neoclassical
Stephen Shapiro - How to Read Marx's Capital
Bill Dunn - Global Political Economy: A Marxist Critique
John Foster - The Great Financial Crisis: Causes and Consequences


O Kuusinen - Fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism manuel
This covers both capitalist and socialsit economics, and much other parts of Marxism-Leninism.

[RadioRaheem84]

R Wolff - Economics: Marxian versus Neoclassical

I just started reading Wolff. Is this one really that good? It seems like it would be a good book to understand the premise of Marxism vs the capitalist framework.

[bailey_187]

I just started reading Wolff. Is this one really that good? It seems like it would be a good book to understand the premise of Marxism vs the capitalist framework.

I'm still on the Neoclassical section, which is pretty good IMO, well written and explained

From flicking through the Marxian section though it seems fairly standard stuff though


p.s. why do people say "Marxian", is there meant to be some difference between "Marxian" and "Marxist"? It seems to be used more by Economists.

[RadioRaheem84]

I'm still on the Neoclassical section, which is pretty good IMO, well written and explained

From flicking through the Marxian section though it seems fairly standard stuff though


p.s. why do people say "Marxian", is there meant to be some difference between "Marxian" and "Marxist"? It seems to be used more by Economists.


I think the difference is that Marxian economists advocate his critique of capitalism without necessarily endorsing his solution (revolution) to it. I think. Don't quote me on that.

[ZeroNowhere]

I think the difference is that Marxian economists advocate his critique of capitalism without necessarily endorsing his solution (revolution) to it. I think. Don't quote me on that.Frequently it's to avoid association with the 'Marxist' movement, and instead be associated with Marx, as there is a major difference.

Anyhow, try Kliman's 'Reclaiming Capital', especially if you're going to be reading Sweezy, who had endorsed Bortkiewicz and such.

Another good book on the subject is 'The Marxian Concept of Capital and the Soviet Experience' by Paresh Chattopadhyay, which features an explanation of Marx's theories on capitalism and then the application of them to the USSR.

[mikelepore]

p.s. why do people say "Marxian", is there meant to be some difference between "Marxian" and "Marxist"? It seems to be used more by Economists.

The way I use them, "Marxist" is the noun and "Marxian" is the adjective. I'm a Marxist. I agree with the Marxian theory.