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I've noticed that many people suggest to newbies that they should read the communist manifesto. Personally, I didn't find the manifesto interesting or worthwile reading at all. If I were to recommend any books, it would be:
THE STATE AND THE REVOLUTION, by Lenin
REVOLUTION BETRAYED, by Trotsky
DAS KAPITAL - by Marx
These are three very different books, written by three different persons, and I consider it worth the time and effort spent.
I think it's a shame that new people should read something useless when the chance is that they were interested in communism, so I think it's relaly important that they read something exciting and interesting especially the first days.
Don't know about you, but to me it has become almost like a bible: "If you're going to get to know christianity, you MUST read the bible!", compared to "If you're going to understand communism, you MUST read the communist manifesto!"
When there have been so much written on communism, I think it's time we revaluate what we should recommend to beginners.
So I guess the questions are:
Is there anyone who agree that the value of the communist manifesto is exaggerated? What works or articles would you recommend reading to newbies?
Ugh, did I post this in history?
Could somebody move it to theory?
I'd agree that the Manifesto is very much overrated.
But it's by far the most accesible of Marx's works. If I came to Communism the first time by reading Das Kapital I'd be very much put-offl; it's far to complex for a beginner, the fact that the earlier sections are the most complicated makes this issue all the worse.
"all the people in my books i read are men who fuck each other do drugs and kill people fuck the dead body and eat it. but dissmembering a body to make another is just as cool. "- Captain anarchy
I ate capt. Anarchy, as he stole my thunder! No longer will you hear some bizarre rambling coming from the self assigned Captain of utter non-sense
- T_SP......because he's worth it.
Referring to the Commie Club!...
This very real limitation of the productive forces, both static and dynamic, demands at any given time the most suitable environment for it's advancement. - Gent, head of the RA...aka the People's Front of Judea
ONTO STREET - The immortal HUQIAO
Das Kapital is far, far, far too complex for a beginner.
If I'd want to get someone interested in communism, I definitely would recommend the Manifesto; while it isn't detailed, or anything, it explains a little bit the goals of communists.
But most likely, I'd direct them to www.cpusa.com I became more interested in communism after reading their FAQ a while back; it's simple to understand, especially since most "beginners" don't know much about politics, economics, etc.
Now since man is naturally inclined to avoid pain - and since some labor is pain in itself - it follows that men will resort to plunder whenever plunder is easier than work. History shows this quite clearly. And under these conditions, neither religion nor morality can stop it.
When, then, does plunder stop? It stops when it becomes more painful and more dangerous than labor.
It is evident, then, that the proper purpose of law is to use the power of its collective force to stop this fatal tendency to plunder instead of to work. All the measures of the law should protect collective ownership and punish plunder. - Brederic Fastiat
I was questioning about communism, then i read the manifesto and while i did not get all of it the passion of the book got me into it and i called myself a communist then on. Principles of communism on WWW.Marxist.org by Engels is best for beginers
The spiritual atom bomb which the revolutionary people possess is a far more powerful and useful weapon than the physical atom bomb. - Lin Biao
Our code of morals is our revolution. What saves our revolution, what helps our revolution, what protects our revolution is right, is very right and very honourable and very noble and very beautiful, because our revolution means justice
- Dr. George Habash, founder of the PFLP.
um, I went to cpusa.com and it was "Computer Professionals USA"
The State and Revolution is an awful book, one of the worst I've read for years. Revolution betrayed is worse.
Das Kapital is definately worth reading if you understand it, I would also recomend The German Ideology.
