Kweztion
24th December 2004, 16:15
Hello, I am new to this board and have just recently began to study Marxism/Communism as an academic interest. Of course, I am not completely un-informed as Communism and Marx are briefly taught to high school students as historical inquiry and discussed in certain college classes.
I have just read the Communist Manifesto and am about to start reading the The State and Revolution by Vladimir Lenin.
However I also want to read books about Communism such as critiques from both sides and balanced scholarship. Basically, what I OFTEN HEAR is that Communism has its good points but ultimately, as history attests, has been a failure. In addition I have read
that Marx's logic itself is flawed:
- how can one dichotomize so easily between the bourgousie and the proletariat.
- secondly, the proletariat never really rallied together as was "suppose to happen"
- thus, Communism was brutally forced upon the masses because it "has to happen". it was the ideal and thus much blood was shed
Of course I am over simplifying things, and these themselves are heavily debated issues and can not easily be addressed; indeed they need volumes to be fully discussed!
Basically, I want to read a balanced and objective view which considers many different viewpoints, and I think this is what scholarship demands. Of course I am just starting out so I really do not want to burden myself with complicated material but I would like it if maybe someone could recommend some books that discuss Marx's theory and its percieved "ultimate failure" that would be an INTRODUCTION to such a topic. Also, I really do not want to read a polemic, again I am stressing balanced and objective thought. Thank You.
I have just read the Communist Manifesto and am about to start reading the The State and Revolution by Vladimir Lenin.
However I also want to read books about Communism such as critiques from both sides and balanced scholarship. Basically, what I OFTEN HEAR is that Communism has its good points but ultimately, as history attests, has been a failure. In addition I have read
that Marx's logic itself is flawed:
- how can one dichotomize so easily between the bourgousie and the proletariat.
- secondly, the proletariat never really rallied together as was "suppose to happen"
- thus, Communism was brutally forced upon the masses because it "has to happen". it was the ideal and thus much blood was shed
Of course I am over simplifying things, and these themselves are heavily debated issues and can not easily be addressed; indeed they need volumes to be fully discussed!
Basically, I want to read a balanced and objective view which considers many different viewpoints, and I think this is what scholarship demands. Of course I am just starting out so I really do not want to burden myself with complicated material but I would like it if maybe someone could recommend some books that discuss Marx's theory and its percieved "ultimate failure" that would be an INTRODUCTION to such a topic. Also, I really do not want to read a polemic, again I am stressing balanced and objective thought. Thank You.