need advice on where to start

[Comrade Stern]

i have been really interested in political science since i was old enough to have a basic understanding of it and ive always been an heavy reader since i was younger but after studying history all my few years here on earth i need somewhere to start reading up more on something like marxism/leninism (or any other isms) ive looked in the local library but it seems as if all those books just disapeared or dont exist there and google just got me overwhelmed and confused with places to start and the bookstore had nothing but the communist manifesto (which i am currently reading along with a huge book filled with publications by lenin but i still need more for when im done)... so i was thinking to just buy some used books online because they are so inexpensive and you can get like anything... i was guessing this forum would be a good place to find a start so if you got time could you please just name me some authors, books, or online sources to get info on mainly marxism/leninism or any of the other isms related to it... any help is greatly appreciated :)

[Decolonize The Left]

There must be a FAQ on this somewhere...

- August

[LOLseph Stalin]

There's plenty of good resources online. That's where I get all my leftist material. marxists.org comes in handy.

[JimmyJazz]

You should not start out on some kind of leftist curriculum that other people make for you. It's important to think for yourself. Ask: what do I want to know about? The effects of money on the political process in a democracy? The meaning of "class"? Whether the U.S. is an empire or not? Whatever you wonder about is the thing you should read about next...let your thinking guide your reading, and not the other way around.

You can always start a thread in Learning to ask for recommendations on a book topic. Or if you feel like you would be starting way too many threads by asking about every topic you think of, you can pm me any time. But you don't really have to worry about making too many threads, so you should probably just go that route.

[apathy maybe]

i have been really interested in political science since i was old enough to have a basic understanding of it and ive always been an heavy reader since i was younger but after studying history all my few years here on earth i need somewhere to start reading up more on something like marxism/leninism (or any other isms) ive looked in the local library but it seems as if all those books just disapeared or dont exist there and google just got me overwhelmed and confused with places to start and the bookstore had nothing but the communist manifesto (which i am currently reading along with a huge book filled with publications by lenin but i still need more for when im done)... so i was thinking to just buy some used books online because they are so inexpensive and you can get like anything... i was guessing this forum would be a good place to find a start so if you got time could you please just name me some authors, books, or online sources to get info on mainly marxism/leninism or any of the other isms related to it... any help is greatly appreciated :)

Firstly, sure, read the Communist Manifesto if you want (I read it a couple of times when I was starting to branch away from the social democracy I was raised with). But seriously, if you weren't actually wanting to read stuff, I would say don't bother with that text.

Anyway, RevLeft has some really great resources:
RevLeft "Dictionary" (http://www.revleft.com/vb/revolutionary-left-dictionary-t22628/index.html), has lots of information, and links to great information.

Making sense of anarchism. (http://www.revleft.com/vb/making-sense-anarchism-t6416/index.html)
(Along with An Anarchist FAQ (http://www.infoshop.org/faq/index.html), What makes an anarchist (http://www.revleft.com/vb/makes-anarchist-anarchist-t24725/index.html) and Anarchist Archives (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu:16080/Anarchist_Archives/index.html) (a great resource).)

The Marxist Internet Archive (http://marxists.org) (also has a lot of anarchist writing) is another great resource.
Suggestions if you want to learn about economics:
http://www.revleft.com/vb/starting-basics-t71275/index.html

[Kassad]

Already stated, but I read www.Marxists.org (http://www.Marxists.org) constantly. It's the best the resource I can think of.

[Comrade Stern]

You should not start out on some kind of leftist curriculum that other people make for you. It's important to think for yourself. Ask: what do I want to know about? The effects of money on the political process in a democracy? The meaning of "class"? Whether the U.S. is an empire or not? Whatever you wonder about is the thing you should read about next...let your thinking guide your reading, and not the other way around.

You can always start a thread in Learning to ask for recommendations on a book topic. Or if you feel like you would be starting way too many threads by asking about every topic you think of, you can pm me any time. But you don't really have to worry about making too many threads, so you should probably just go that route.

youre totally right... i guess its different from just learning history from A-Z the way ive done it... i just felt i needed a place to start but it seems ive always had a place to start

and for all those that mentioned marxists.org it gave me a great deal of the info i needed :thumbup1:

thanks all

[LOLseph Stalin]

and for all those that mentioned marxists.org it gave me a great deal of the info i needed http://www.revleft.com/vb/need-advice-start-t91575/revleft/smilies2/thumbup1.gif


It's a damn good site. It has like everything from Lenin to Che.

[Comrada J]

Luckily with the internet you've got access to everything you'll ever need, the challenge will be prioritizing.

[Sendo]

chomsky, zinn, phil gasper's version of the manifesto is where I started my heavy reading. Check out a library. Save marxists.org for excerpts and reading lists, but don't strain yourself reading long-winded essays on that.

It is neither good nor effective to read from a computer screen. You'll learn better from paper.


Also check out youtube for lectures from Chomsky and David Harvey. I also recommend Che Guevara and Black Panther stuff. Save individual theoreticians for when you're on more comfortable ground. The last thing you want to do is fill your head with thick Leninist tracts without having some way to relate it to yourself and other people.

This is experience talking.

[apathy maybe]

The last thing you want to do is fill your head with thick Leninist tracts
Yeah, I'ld agree with that.

Often, instead of reading the original three thousand word tome, you will be better off reading summaries written by other people.

It is only if you want to call yourself personism, and want to quote that person at will, is it required that you read the original.

But for something like anarchism, you don't need to read originals if you find them too long (though often they are very well written, and summarised already). Even for Marxism you don't need to read Marx directly, because his work, and the whole idea of historical materialism has been written about by so many other people anyway.

Most of all, have fun. :cool:

[S&Y]

Yeah, I'ld agree with that.

Often, instead of reading the original three thousand word tome, you will be better off reading summaries written by other people.

It is only if you want to call yourself personism, and want to quote that person at will, is it required that you read the original.

But for something like anarchism, you don't need to read originals if you find them too long (though often they are very well written, and summarised already). Even for Marxism you don't need to read Marx directly, because his work, and the whole idea of historical materialism has been written about by so many other people anyway.

Most of all, have fun. I don't agree with that.

I personally find great joy into reading Lenin. He is an amazing writer and you ll hear some things you ve never heard before

But don't start with Lenin if you are new to communism. I recomend that you start with lighter stuff like the Communist Manifesto by Marx which is very relevant today, books by modern Marxists etc.

Then start reading Lenin and trust me it will be a great lifetime experience.

Start with State and Revolution when you start with Lenin.

Oh yes and revolution is not having fun!

I guess going for a beer with comrades or reading some Lenin is fun but overall it is a struggle.

[apathy maybe]

I don't agree with that.

I personally find great joy into reading Lenin. He is an amazing writer and you ll hear some things you ve never heard before
Good for you.

But don't start with Lenin if you are new to communism. I recomend that you start with lighter stuff like the Communist Manifesto by Marx which is very relevant today, books by modern Marxists etc.
I disagree that the Communist Manifesto is essential reading to anyone, unless they want to call themselves a "Marxist", and even then, meh.

Then start reading Lenin and trust me it will be a great lifetime experience.

Start with State and Revolution when you start with Lenin.Funny how what he wrote was so different to what he did.


Oh yes and revolution is not having fun!

I guess going for a beer with comrades or reading some Lenin is fun but overall it is a struggle.
Why do we want revolution? So that we can become free.

Oh, and if I can't dance, I don't want your revolution.


Oh, and in my post above, I meant 300 thousand word tomes... three thousand isn't that much.

[Ligeia]

Well, I started out with Guevara....really I started to read Guevara's writings,books,essays, interviews before anything....
After that I started out with the essentials e.g. Marx,summaries,books,statistics...whatever filled my mind.

So I think it's up to you,just pick anything,anyone that suits you most,something that really makes you want to know more and more on your own,...that'll have the best impact.

Maybe you look at the author's biographies or you take just a little glimpse on some of their most famous phrases and then you choose.:)
The more emotionally connected you feel with the words you read the better...


Perhaps this one is the most strange advice here but anyway....and yep, marxists.org is the best you can get here on originals.:closedeyes:

[rouchambeau]

Plato's Republic would be a good place to begin. Be sure to read it with some sort of commentary.

[S&Y]

I disagree that the Communist Manifesto is essential reading to anyone, unless they want to call themselves a "Marxist", and even then, meh.

The Communist Manifesto is a summary of the ideas of communism that the OP is interested in....

I don't get that hostility towards Marxists.



Funny how what he wrote was so different to what he did.

Actually Lenin did do what he wrote or at least tried to with his utmost efforts. He was an honest revolutionary and not everyone in the Bolshevik party was that honest.

But even if he didn't the OP is interested in the ideas of Communism.



Why do we want revolution? So that we can become free.



What I care about and I want a revolution for is to improve the material conditions of existence of the proletariat including myself and not for some petit-bourgeois notion of freedom.

Of course there will be freedom under socialism. But that isnot why people become radical.

Someone can argue that under capitalism you are free in the idealist way(not the materialist and the dictatorship of capital).


Oh, and if I can't dance, I don't want your revolution.

Well the Bolsheviks used to dance a lot.

Kalinka!

[Davie zepeda]

http://www.marxists.org/archive/selected-marxists.htm These books Are marxist

[SEKT]

If you are looking for Marxism or other left source of knowledge for academical purposes don't waste your time!!!

Leftism (if you want to have an ism) is only for changing the world not by doing your little essays to get a degree so if you are not revolutionary it would be better for you to read some bourgeois sources (such kant, friedman, hayek, popper and shit like that) but if you want to be revolutionary I will suggest you to start with the Marx's Economic & Philosophical Manuscripts
of 1844. You can find them at Marxist . org

[Dóchas]

heres a couple that were suggested to me when i started out on this site

Emile Burns "What is Marxism"
Lenin's "The State and Revolution"
and Stalins "The foundations of Leninism"
Guerrilla warfare-che Guevara
Principals of communism-engels
Communist manifesto-marx
1. The Communist Manifesto (Of course)
2. Critique of the Gotha Programme
3. Capital
4. The State and Revolution.
5. Revolution Betrayed

That's a start in Marxism, Marxist Leninism, and Trotskyism. I suggest you read Lenin before Trotsky. If you want to learn a bit more about Anarchism, I suggest

1. The Conquest Of Bread by Pyotr Kropotkin
2. Malatesta: Life and Ideas 3. The ABC of Anarchism by Alexander Berkman
4. Anarcho-Syndicalism: Theory and Practice by Rudolph Rocker.
iv only read some of them but they were the ones recommended to me, good look!!