Reading material

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

Basically, I've created a left wing group at my school, there's about 17 of us at present and we're publishing our own magazine...

the majority of members are fairly well educated and get the basics of left wing ideology... however, a couple of members and some friends who aren't in the group don't really get that much about it. the members who don't really understand much are just there because of the evils of capitalism (which I rant about a lot) and not necessarily because they agree with communit/socialist theory...

I was wondering what reading material would be best to show these guys so that they could understand left wing politics a little better and hopefuly develop their own political stance. Preferably fairly basic stuff which doesn't go into too much depth, but goes far enough so that they're relatively well educated about things...

I was thinking about Engels principles of communism, anyone got any other suggestions?

[Connolly]

Mmmmmm.......

I think Socialism : Scientific and Utopian is a good one for getting the basic grasp of materialsim and the "workings" of society. Its a little long though for those who probably couldnt be bothered reading it. Maybe try simplify it yourself and other texts by extracting the main and most influential parts and combining them into one little package of "absolute assimilational brainwashing volume one". Only Joking. :D

The communist Manifesto is a god one too. Parts of it are a little crappy though.

[Lord Testicles]

there is some material here (http://www.marxist.com/marxist-classics.htm) if you want to browse through it.

[Waffler]

The Conquest of Bread by Kropotkin is an excellent read, a bit long though

[urben]

that's impressive that you just started your own group and magazine. where do you go to school?

The Party I'm a member of has compiled some "What is Marxism?" type material, which we publish on a monthly basis in our magazine. We try to write these pieces in more accessible language and with more concrete examples. I hope it helps.

What is capitalism? http://socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=63

What is the capitalist class? http://www.socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=181

What is imperialism? http://www.socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=136

What is socialism? http://www.socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=414

What is revolution? http://www.socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=344

What is class struggle?
http://www.socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=164

Does higher productivity increase workers' lives? http://socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=78

What is surplus value?
http://www.socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=365

Is women's oppression inevitable?
http://www.socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=287

[Simotix]

I too will be started a magazine (though will only be a 5 pages) bi-weekly at my high school. Although there is not a heavy involvement in socialist thinking, there is some and there is room to grow.

[Sugar Hill Kevis]

Originally posted by [email protected] 7 2005, 03:47 AM
that's impressive that you just started your own group and magazine. where do you go to school?
Sorry about the late reply, been pretty busy lately... also became head of the school council, so hopefully I'll use the little power I have to raise the student voice, which was my main angle at joining.

I go to school in a small town in Norfolk, England. It's my last year of High School, so I'm off to college next year where hopefully my group can branch out even more...

www.orangefront.tk if you want to take a look at what's happening so far...