Leftist Literature

[PoliticalNightmare]

Hey, I was wondering if anyone knew anything about modern leftist literature from a mixture of tendencies. I ask this because a reactionary friend of mine pointed out that Marx was 'less relevant to the modern day'. Not trying to state that this is true but it would be good to know of some modern writers. I am looking specifically for someone who writes in a comprehensive and humorous manner and whose native tongue is preferably English (as I believe translations can be too literal and never truly accurately convey the original's author true meaning).

Cheers.

[RadioRaheem84]

Michael Parenti. Clear, lucid, funny and extremely passionate. Cannot recommend anyone better.

Also, if he wants relevancy, I suggest you introduce him to Monthly Review. It's a great independent Socialist Magazine.

I remember I struggled with relevancy for a long time after becoming a Marxist.

Other people to watch: Mark Steel is hilarious!

Brendan M Cooney is also a funny and talented Marxist writer.

[The Idler]

What are you looking for? A book? An article? A person? A video online? An organisation? Pretty much everyone on the left says Marx is still relevant.

[RadioRaheem84]

What are you looking for? A book? An article? A person? An organisation? Pretty much everyone on the left says Marx is still relevant.

Well I think he meant that he has a reactionary friend who think Marx has no relevancy, so he is trying to find a good Marxist source that shows how relevant Marx is today. I can't think of a better example than Monthly Review.

[PoliticalNightmare]

Well I think he meant that he has a reactionary friend who think Marx has no relevancy, so he is trying to find a good Marxist source that shows how relevant Marx is today. I can't think of a better example than Monthly Review.

Yeah precisely, we can't have the modern technology and comercially valued capitalists of today arguing that our source isn't "with the times". I'm looking for something fresh and modern, books, articles, whatever. Preferably something that's free and easily accessible on the internet. Cheers Raheem for the suggestions.

[mikelepore]

I don't understand "relevant." Marx made certain general assertions. Each of those statements is either true or false. Why isn't your friend taking a few of Marx's statements and investigating whether they are true or false? What could the degree of relevance mean, other than the degree of truth?

[PoliticalNightmare]

I don't understand "relevant." Marx made certain general assertions. Each of those statements is either true or false. Why isn't your friend taking a few of Marx's statements and investigating whether they are true or false? What could the degree of relevance mean, other than the degree of truth?

Let's not get too bogged down in whether or not Marx is relevant. The point is that we need to start pointing to literature sources that are modern and hip that way when we debate our right-wing friends, they will have no argument on grounds of application to the 21st Century.

[RadioRaheem84]

I don't know about modern and hip, but if you mean taking a "relevant" look at how Marx's general assumptions still hold up than read Monthly Review and anything written by J. Bellamy Foster and Harry Magdoff. MR Mag is also good.

David Harvey is a gem and I recommend him too. Look up his lectures on capital and his new lectures on the Enigma of Capital, and the Crisis of Capital on youtube.

[mikelepore]

Conservatives go around saying 'Marxism is dead." I believe that, if Marxism has a chronological deficiency, it's the opposite of what they say: it's probably a 22nd century philosophy that was introduced too early.