Good Introductions to Marxist theory?

[Palingenisis]

Can anyone recommend any good introductions to Marxist theory?

Preferably from a Maoist persecptive but anti-Revisionist in general is cool.

Thanks.

[chegitz guevara]

The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism, by V.I. Lenin

[Palingenisis]

Thanks comrade....I was looking for something though that would include both Stalin and Mao...I saw this amazing book by some anti-revisionist US university professor that covered the evolution of Communism up to Mao but I cant remember his name or the book's name.....:(

[ZeroNowhere]

That is a rather vague request. What aspects of 'Marxist theory'?

[Palingenisis]

The role and nature of the Vanguard Party. The nature of contradictions. Historical materialism. Class struggle under the dictatorship of the proletariat.

[chegitz guevara]

Why limit yourself? Start with the classics, move on from there, to see if the later stuff matches up or has valid reasons for deviating.

[Tae Guevara]

Try the "communist manifesto". Also check out che guevara's "guerrilla warfare"if you haven't already. They are both good reads and should give you at least some insight into what you are inquiring about.

[Proletarian Ultra]

The role and nature of the Vanguard Party. The nature of contradictions. Historical materialism. Class struggle under the dictatorship of the proletariat.

It seems like you're asking for a secondary introduction. I can think of a few for Marx, but not any for Marxism-Leninism. Anyway, short-ish and fairly accessible 'classics'; the Manifesto goes without saying.


Hegel, The German Constitution (http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/hegel/works/gc/ch01.htm), Chapter I
Marx, Address to the Communist League (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/communist-league/1850-ad1.htm)
Marx, The Civil War in France, Chapter 5 (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1871/civil-war-france/ch05.htm)
Lenin, Left-Wing Communism (http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1920/lwc/index.htm) - much clearer than What is To Be Done?
Stalin, Economic Problems of Socialism in the USSR (http://www.marx2mao.com/Stalin/EPS52.html#c7), Chapter 7
Quotations from Chairman Mao (http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/works/red-book/), Sections 1, 2, 4, 6, 11, 29
Mao, Directives Concerning the Cultural Revolution (http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-9/mswv9_84.htm)
Zhang Chunqiao, On Exercising All-Round Dictarorship over the Bourgeoisie (http://www.marx2mao.com/Other/ARD75.html)


Covers just about everything except historical materialism.

[The Ben G]

State and Revolution by Lenin

[vampire squid]

Can anyone recommend any good introductions to Marxist theory?

"wage labor and capital" + "value, price and profit" by k. marx

"marx's theory of value" by eleanor marx

these are good places to start.

[Proletarian Ultra]

"wage labor and capital" + "value, price and profit" by k. marx

"marx's theory of value" by eleanor marx

these are good places to start.

Oh Christ, I suppose you have to. I find Marx's economic works completely unreadable, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. His journalism is very engaging; his speeches, manifestos and social criticism are amazing.

[Weezer]

I like the Principles of Communism by Engels.

[28350]

The role and nature of the Vanguard Party.
That's strictly Leninist, not just Marxist.

[scarletghoul]

This is imo a great piece by a leading Nepal Maoist, Baburam Bhattarai. Sums up the experience of socialist states in trying to keep the dictatorship proletarian, from the Paris Commune to Cultural Revolution, and how he thinks the Nepali Maoists should try to succeed where others failed.
http://southasiarev.wordpress.com/2008/05/28/where-do-they-stand-the-question-of-building-new-type-of-state/

Some Maoists like the RCP disagree with this completely, but if youre asking for any interpretation of Marxism beyond the absoloute basics then you will never get any summary that is universally agreed upon

[We Shall Rise Again]

on the role of the party try 'what is to be done?' by Lenin

[chegitz guevara]

on the role of the party try 'what is to be done?' by Lenin

Not really. WItBD was a particular argument for a particular place and time. It's not the Ten Commandments some "Leninists" make it out to be. Every comrade interested one way or another in Lenin NEEDS to read Lenin Rediscovered: 'What Is to Be Done?' in Context, by Lars Lih.

[chegitz guevara]

The basic mistake made by people who polemicise with What Is to Be Done? at the present time is that they tear this production completely out of a specific historical context, out of a specific and by now long-past period in the development of our party. -VI Lenin 1907

[ComradeOm]

If you can get your hands on it, I found Goldway's Dynamics of Social Change to be an excellent reader/introduction in Marxism

[Kyrite]

Try the "communist manifesto".

Why do people always suggests this when asked about communist theory? I know it is clearly important and should be read, but I found it an awful introduction to theory.

[nuisance]

Why do people always suggests this when asked about communist theory? I know it is clearly important and should be read, but I found it an awful introduction to theory.
Cos it's by Marx and has communism in the title?

[ComradeOm]

Why do people always suggests this when asked about communist theory? I know it is clearly important and should be read, but I found it an awful introduction to theory.That's you. I found it an excellent read. As an introduction to Marxism it takes most of the headline ideas, particularly Marx's conceptions of class and history, and wraps them up in a short and easily digestable tract. There are far worse places to start

[Kyrite]

That's you. I found it an excellent read. As an introduction to Marxism it takes most of the headline ideas, particularly Marx's conceptions of class and history, and wraps them up in a short and easily digestable tract. There are far worse places to start

O I didn't say it wasn't a good read. But as far as theory goes it isn't the most encompassing.

[ComradeOm]

O I didn't say it wasn't a good read. But as far as theory goes it isn't the most encompassing.Well no, its an introductory work ;)

As such the Manifesto also has a major advantage in that its a relatively complete collection of Marx's (admittedly still forming) ideas/conceptions in one document. Something it shares with The German Ideology or, to a lesser degree, The Eighteenth Brumaire. Other works tend to be much more detailed but will typically only consider one or two elements of what we call Marxism

[k101]

"The role and nature of the Vanguard Party. The nature of contradictions. Historical materialism. Class struggle under the dictatorship of the proletariat."

It sound like you are more interested in Lenin than Marx. Maybe you could start by listening to some Badiou lectures on-line. He has some nice things to say about the DP, contradiction and the like. I really enjoyed the one called "democracy, politics, and philosophy." ....not that that substitutes for a book. For historical materialism I might echo the above suggestion for Marx's Civil War in France. And on contradiction perhaps Bertell Olman's Dance of the Dialectic?