Is reading Das Kapital Necessary?

[Le Communiste]

I would like to focus exclusively on Lenin's works, and I would like to know if capital is a necessary to understand Lenin.

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Depends on what you mean by necessary as in what work by Lenin are you looking into? Throughout his works Lenin draws heavily on Engels and Marx's works so to really understand what he is saying you should have at least some familiarity with the sources Lenin is quoting from.I wouldn't say that Capital is a required read to really understand Lenin,as Lenin takes sources from his shorter works, but to understand theory in general, and to have an idea of where Lenin is going, it would be beneficial to read through the first couple chapters of capital.

[Questionable]

Das Kapital isn't something that you'll be able to read once and totally understand everything. It requires much effort. I recommend reading a synopsis or two first (There's one available on the "Theory" section of this forum), and then trying to work on Capital bits at a time. Use David Harvey's lectures to help yourself.

[Art Vandelay]

Capital (which I haven't read) is necessary reading for all Marxists. That being said, it is primarily a work on economics; you don't need much of an economic background (I don't have one) to understand Lenin's work. I would recommend that you eventually give it a go (I am going to start reading it soon, since I think all Marxists need to have a solid knowledge of economics) but you have no reason to feel like that is where you need to start.

[Jimmie Higgins]

In most of the works I've read, Lenin explains the context and his interpretation any time he quotes Marx, so you can read most of his major things without having read Capital (I always use the English title I think it's weird to keep it in German when there's no specific connotation of the German word vs. the English one). It would, however, be helpful to have familiarity with the basic concepts of Marxism because he often takes these things for granted, and his polemical writings are full of assumptions that the reader knows about the debate going on more or less in the movement - so some things are just going to be context specific and may go over your head, but usually you can get the important points even if you don't know about this or that specific struggle or tendency in the socialist movement at that time.

In general, no book is "necessary" - but they are often very helpful. At the time of a revolution, it is highly doubtful that more than a minority would have read Capital. But the ideas in the book are important and Capital is very very helpful IMO. Vol 1, is fantastic at giving the big picture and then contrasting the overall mechanisms of the system to how they actually play out in history. This is one of the aspects I like most about the book because I generally grasp things through historical example rather than just theory. It also destroys the arguments about Marx being supposedly reductionist or "his predictions not working out" or that his view of things was ridged and deterministic. Again and again he shows how multitudes of variables play against each-other producing all sorts of historical developments and how nothing really plays out according to a pre-determined formula. It's like he explains how gravity works and then shows how in real life an object in motion doesn't actually stay in motion because there are any number of other variables acting on the object such as friction and other counter-forces.

[Yuppie Grinder]

I would like to focus exclusively on Lenin's works, and I would like to know if capital is a necessary to understand Lenin.

You're gonna wanna read Marx and Engels before reading Lenin. I read several works by Lenin before tackling Capital, though. I have no idea why'd you wanna focus exclusively on Lenin's work, though. Lenin would probably want you to read some M&E.

[Le Socialiste]

I'd highly recommend it as a point of study, and certain sections could help you understand where Lenin is coming from at times, but as a prerequisite? No, I don't think so. If you're focusing solely on Lenin, you'll want to at least acquaint yourself with the works of those who came before, as he drew heavily on what they said and postulated. While not entirely necessary, it would probably help to read up on Marx and Engels, including Plekhanov and Kautsky (pre-WWI). The latter two greatly influenced Lenin's own theoretical line and thought. That said, Lenin would later denounce Kautsky as a "renegade," and Plekhanov would side with the Entente powers during the war, going so far as to criticize the February revolution as a 'disruption' of the Russian war effort - take that however you will.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Better works to read by Marx and Engels are:


Socialism: Utopian & Scientific
Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State.
Wage Labour & Capital
Value Price and Profit
Communist Manifesto


all relatively short (200ish pages max)
all provide good groundwork for marxism and a basis to build into understanding lenin.
i still havent read Capital but, ive read the first 3 chapters 3 times.

[citizen of industry]

Lenin was a Marxist. You should have a good background in Marx's works, including Capital. You can use outside sources to help you understand Capital, and if you familiarize yourself with the themes before reading the work it helps. The more Marx you read the more interesting and easier to read he becomes. I enjoy reading Marx far more than Lenin.

[Rusty Shackleford]

between marx and engels though, engels is much better reading wise

[Q]

If you want to understand where Lenin was coming from I suggest Lenin Rediscovered - "What is to be done?" in context.

But yes, for any solid grasp of Marxist economics, Capital is needed.

[Comrades Unite!]

YES!

You must read,study learn all three volumes of Capital, It takes about a year and four months to read(All three, Vol.1 took six months for me,Vol.2 was four months and Vol.3 took six.) then you need to take another while to fully grasp them with the help of secondary sources from the likes of David Harvey.

It's madness seeing young Marxists that haven't read Das Kapital, It's his magnum opus, a genius piece of work.

Not only is it a great piece on economics, Marx chose wisely how to start and end it giving it literary significance, I love how it starts with something as simple as a commodity and flows from there to the Capitalist failings ultimately bringing down Capitalism, Capital is very well written and when you start it, REMEMBER The only reason why Chapter one seems hard to some is because all beginnings are difficult so start their, start where Marx wanted you to start, with the commodity it flows on from their spanning three long books.
Go buy them!

[mew]

suck it up

[Geiseric]

http://thepiratebay.se/torrent/4457855

Torrents and Audio books are your friend!

[citizen of industry]

YES!

You must read,study learn all three volumes of Capital, It takes about a year and four months to read(All three, Vol.1 took six months for me,Vol.2 was four months and Vol.3 took six.) then you need to take another while to fully grasp them with the help of secondary sources from the likes of David Harvey.

It's madness seeing young Marxists that haven't read Das Kapital, It's his magnum opus, a genius piece of work.

Not only is it a great piece on economics, Marx chose wisely how to start and end it giving it literary significance, I love how it starts with something as simple as a commodity and flows from there to the Capitalist failings ultimately bringing down Capitalism, Capital is very well written and when you start it, REMEMBER The only reason why Chapter one seems hard to some is because all beginnings are difficult so start their, start where Marx wanted you to start, with the commodity it flows on from their spanning three long books.
Go buy them!

That's about right. Volume I was the second work of Marx I read. After finishing it I spent about a year reading other works by Marx, Engels, Lenin, Trotsky, Cannon, etc. When I came back to economics, I read Grundrisse, as it covers the themes in all 3 volumes, then Luxemburg's Accumulation of Capital as it deals with Volume II. Then I read Volumes II and III successively. Capital is definitely the magnus opus and nobody should think about "skipping over" it. It gives you the tools to analyze the economy around you, right down to every single business. And we all know economics is the foundation of everything.

Comrades Unite: Have you read Theories of Surplus Value? The planned volume IV. I've read excerpts but can't get a copy where I'm at and the one on amazon is too expensive.

[Comrades Unite!]

That's about right. Volume I was the second work of Marx I read. After finishing it I spent about a year reading other works by Marx, Engels, Lenin, Trotsky, Cannon, etc. When I came back to economics, I read Grundrisse, as it covers the themes in all 3 volumes, then Luxemburg's Accumulation of Capital as it deals with Volume II. Then I read Volumes II and III successively. Capital is definitely the magnus opus and nobody should think about "skipping over" it. It gives you the tools to analyze the economy around you, right down to every single business. And we all know economics is the foundation of everything.

Comrades Unite: Have you read Theories of Surplus Value? The planned volume IV. I've read excerpts but can't get a copy where I'm at and the one on amazon is too expensive.

I've been meaning to read it but as you said, its fairly difficult to get a hold of a copy, and reading off a computer screen hurts my eyes.

[Ocean Seal]

No the Kapital isn't particularly useful for Lenin, but you should read it or at least encounter the themes topically.

[Teddyjer Ilyich Otterman]

Just a quick comment...I'm in the midst of Capital (I use the English word too, although I get that Das Kapital has a more exotic sound to it), and I'm glad that I read The Communist Manifesto first. I found it to be incredibly inspiring, and gave me the necessary fervor to move on to Capital, IMO.

[Comrades Unite!]

Why would you even read only Lenin? Marx is far more important.

[Peoples' War]

Capital is important and that's a fact. However, you shouldn't start with it. I haven't even read it yet. I have much more I want to read, to understand, so I can go to Capital and have a greater grasp on it when I first read it, as opposed to being so confused I don't catch it the first or second time.

As has been said, read other works first. The more simple, and build your way up.

Lenin is easy to understand without reading Capital, but when you finally read Capital, I'm sure you will understand even more.

When you do, after reading other stuff, get to read Capital, I suggest using David Harvey's lectures to help you through it.

[Comrades Unite!]

Capital is important and that's a fact. However, you shouldn't start with it. I haven't even read it yet. I have much more I want to read, to understand, so I can go to Capital and have a greater grasp on it when I first read it, as opposed to being so confused I don't catch it the first or second time.

As has been said, read other works first. The more simple, and build your way up.

Lenin is easy to understand without reading Capital, but when you finally read Capital, I'm sure you will understand even more.

When you do, after reading other stuff, get to read Capital, I suggest using David Harvey's lectures to help you through it.
I'd advise you to read it, Marx's work is fantastic.

[Peoples' War]

I'd advise you to read it, Marx's work is fantastic.
I intend to, I have physical copies of all 3 volumes. I have a few things I want to read first.

[Comrades Unite!]

A tip I would give you is to keep notes handy!
Also read it when wide awake and ensure you don't skip over any words,The word use in Capital is very selective.

[Peoples' War]

A tip I would give you is to keep notes handy!
Also read it when wide awake and ensure you don't skip over any words,The word use in Capital is very selective.
An energy drink will be handy, if not lots of coffee.

[Comrades Unite!]

Yes defiantly, The book is not boring by any stretch of imagination but if you fall even slightly tired then you will miss out.

[RedMaterialist]

It is, of course, absolutely essential to read Das Kapital. However, don't try to digest it all even in a couple of years. I would say try to get through Chapters one-four in a year. David Harvey is a great help. If you have the time and money try to take a few college courses.

[Comrades Unite!]

It is, of course, absolutely essential to read Das Kapital. However, don't try to digest it all even in a couple of years. I would say try to get through Chapters one-four in a year. David Harvey is a great help. If you have the time and money try to take a few college courses.

CHAPTERS I-IV IN A YEAR?

That's not even possible way too slow,You could get through,study and learn the first two volumes of Capital,with online college courses and stilldo you're job and have an active social life in a year.

[Comrades Unite!]

It is more than important, it is essential.
Too much of the time, I see fellow Comrades arguing against Capitalism with Capitalists and they only use the basics(Exploitation and Profit) over and over.

With Das Kapital that problem will be no more, You will be capable of eating a Capitalists eclair.
To be a Marxist is to have read Capital.

[Ethics Gradient, Traitor For All Ages]

You should definitely read Volume 1, I also think you should take one of the dozens of free internet courses on mainstream economics so you can have a better idea of what capitalists believe and the ways marxian economics counter those beliefs. I've seen a lot of marxists embarrass themselves in arguments because they don't understand what their opponents are talking about and end up relying on moralistic bullshit because the economic discussions they've had in their socialist ghettos tend to be really really lazy.

[Comrades Unite!]

You should definitely read Volume 1, I also think you should take one of the dozens of free internet courses on mainstream economics so you can have a better idea of what capitalists believe and the ways marxian economics counter those beliefs. I've seen a lot of marxists embarrass themselves in arguments because they don't understand what their opponents are talking about and end up relying on moralistic bullshit because the economic discussions they've had in their socialist ghettos tend to be really really lazy.

This is far too correct, I agree 100%.

But not just Volume 1, That is just the first book to Das Kapital, It is absolutely essential that Books 2 and 3 are read and studied.

It may feel daunting but it's worth it.