Revolutionary leftism for dummies

[MetJeBrood]

Hello everyone,

I'm planning on writing a book for beginning left people,
i choose to do this for a school assignment for which i will have to finish withing 8 months. I'm just starting with the assignment and currently in a sort of brain storm phase. I thought it would be nice to write something about communism, socialism and anarchism aswell. So leftish people could find out which ideology fits them best. I was also planning on making an a to z list with for every letter one thing that has to do with leftism. As i already sad i'm still in the brainstorm phase i would love to have any form of tips, advice or ideas..

[Jimmie Higgins]

Great idea - maybe check the "learning" section of this website - I think a section on common arguments against radicalism could be really useful:

1. Human nature is a barrier to communism: people will always be greedy and selfish
2. But we need cops to keep order in society
3. People are too sinful (the christian argument)/too stupid (a common liberal or secular version of the same argument).

[Red Commissar]

One thing you should do is to get a good definition of what "socialism" is, and how various ideologies tie into that.

Describe Marxist and non-Marxist variants of socialism, how Marxism uses socialism to transition into a communist state, the anarchist strands, and a mention of reformist versions which led into social democracy, for the sake of learning.

The way I describe it to people is the goal of socialism is shared by all these groups, they have differing ways of achieving it however.

[MetJeBrood]

ok, interesting..
What was the actual thing that made you interested in the "left"
and what were the problems you ran into..

[Red Commissar]

Well by nature of our ideology, it had to have been something with our disgust with Capitalism obviously.

Myself personally, I began off thinking this was a good system. Over time I began to wonder why there was always issues with unemployment and people tending to slide from a "middle-class" existence to a lower one. I also began to see that a lot of the luxuries people have in the western world is acquired by exploiting third world nations.

When it finally hit me really was when I started working. Where I live they have a "right to work" law in place. Despite its name, it's pro management and makes workers a tool to be used by the management.

[The Idler]

You could do worse than reading the following;
Oxford University Press
Anarchism: A Very Short Introduction by Colin Ward
Communism: A Very Short Introduction by Leslie Holmes
Socialism: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Newman
Marx: A Very Short Introduction by Peter Singer
Engels: A Very Short Introduction by Terrell Harver

Icon Books/Pantheon/Totem
Introducing Marx by Rius
Introducing Marxism by Rupert Woodfin
Introducing Lenin by Richard Appignanesi and Oscar Zarate
Introducing Trotsky by Tariq Ali and Phil Evans

Hodder and Stoughton
Marx: A Beginners Guide by Gill Hands

Teach Yourself
Marx - The Key Ideas by Gill Hands

Oneworld
Marx: A Beginners Guide by Andrew Collier

Bookmarks (SWP)
A Rebel's Guide to Marx by Mike Gonzalez
A Rebel's Guide to Lenin by Ian Birchall
A Rebel's Guide to Trotsky by Esme Choonara

[Dr Mindbender]

someone should actually write a communism or marxism book in the official 'for dummies' range.

I would certainly buy one.

[The Idler]

Why you should be a Socialist by Paul Foot (http://www.marxists.org/archive/foot-paul/1977/wysbas/index.htm).
The Case for Socialism by Paul Foot (http://www.marxists.org/archive/foot-paul/1990/case/index.htm).
Socialism Made Easy by James Connolly (http://www.marxist.net/ireland/connolly/socialism/).