What else to read as a Marxist?

[Dear Leader]

I recently made a thread about Venezuela, and it seemed to me that noone thinks Venezuela is socialist. After reading some posts, I asked what works by Marx or anyone I could read to learn what socialism was. I took some time, and actually read through a couple of works such as critique of the gotha programme, principles of communism, the communist manifesto, socialism: scientific and utopian, and I skimmed wage labor and capital. Apart from that, I also read state and revolution by VI Lenin. I think I agree with everything there, and I think I can call myself a Marxist because of that. I'm still not sure if Venezuela is on it's way TOWARDS socialism, or not.. I think it is. Maybe I missed something?

Is there any other works, by anyone else that could help me find out more about Marxism?:)

[Fourth Internationalist]

Anything by Rosa Luxemburg would be good to read. :)

[ind_com]

This is a good list of works by Marx, Lenin and Mao.

http://www.revleft.com/vb/marxism-leninism-maoism-t175401/index.html?t=175401

[Kalinin's Facial Hair]

Civil War in France should help.

To find out more about Marxism, must reads are Marx and Engels. Just go through marxist stuff with no regrets.

[bad ideas actualised by alcohol]

While all the older Marxist work are certainly important, and must be read.
Many forget that the theoretical works are not all that you should read.
I think it is just as important to keep up with the news, if you combine your theoretical knowledge with that, and use it to judge the real world that is much better than just learning theoretical works by heart. Doing that with Venezuela might be useful to make up your own mind.

The user Q has made a list that might interest you: http://www.revleft.com/vb/blog.php?b=7728

I am currently working on a more expanded list, which is, to some extent, based on Q's list.

[Tjis]

While it is commendable that you wish to learn more, there's no universal Marxist position on Venezuela to be found by reading lots of books. Plenty of well-read Marxists disagree on this issue. This is because Marxism is not an universal truth, but a methodology for analyzing society, and more broadly, a collection of observations and experiences that came out of this methodology.
Since not every Marxist gives the same weight to various past observations and experiences (due to historical and ideological reasons), different (well-read) Marxists, analyzing the same political situation using the same methods, can still arrive at different conclusions. This is the reason we have political tendencies rather than just one unified Marxism.
In my opinion, while reading Marxist works is a great way to develop your skillset for societal analysis, debate is a far better method for developing a concrete position on Venezuela.

[Comrade #138672]

Do not just focus on one author.

[AConfusedSocialDemocrat]

Luxemburg is a must, maybe a bit of Dunayevskaya, some Kropotkin and Kautsky.

[Starship Stormtrooper]

This http://bradicalmang.tumblr.com/post/23980543544/left-communism-the-ultraleft has a pretty good reading list for the ultra-left currents of Marxism. In addition to those, I've heard that Empire and Communists Like Us by Negri are pretty good for understanding the autonomist tradition.

Edit: Not sure if the link is secure or not, this is the 1st time I've linked anything.

[Brosa Luxemburg]

Depends what you are interested in reading really.

I'm no anarchist, but I recently read Bob Black's "The Abolition of Work" and I gotta say that it was a very good essay. Along with this, I read L. Susan Brown's "Does Work Really Work?"

I've also been reading some communization writings recently too. Stuff by Endnotes, Riff-Raff, etc. Some interesting writings for sure. Leon de Mattis's article "What is Communisation?", Peter Astrom's "Crisis and Communisation" and "Communisation" by Troploin are good an interesting writings on the subject.

As for my main man, Bordiga, I would suggest "The Democratic Principle", "Proletarian Dictatorship and Class Party", all three parts of "The Fundamentals of Revolutionary Communism", "Party and Class", and "Force, Violence, and Dictatorship in the Class Struggle".

I'm in the middle of reading Dance of the Dialectic by Bertell Ollman and the ICC's The Italian Communist Left, both of which are very good and I would highly reccomend.

I don't know, I just came up with this on the top of my head. Hope you find some use with this.

[Dear Leader]

Thanks you guys! Luckily I found a website called Marxist Internet Archive that has most of this stuff!! I'll be reading this over the coming couple weeks.

[garrus]

What else to read as a Marxist?
Non-marxist works.Spherical view for the win.

[Riveraxis]

I recently made a thread about Venezuela, and it seemed to me that noone thinks Venezuela is socialist. After reading some posts, I asked what works by Marx or anyone I could read to learn what socialism was. I took some time, and actually read through a couple of works such as critique of the gotha programme, principles of communism, the communist manifesto, socialism: scientific and utopian, and I skimmed wage labor and capital. Apart from that, I also read state and revolution by VI Lenin. I think I agree with everything there, and I think I can call myself a Marxist because of that. I'm still not sure if Venezuela is on it's way TOWARDS socialism, or not.. I think it is. Maybe I missed something?

Is there any other works, by anyone else that could help me find out more about Marxism?:)

The problem with Venezuela is that their progress has come at the hands of one man- or at least his party- and not the people themselves.
Building socialism requires active support and effort from the citizens.Much more so than the politicians. I won't criticize the actual work that he did, because he did well by his people. But to truly start walking in that direction, the workers of Venezuela must take the next steps themselves. With all that said, Chavez was certainly a revolutionary man himself and I respect him a lot. No doubt.
///

Are you specifically looking for Marxist literature? There are great books from other ends of the spectrum too. The one I always push is "anarchist morality" by Kropotkin.
If not, try reading something by Trotsky or Luxemburg. They were both devout Marxists and wrote great work.
If you're not familiar with either of them start with the classics.
"Reform of revolution" by Luxemburg is her most popular work,
and
"Their morals and ours" is a great one by Trotsky.

[La Guaneña]

Also try to keep up with current news from alternative sources, such as left wing organizations.

If you speak Spanish, I would recommend TeleSur's Dossier, a daily program that lasts an hour, presented by Walter Martinez, a cool dude with an eyepatch.

Cuba's Granma is also pretty cool, and I think that they publish in English, Dutch, French and Portuguese, besides the standard Spanish version.

The KKE's international website also has some nice insights on Greece's current status, and user DelendaCarthago usually posts some nice stuff from there as well.

Nearly every language has some leftist newsfeed that you might like, the internet is big as the universe, basically.

TeleSur Dossier: http://www.telesurtv.net/programas/dossier (look at that awesome eyepatch)
Granma: http://www.granma.cu/index.html
KKE: http://inter.kke.gr/
CIPOML: http://www.cipoml.info/index.php/en/

[Pleb]

The classics are essential but can sometimes be a bit of a graft. If you're in the UK i suggest reading the Morning Star, the daily paper of the left. Home and international news as well as trade union stuff. Essential for any Socialists.

[The Idler]

The Classics on theory other than Marx-Engels
Kautsky
De Leon
W. Liebknecht
Plekhanov
Luxemburg
Pannekoek

A bit more modern on theory
Korsch
Mattick
Guerin

[ed miliband]

gilles dauve.

[Os Cangaceiros]

In addition to those, I've heard that Empire and Communists Like Us by Negri are pretty good for understanding the autonomist tradition.

Edit: Not sure if the link is secure or not, this is the 1st time I've linked anything.

"Empire" is not really a good exposition of autonomism (not to be nitpicky or anything). "Empire" is a better example of a theoretical tract of the anti-globalization movement of the 90's/early 2000's. "Books For Burning" is a better example of Negri in his autonomist days, and IMO is less frusterating to read than "Empire" is.

[Turinbaar]

Here are some of Marx's works that I found helpful.

Doctoral Dissertation on Epicurus and Greek Philosophy - http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1841/dr-theses/index.htm

Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts (particularly "Estranged Labor," "Private Property and Communism," and "Critique of the Hegelian Dialectic") - http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/preface.htm

The German Ideology -
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1845/german-ideology/

His writings on the US Civil war are very interesting (fun fact - Marx seriously planned to immigrate to Texas at one point) - http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1861/us-civil-war/index.htm

and of course The Manifesto and Das Kapital


I would also recommend the works of Rosa Luxemburg and Jessica Mitford. Both are good critics of what is often referred to as "communism in practice." Of Mitford, "Hons and Rebels," "A Fine Old Conflict," "Kind and Usual Punishment - the Prison System," and "The American Way of Death" are good reads.

[Starship Stormtrooper]

"Empire" is not really a good exposition of autonomism (not to be nitpicky or anything). "Empire" is a better example of a theoretical tract of the anti-globalization movement of the 90's/early 2000's. "Books For Burning" is a better example of Negri in his autonomist days, and IMO is less frusterating to read than "Empire" is.

Thank you for the recommendation. The book was recommended to me quite highly by my favorite history teacher (with the qualification that I become very well read before attempting it, and of course I haven't listened :tt2:) and I thought I'd pass it along as I didn't see them on the list. My continued failures show the ongoing relevance of his advice. I'll try the one you suggested, hopefully it will ease me into it (I'm planning on trying again during the summer).

[Art Vandelay]

Depends what you are interested in reading really.

I'm no anarchist, but I recently read Bob Black's "The Abolition of Work" and I gotta say that it was a very good essay. Along with this, I read L. Susan Brown's "Does Work Really Work?"

I've also been reading some communization writings recently too. Stuff by Endnotes, Riff-Raff, etc. Some interesting writings for sure. Leon de Mattis's article "What is Communisation?", Peter Astrom's "Crisis and Communisation" and "Communisation" by Troploin are good an interesting writings on the subject.

As for my main man, Bordiga, I would suggest "The Democratic Principle", "Proletarian Dictatorship and Class Party", all three parts of "The Fundamentals of Revolutionary Communism", "Party and Class", and "Force, Violence, and Dictatorship in the Class Struggle".

I'm in the middle of reading Dance of the Dialectic by Bertell Ollman and the ICC's The Italian Communist Left, both of which are very good and I would highly reccomend.

I don't know, I just came up with this on the top of my head. Hope you find some use with this.

I would echo all of this. Also I am currently reading Dance of the Dialectic too and I cannot even begin to convey how eye opening it is. Everyone should read this book!

[Yuppie Grinder]

gilles dauve.

Great suggestion but not a good introduction to Marxist theory.

[Let's Get Free]

http://libcom.org/files/The%20Invention%20of%20Capitalism.pdf

You'll thank me later.