Reading List

Charles Xavier - 30th January 2009, 17:23

I think it should be in good working order we create a marxist-leninist reading list. On a variety of topics, From history, to dialectical materialism, from economy to communism.

To do this I would need a list of books, links to read on the internet, or how to get it, and a brief summary on the book/work. Further on this create a brief summary. This is a resource that could be used by more than just this social group, or this web forum. It would be a useful tool for many new comrades and comrades who are looking to learn more about a topic.

And maybe even films as well.

Tell me what you think, If there is enough interest to participate, I could start a little list.

And then later on reorganize it.

The Intransigent Faction - 30th January 2009, 18:16

That seems like a good idea. It could be very helpful to organize everything. There's a lot of material.

Woland - 30th January 2009, 18:36

A very good idea! Now would this be mostly for contemporary M-L literature?

Charles Xavier - 30th January 2009, 21:01

Everything, to be organized from pre-Marx material to newer stuff.

The main thing is to provide a list so new people don't get lost on what they should be studying to understand certain topics. Or for people like me reading material to further my understand of marxism-Leninism wit books and works I haven't heard of.

Cumannach - 30th January 2009, 22:15

good idea I'm in

Woland - 31st January 2009, 08:33

Well, I think the first thing we gotta do now is come up with as many titles as possible, then dividing them into the 4 fields, and then doing some research.

Charles Xavier - 31st January 2009, 22:53

Okay, homework assignments then.

Write down book/works you've personally read and compile a list with A couple sentence summary and try to find if you can find it online.

Charles Xavier - 31st January 2009, 23:02

One example, I will probably want to include links to specific parts of the book since the whole book isn't available online.

Selected Works of Georgi Dimitrov Vol. 1.

The first of Three Volumes, This begins with earlier writings and speeches of Georgi Dimitrov. Important historical lessons can be learned from the writings discussing the coup d'etat against the peasant government when the communist party failed to act and taking an incorrect neutral line, resulting in the fascist government unleashing its hatred against the working people of Bulgaria. There is an examination of the mistake made. Georgi Dimitrov began a life as a political exile from Bulgaria, ending up in Germany where he was eventually captured by the Nazis and framed for the Reichstag Fire. In the later part of the book we see Georgi Dimitrov's brillant trial defense in the Nazi's Kangeroo court where he turns the trial into an indictment of the Nazis .

The Intransigent Faction - 1st February 2009, 05:33

Battle For China's Past: Mao Zedong & The Cultural Revolution (Author: Mobo Gao).

A brilliant book that covers a wide range of subjects related to Maoist China, from the Cultural Revolution itself to the liberation of Tibet from theocracy. This book tackles anti-Communist slander directed both against Mao himself and revolutionary China in general. It is a must-read for those who refuse to believe bourgeois propaganda about the Cultural Revolution. This book is mentioned more extensively on the Maoist group board. I haven't been able to find it online, and had to order it through ebay.

I'll add descriptions after for these, but a general list, including the above, of books that debunk revisionist claims:

Fraud, Famine, and Fascism.

A brilliant work by Canadian Douglas Tottle, more an essay than a book, that provides a detailed analysis of the famine in the Ukraine, and the claims of bourgeois historians, and exploits the damning link of some stories about the famine to Nazi propagandists. It is available as a PDF file online. It's very thorough---almost 180 pages.

Another View of Stalin.

This work focuses largely on bourgeois claims that trigger the perception of Stalin as an egotistical and paranoid maniac who mistrusted everyone around him, and as an incompetent military leader who trusted Hitler not to attack the Soviet Union. It is available online in regular text.

Lies Concerning the History of the Soviet Union.

This excellent work addresses a variety of claims, from lies by Robert Conquest about the Ukrainian famine, to lies by Solzhenitsyn about the purges, in many cases using documents from the archives opened by Gorbachev. It is available online.

Battle For China's Past: Mao Zedong & the Cultural Revolution.

I mentioned this book before. See above.

I may provide links to each of these works as available online (minus Mobo Gao's which will probably require the use of E-Bay), though they should be easy enough to find.

Cumannach - 1st February 2009, 23:02

I'll also add descriptions soon;

some essentials first;
Blackshirts and Reds-Michael Parenti
The Essential Stalin-edited by Bruce Franklin, with great intro
Perestroika-Harpal Brar, brilliant stuff from a great comrade in the cpgb ml. Actually if anyone hasn't already they should check out some of his speeches on youtube.

More anon.

Woland - 2nd February 2009, 14:47

The restoration of capitalism in the Soviet Union, W. B. Bland.

''This book is an analysis of the economic system which was developed in the USSR after the "economic reforms" of 1965-66 - an analysis made on the basis of a mass of evidence taken almost exclusively from official Soviet economic journals.

Taking into account the virtual abolition of centralised economic planning, the introduction of profit as the regulator of production, the vesting of effective ownership and "hiring and firing" rights in industrial management, and the inequitable distribution of enterprise profit between managerial and shop floor personnel, the author reached the conclusion - as the title indicates - that by the 1970s the soviet economy had become essentially a restored capitalist system masquerading under red flags which are no longer appropriate.''

Can be read here: http://www.oneparty.co.uk/html/book/ussrmenu.html

Economic problems of socialism in the USSR, J.V. Stalin.

http://www.marx2mao.com/Stalin/EPS52.html

spartafc - 2nd February 2009, 15:30

Interesting to read the suggestion of the works of Harpal Brar.

Has anyone explored the works of previous members of the 'official' communist party of great Britain? Harry Pollitt & company. Interesting to note the relationship between the programme that would be adopted by the CPGB and Stalin: http://www.revolutionarydemocracy.or...n2/brs1951.htm

Charles Xavier - 3rd February 2009, 16:10

FARC-EP Historical Outline

This book gives a historical account of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-Peoples Army (FARC-EP), one of the main insurgencies in Colombia, from the civil war of 1948 to the present. It also includes political and programmatic documents that outline the FARC-EP's vision of a new Colombia, without exploiters or exploited. "We wanted to avoid this confrontation for the well-being of the whole Colombian people, but we did not have sufficient strength to do so..." - Manuel Marulanda Velez

Cumannach - 3rd February 2009, 22:32

Here's one I'm hoping will be useful in that thread I started.

"Fraud, Famine and Fascism
The Ukrainian Genocide Myth from Hitler to Harvard"

by "Douglas Tottle"

This is a MUST READ and a great read too. And the whole book available to download FREE here! ;

http://www.rationalrevolution.net/sp...ary/famine.htm

The Intransigent Faction - 4th February 2009, 00:09

That's great, Cumannach, but I mentioned that one already.
Thanks for the link, though. I've already downloaded/read a lot of it.

Cumannach - 4th February 2009, 08:59

oh yeah sorry bout that brad.

Charles Xavier - 8th February 2009, 23:18

Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism

One of the most important pamphlets created by Vladimir Lenin, where he describes the new role finance capitalism takes on. A role which has them developed monopoly capitalism and resorting to Imperialism in order to survive. Having whole peoples having their wealth and resources extracted in order to support monopolies. And the alliance that the parliament has with the stock market.

Charles Xavier - 9th February 2009, 21:05

Selected Works of Georgi Dimitrov Vol. 2.

The Second of Three Volumes, This begins with the keynote address to the 7th Congress of the Comintern, where he delivered one of the century's most
important speeches to delegates of Communist Parties across the world and a few months later a similar address to the Sixth Congress of the Young Communist International on the role of the youth. From there there is the discussion of how to struggle under the rule of fascism and his work within the Fatherland Front in Bulgaria, and its eventual success in overthrowing the fascists.

spartafc - 28th February 2009, 23:54

Trotskyism, the enemy of revolution by Aleksandr Ivanovich Sobolev

Brother No. 1 - 23rd March 2009, 04:45

Young Stalin: Tells about the life of Stalin before he entered the Revolution. his friends,allies,ect are inculded in this book. It tells his story from when he was born to when he was a commissar for the Bolshiveks. Tells all about his youth from school years to his years in the Bolshiveks. Tells his heros in this book as well.

mykittyhasaboner - 23rd March 2009, 13:38

Guerrilla Warfare

Cumannach - 20th April 2009, 23:42

Here is an introduction to a collection of Stalin's writings written by Bruce Franklin, an american professor. I really think this is by far the best introduction to the anti-revisionist take on things for new or potential anti-revisionist comrades. At least the best I've come across so far. It's very well written, easy to read, and without any commie phraseology from the start. It's also very concise. If I had come across something like this when I was still stumbling around trying to figure things out it would have been of immense help I imagine, and maybe a shortcut. The only thing is, the format isn't great:

(http://www.btinternet.com/~fountain/stalin/index.html)

p.s. might not be a bad idea for one of us to save this in case the site should dissappear one day.

Smalltown Boy - 22nd April 2009, 01:49

The current Connolly Youth Movement (Ireland) Belfast branch reading list and educational resources: http://workersrepublic.wordpress.com/education/ .

Think it's a good list, if I do say myself, ahem.

Lenin II - 24th April 2009, 17:54

Hoxha's "Imperialism & the Revolution" is one of the greatest Marxist-Leninist texts ever written. If people would actually read it and engage with it you may find it enlightening.

Most Maoist polemics against it haven't even answered most of his criticisms.

LOLseph Stalin - 24th April 2009, 18:03

I thought this would be a good place to ask, but which works would you guys recommend for somebody who's a beginner? I'm really curious about learning about your guy's ideas, but i'm not sure where to start.

Charles Xavier - 24th April 2009, 20:12

Start with Marx, Engels, and Lenin. Those are the people we uphold, and fight against distortions against it.

LOLseph Stalin - 24th April 2009, 20:25

I was being serious about this, i'm not at that basic of a level of knowledge that I have to go back and read the manifesto again. Which work of Stalin's should I be starting with?

Charles Xavier - 24th April 2009, 20:26

I am serious. The answer on None really, Stalin's only major work is on the national question, its an informative read. To be an anti-revisionist you don't have to love Stalin, just be against the distortions of Marxism-Leninism.

LOLseph Stalin - 24th April 2009, 21:03

Ah ok. I understand. I am here to learn afterall.

hugsandmarxism - 30th April 2009, 14:46

My professor reccomended to me a book by Markar Melkonian The Weapon of Theory: A Post Cold War Primer for Marxism. It's probably more of a general introduction into communist theory, but I'm guessing it's worth a read, since I've read the author before, and tend to trust this professor's reccomendations in this subject.

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