Greetings From Massachusetts!

[HitchFan42]

Hello, people of RevLeft!

I am from Massachusetts, in the US, which, as you may have known is a generally very blue state. As of right now, I am moving away from being a mainstream Democrat like so many of my peers are. I have began to read the works of Christopher Hitchens (hence the name) and George Orwell, two great egalitarians who always fought (or at least spoke) in favor of the victimized. I have decided that I should begin connecting myself with radical movements of the past and present, so that I may emulate these heroes of mine and cultivate a real sense of just what kind of principles I should stand for, in opposition to what is clearly now a seemingly unmovable political consensus in the US and in other regions of the world. The greatest two philosophies to ever make real, radical, and global change in recent history are, to my eye, the philosophies of classical liberalism and Marxism, two philosophies championed by RevLeft, so what better place to start? I don't think I would call myself a Marxist or a classical liberal in any real sense, but I really admire the radical nature of both ideas, and I hope there is much I can learn from both.

[Fourth Internationalist]

I have began to read the works of Christopher Hitchens (hence the name) and George Orwell, two great egalitarians who always fought (or at least spoke) in favor of the victimized.

NO....


The greatest two philosophies to ever make real, radical, and global change in recent history are, to my eye, the philosophies of classical liberalism and Marxism, two philosophies championed by RevLeft, so what better place to start?

Classical liberalism is a horrible ideology not championed by RevLeft.

Since you are new to the forum, and I think you should learn more about Marxism, I'd recommend you read Friedrich Engel's Principles of Communism (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/11/prin-com.htm) and/or his Draft of a Communist Confession of Faith (http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/06/09.htm)? It's available at marxists.org (Marxists Internet Archive).

I'd recommend checking this out (MIA): Beginners Guide to Marxism (http://marxists.org/subject/students/index.htm) and Lenin's The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism (http://marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1913/mar/x01.htm).

Also, here are a few books (PDFs) that are a good introduction to Marxism.

Marx: A Beginner's Guide (http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/fss/e8cf47710e69d334b5e9e87b31f39d5c/Collier+-+Marx+A+Beginners+Guide.pdf)

The Revolutionary Ideas of Karl Marx (http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/fss/d82d1569f5dc8ef869a21aba711c0f88/Callinicos+-+Revolutionary+Ideas+of+Marx.pdf)

[Thirsty Crow]

Yeah, to expand upon the young comrade's laconic statement, liberalism, classical, neo-, or of any other kind, is not part of the revolutionary left as it represents a political ideology based on, and accepting of, capitalism.

[Skyhilist]

Why don't you like George Orwell, Aang? He was a communist, and even fought for POUM as part of the international brigades.

Also, welcome from Connecticut (where Aang and I are both from).

Lets all chill out now, I think most of us were liberals at some point. I was only a social dem when I joined the furthest... If anyone slowed down my transition to radical politics it was certainly the people who were antagonistic and rude.

Having said that, generally the posters here aren't liberals but are anarchists or Marxists who support revolution rather than reform.