The Communist Manifesto (Penguin Classics)
by Friedrich Engels, Karl Marx
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Book Reviews of The Communist Manifesto (Penguin Classics)
Book Review: sigh
Summary: 1 Stars
Don't be appalled ideologue, by my rating. My rating is the inverse of Richard A. Hicks' and a few others', all of whom gave high ratings for no other reason that the handsomeness of this edition. Those readers are so utterly capitalistic that they cannot even bear to read the text, and for that reason, must somewhere deep down, fear that they are wrong and that the truth which eludes them is in on some black-listed page out there. That said, it is precisely that this text is not black-listed, which causes me to sigh; the text deserves no such rant from capitalists like those I have mentioned because it packs no punch in our times: our times which are characterized as so ideologically total. So, while you are browsing this page, realize the following contradictions between it and the text it offers, and then browse "culture industry" or "dialectic of enlightenment" by Adorno (and Horkeimer): this text which opposes capitalism is offered to you by an enormous conglomerate of for-profit corporations; sold online, efficiently - efficiency is something agreeable to communism but only in communism - many potential employees are removed from the monetary medium between the buyer's money and the executive board's pockets; an individual is allowed to rate a text based on what it 'means' to him or her - mostly interpreted as whether it makes them 'happy' or 'sad: a thoroughly individualistic practice in discord with the text; the text is canonized as 'classic' which immediately undermines for the reader what its author wishes to convey: contemporary importance. But what does it really matter? We're all middle-class if we're buying this book (now) and are in no disposition to feel passionate about ideology until the media which suffocates us rescinds (which is not foreseeable). For now, don't feel you must read (if not publicly curse) this book to be worthy or to save the world. Go out, enjoy! (and read the culture industry if you want to understand why)Book Review: A Utopian society gone south in practice
Summary: 5 Stars
The idea of this book is simple enough: it's Marx's and Engels' concept and plan for a totally fair society where everything is shared and everyone is (supposedly) equal.
The problem is, "...absolute power corrupts absolutely," and when authoritarian dictators implement these ideas it always results in two percent of the people having everything and the remaining ninety-eight percent having nothing.
The core focus of this political persuasion is on "the worker". It evolved from a prior eternity of monarchs dominating the poor and a response to the scourge of serfdom. Ultimately, Lenin used "The Communist Manifesto" as a means of promoting the Russian Revolution which ultimately became the cultural horror which the rest of us came to know as The Soviet Union. In other words, it provided the basis for a ploy on the part of the Bolsheviks (Communist Party).
During the years of Communism, the Soviet workers used to convey a covertly-spoken credo: "We pretend to work and they pretend to pay us". That pretty much sums up how Marx's and Engels' plan played out in actual practice.
Strangely, few people ever make the observation that the ideas of Marx and Engels were not at all original. Thomas More (1478-1535) conveyed almost the same concept when he scribed his famous work: Thomas More's Utopia. In fact, people who have obviously never read "Utopia" would clearly not cite it as "the ideal society" if they were even slightly apprised of the numerous horrors of that fictional society. And so goes "The Communist Manifesto" in actual practice.
Still, this is an incredible, eye-opening read and we SHOULD read it if for no other reason than to see how mans' best-laid plans can easily go awry. Highly recommended.
Book Review: The Most Misunderstood Piece of Literature in the World
Summary: 4 Stars
Most people that decry this monumental piece have never read this piece--or failed to understand the author's meaning. I read with much amusement another reviewer's clain of "evil incarnate" and comparisons to Machiavelli (another book that is greatly misunderstood). Marx's view of capitalism was not against the system itself; capitalism is an idea, a theory, and therefore like socialism is neither evil or good. Rather, as Marx is pointing out, it is the capitalists (or to satisfy others, the socialists) who would pervert the idea to accommodate personal agendas of greed and power (much the same as Machiavelli tries to demonstrate). At one point in history, to be labeled a socialist/communist in the U.S. was as damming as being labeled a heretic during the Spanish or French inquisition. I thought we had progressed past that point but as politics has polarized over the last decade, I have come to find that being labeled a "liberal" may be just as dangerous (ask Ghandi, Socrates, Lincoln, MLK, or Jesus). Marx merely picked up the banner of free-thinkers such as Voltaire: "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong" which was then handed to Valery: "Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them". This document (which within this publication is actually a series of various translations) concerns anyone and everyone, conservatives and liberals, who feel that liberty is the right of dissent.
"If all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind." - John Stuart Mill (probably another communist--lol)
Book Review: Overload
Summary: 4 Stars
Gareth Stedman Jones is a brilliant man, and it shows in his introduction. He completely explains the roots of Marx and Engels thought, showcasing with an almost masterful wealth of history where their ideas came from and how they were developed. The man explains the social, political, and historical context of each and everyone involved in the development of communism in this well researched objective piece. But my god it's a lot to chew at once. Now I am not a political scientist, and with the few college courses I have taken on philosophy and theology, I can say that I am not a neophyte in this field of study. Even in my personal time I have read the works of Nietzsche, Kant, Hobbes, Rousseau, and others, Montesquieu, Aristotle, but Jones is almost caviler with his vast knowledge that I found my self bogged down by the onslaught of quote after quote, citation after citation, not to mention the superfluous speech he unleashes at the middle section of each chapter. Basically each section begins with a simple biography then a mad dash to the centripetal shaft of each founders perplexity, motive, curiosity, resentments, till he summarizes his basic point in the last few pages. Its a lot of information, and I think he could have broken this down into a few books or one long one to more easily get his point across (at least to me). The beauty of Enlightenment and philosophy writers is that each work is contained within itself, so that a reader can bifurcate between what they are reading and what they should be understanding. But Jones won't let you do that. He lays everything on the table and you have to be willing to keep up. I guess my dumbass will have to read it again.Book Review: A Must Read
Summary: 5 Stars
It amazes me that the effects of cold war propaganda drivel still permeates the minds of most Americans. This is easily one of the most influential works since it's publication in the 19th century. To say something along the lines that the pages should be torn out and used as paper airplanes is like saying the literary masterpieces Dickens should be used as toilet paper. Disagree with it all you want but at least acknowledge it's influence and respect it, as several reviewers have. Don't simply pigeonhole a great work due to the ignorance or American cold war dogma. If you are going to rant about this work at least get your facts straight. Hitler is not a communist..never was. As a matter of fact he hated communism just as much as most Americans do. Second, recognize communism is an ideal, just a capitalism is may I add, and there never has been a purely communistic state. If you are going to give this work a bad rating at least pretend you have read it. Most of the bad reviews are complete drivel and it is obvious the work has not been read. Give a reason why you do not like the book. Simply saying it sucks is not very insightful. Finally, do not give this a bad review simply because you cannot understand what is being said. If the merit of literary works were based upon how something is being said rather than what is being said Shakespeare, Chaucer, and Milton would not be considered literary geniuses.