Without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement.
— V. I. Lenin
In the dying capitalist hellscape we occupy, it can often seem hopeless. However, a better world is possible. We can move on from the destitution, genocide, and privation of today’s society and move onto one where we consciously decide to take a scientific approach to production. We can direct society in such a fashion that satisfying the needs of the people is the goal of production, and not satisfying the bottomless avarice of a handful of billionaires. What we need is socialism. What we need is Marxism-Leninism.
Who is this guide aimed at?
Anyone wanting to begin their journey into the world of leftist theory and organizing.
How long will this guide take to follow?
Aimed at about 60 hours of active reading time. This can be stretched out over a year, or condensed into a few months of hard study, depending on your availability.
Section 0a: The Case for Marxism-Leninism [4hr 19 min]
In the 21st century, with global capitalism in crisis, now more than ever an alternative is needed. Why should we look to Marxism-Leninism, specifically?
- A. Einstein’s Why Socialism? | Audiobook
[20 min]
From the unique scientific perspective of a legendary physicist, the case for taking a coordinated, planned, and scientific approach to production and distribution.
- R. Day’s Why Marxism?
[26 min]
The case specifically for Marxism-Leninism as the basis of social organizing and revolutionary practice.
- M. Parenti’s “Yellow Parenti” Speech
[1 hr 33 min]
The importance of revolution in uplifting people’s lives across the 20th century.
- M. Parenti’s Blackshirts and Reds | Audiobook
[2 hr]
A litany against anti-communist mythos, an examination of the real successes and struggles in the USSR, and an analysis of fascism.
Section 0b: Self-Education [15 min]
When beginning to study a new subject, it’s important to frame why studying said subject will be useful, as well as how best to go about studying.
- Ho Chi Minh’s Why Do We Have to Study Theory?
[11 min]
Practice alone is insufficient for developing a solid understanding of effective methodology.
- N. Krupskaya’s General Rules for Independent Study
[4 min]
Best practices for how to get the most out of study, through active engagement with theory.
Section 1: Fundamentals of Marxism [2 hr 6 min]
Let’s begin with some gentle overviews to form a base to build upon in the later sections.
- V. I. Lenin’s The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism | Audiobook
[10 min]
The core fundamentals of Marxism.
- F. Engels’ Principles of Communism | Audiobook
[1 hr 11 min]
The FAQ of communism. Quick to read, and easy to reference.
[~45 min]
A history of Karl Marx and the framework he created.
Section 2: Philosophy [6 hr 17 min]
By far the most critical subject to firmly grasp within Marxism-Leninism is the philosophy of dialectical materialism, the main tool by which Marxist-Leninists interpret the world so as to more effectively change it.
- G. Politzer’s Elementary Principles of Philosophy | Audiobook
[2 hr 46 min]
A gentle and thorough introruction to dialectical materialism and how it came to be.
- Mao Zedong’s On Practice & On Contradiction
[2 hr 16 min]
Directed towards guerilla fighters of the People’s Liberation Army, this pair of essays equip the reader to apply the analytical tools of dialectical materialism to their every day practice.
- T. Weston’s Introduction to Marxist Dialectics
[~1 hr]
An in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of Marxist dialectics.
- K. Marx’s Theses on Feuerbach
[15 min]
Spend some time using what you have just learned, and actively engage with each of Marx’s 11 theses here. This is the true germ of dialectical materialism, and proper study avoids falling into vulgar materialism.
Section 3: Economics [3 hr 37 min]
The Law of Value is the bedrock of the Marxist analysis of capitalism. Understanding how it is that capital behaves and functions will help us identify its contradictions, which we can exploit.
- N. Frome’s An Extremely Condensed Summary of Capital
[20 min]
A basic introduction to the Law of Value. By no means a replacement for Capital, but will suffice for now.
- K. Marx’s Wage Labor and Capital | Audiobook & Value, Price and Profit | Audiobook
[2 hr 17 min]
Best taken as a pair, these essays simplify the most important parts of the Law of Value.
- I. P. Wright’s Marx on Capital as a Real God
[~1 hr]
An unorthodox approach to analyzing capital as a material expression of control systems.
Section 4: Scientific Socialism [6 hr 12 min]
Scientific socialism takes an analytical approach to development and class struggle. We aim to understand the laws governing development so that we can become the masters of production, and develop in a planned fashion.
- F. Engels’ Socialism: Utopian and Scientific | Audiobook
[1 hr 32 min]
Engels introduces scientific socialism, explaining how Capitalism itself prepares the conditions for public ownership and planning by centralizing itself into monopolist syndicates and cartels.
- K. Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Programme
[47 min]
Dissects a weak socialist program and elaborates on the dictatorship of the proletariat, as well as the early socialist stage and higher communist stage.
- V. I. Lenin’s The State and Revolution | Audiobook
[2 hr 8 min]
Further analyzes the necessity of revolution and introduces the economic basis for the withering away of the state.
- H. P. Newton’s In Defense of Self-Defense
[10 min]
The working class must be able to defend itself from violent reaction, it can’t jump from state to non-state overnight.
- N. Frome’s How is it to be Done?
[20 min]
What does building socialism in the real world actually look like? How do we get from capitalism to socialism to communism?
- R. Day’s The Case for Socialized Ownership
[23 min]
Highlights the importance of collectivized and planned production from an economic, scientific, and efficency standpoint.
- Deng Xiaoping’s Marxism is a Science
[40 min]
The struggles and contradictions in existing socialism, and the process of building to higher and more developed stages, can only be accomplished by taking a scientific and analytical approach.
[12 min]
Addresses competing interpretations of the Law of Value with respect to the transition from capitalism to communism.
Section 5: Colonialism [16 hr 14 min]
Understanding the ongoing national liberation movements in the global south, as well as the problem of settler-colonialism, is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of modern empire.
- Ho Chi Minh’s The Path Which Led Me to Leninism
[4 min]
Decolonialization is fundamental to Marxism-Leninism.
- F. Fanon’s The Wretched of the Earth | Audiobook
[4 hr 48 min]
A Marxist understanding of nationalism in the global south.
- J. Katsfoter’s To Stop Marx, They Made Zion
[22 min]
The genocidal history of the settler-colonialism of Palestine, from its origins to today.
[~7 hrs]
Analysis of the dark, bloody history of settler-colonialism in the US Empire.
- P. Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed | Audiobook
[4 hr]
A fiery pedagogy for those wretched of the Earth.
Section 6: Imperialism [8 hr 48 min]
Capitalism didn’t collapse in Europe, it found new ways to survive, chiefly by exporting capital. This current protracted evolution of capitalism into imperialism is the primary contradiction facing the global march to socialism.
- V. I. Lenin’s Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism | Audiobook
[2 hr 39 min]
The formation of imperialism, as well as general characteristics of its behavior.
- K. Nkrumah’s Neocolonialism, the Last Stage of Imperialism
[4 hr 39 min]
Over time, imperialism has managed to export the bulk of the contradictions in the global north to the global south.
- Cheng Enfu’s Five Characteristics of Neoimperialism
[~1 hr 30 min]
The characteristics of the moribund US Empire, and its use of the dollar to dominate the global south in the current era.
Section 7: Feminism [2 hr 3 min]
The historic oppression of women needs to be recognized and fought against.
- H. P. Newton’s The Women’s Liberation and Gay Liberation Movements
[6 min]
All sections of the working class must uplift each other, and not use homophobia or misogyny against capitalists, as it attacks our comrades as well.
- A. Kollontai’s The Social Basis of the Woman Question
[45 min]
A Marxist counter to the existing bourgeois feminist movement, explaining why feminism needs Marxism, and Marxism needs feminism.
[~30 min]
An exploration of the state of the feminist movement and the importance of intersectionality as it relates to combatting oppression.
- J. Freeman’s The Tyranny of Structurelessness
[42 min]
Throughout the history of feminist struggle, the struggle against formalized organization has been counter-productive and led to less efficient effort and increased problems with elitism, while groups with formalized structures have had far more success and open dialogue.
Section 8: LGBTQIA+ [4 hr 22 min]
We must correctly push for queer liberation, unflinchingly.
- L. Feinberg’s Trans Liberation: Beyond Pink or Blue
[2hr 39 min]
When different social groups fight for liberation together, they are emboldened and empowered ever-further.
- V. Storm & E. Flores’ The Gender Accelerationist Manifesto
[~40 min]
Breaks down the basis of misogyny, transphobia, and homophobia from a Marxist perspective.
[63 min]
Trans liberation and communism go hand-in-hand.
Section 9: Party Work [5hr 12 min]
You can’t build communism by reading it into existence. Roll up your sleeves, and get to work.
- J. V. Stalin’s The Foundations of Leninism
[2 hr 2 min]
Marxism-Leninism is the living and evolving Marxism that has tested theory to practice for over a century.
- V. I. Lenin’s What is to be Done? (Abridged)
[70 min]
The fundamental tasks of the revolutionary party.
- Liu Shaoqi’s How to be a Good Communist | Audiobook
[~1 hour]
If we are to be successful, we must work to better ourselves, and do good party work.
- Liu Shaoqi’s On the Party: Concerning the Mass Line of Our Party
[~30 min]
The mass line is the fundamental tool of maintaining a direct link between the working class and the vanguard, without falling into tailism or commandism.
- Liu Shaoqi’s On the Party: Democratic Centralism Within the Party
[~30 min]
Democratic centralism turns an amorphous but radicalized working class into a solidified force to overwhelm its enemies. It takes the greatest strength of the proletariat, its mass, and aligns it in a unified direction.
Section 10: Self-Conduct [2 hr 39 min]
We cannot be dogmatic, or let the perfect socialism in our heads be the enemy of socialism in the real world.
- V. I. Lenin’s “Left-Wing” Communism | Audiobook
[1 hr 47 min]
As organizers, we must do our best to engage where the working class is at, and not let the perfect socialism in our heads be the enemy of our own practice.
[17 min]
Marxism in western countries is often clouded by those who seem to only support socialism that failed, the “pure” socialist movements unsullied by the very real struggles involved in building socialism over a lengthy period of time. This perfect vision of socialism in our heads becomes not just the enemy of our practice, but also that of socialists in the global south that fought and died for a better world.
- Zhou Enlai’s Guidelines for Myself
[1 min]
Simple and straightforward virtues for any good cadre.
- Xi Jinping’s Water Droplets Drilling Through Rock
[4 min]
Tenacity is what creates valleys and shifts mountains. Through our connected struggle, even if the odds seem overwhelming, we all contribute to bringing about a better world.
- Ho Chi Minh’s On Revolutionary Morality
[~30 min]
We must combat the notion of putting self-interest above that of our collective struggle. It is through collaboration that we emancipate all, not just ourselves.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you completed your introductory reading course! Now, if you haven’t already, get organized. The Party for Socialism and Liberation, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, and Red Star Caucus are all good Statesian options. Pick whichever decent org is most active in your area regardless of where you live.
Be industrious, and self-sufficient. Take up gardening, home repair, tinkering. It is through practice that you elevate your knowledge. Learn self-defense. Get armed, if practical. Be ready to protect yourself and others. Try to use FOSS if you can. Go vegan!
We will win.
Resources
a. Theory
ProleWiki - A robust library and wiki for Marxism-Leninism.
Red Sails - “Woke ML-MZT Criterion Collection with home videos thrown in”
Comrade’s Library - Excellent source for .epubs
Qiao Collective - Connecting western diaspora with Chinese political commentary
b. Podcasts
Blowback - Anti-imperialist podcast about the crimes of the US Empire.
Rev Left Radio - Marxist-Leninist podcast centering theory, history, and current events
c. News
Liberation News - PSL’s newsletter
Fight Back! News - FRSO’s newsletter
Naked Capitalism - Economic newsletter centering capitalism’s decay
I find the revisions very interesting. Would you elaborate on what you learned over the past few months that inspired you to make these changes? When you have the time, of course.
In my own circles I usually recommend Blackshirts and Reds as first or second because it counters the “socialism bad and failed everywhere” attitude that most people have by default.
My thinking is that many people would be apprehensive of reading anything by Lenin or Mao if they come with that perspective. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this!
This is very much a WIP list, the current revision where I’m shuffling around has Parenti right after Roderic Day’s Why Marxism? I absolutely agree with you on debunking common anticommunist mythos first and foremost.
As for the reasoning why I am making the changes I am, I felt that some works were way too bloated, like Lavender and Red. I also wanted to focus more on the questions of nationalism in the global south, the process of building socialism in the real world, settler-colonialism and a deeper understanding of imperialism, and give a better perspective on party work and style. Most of these changes aren’t reflected in the post yet. I even threw in The Foundations of Leninism around midway into the list.
The “2.0” release should be some time this day, followed by a request for feedback, and adjustments based on said feedback.
Thanks for the response! I really like how you’re approaching this where you’re giving the reader an immediately applicable understanding of current world events and contradictions, rather than what feels like an academic course on Marxist theory.
I believe this would help many people understand that reading theory isn’t about being immersed in abstract and detached concepts in books. It should give them tools to be used in their everyday life, as well as provide a clear vision of the goals we need to accomplish while learning from past failures and successes.
Thanks! I try to weave in a broad variety of authors, and in my current revision I have more contemporary authors as well. I could throw in Plekhanov, Gramsci, Losurdo, etc. if I wanted to go more in-depth, but my target is a comprehensive list that builds up and takes someone from 0 to what should be a good cadre if they combine this list with org work.
I finished the preliminary update, give it a look when you’ve got the time! If you want, I mean. I’d love feedback!
I don’t have enough experience to give recommendations, but I could post my raw impressions going down the list in case it’s helpful:
I think having an estimated reading length timer similar to Red Sails next to each title would be useful. Especially for Section 0 which includes some very short reads, but people might think they have hours ahead of them before Section 1. I used this website sometimes to give myself an idea before diving into a book: https://www.readinglength.com/.
Not a criticism, just a note: I’m surprised to find Socialism: Utopian and Scientific relatively far down the list. I think it was the first work on socialism I’d ever read, lol.
The order of Section 6 in relation to 7 and 8 is a bit of a tough one, I think. Should works on LGBTQIA+ liberation and colonialism be so far down the list? I’m not sure. I’d like to hear your perspective.
Believe it or not, I actually thought about the timer! The main issue is that I am fighting the character count, haha. I may go in and provide those, though, maybe trimming a bit of my own text to make up for it.
Socialism: Utopian and Scientific is as early as it can be, in my opinion. It’s a critical read, but I truly feel it is best appreciated after philosophy and economics, because you can get “lost in the sauce” a bit with Engels.
As for 7 and 8, the biggest reason I included 6 first is because I want people to get organized, and because Foundations of Leninism introduces the national question. I spent a lot of time tossing 6, 7, and 8 arround, actually, and I’m not opposed to moving it.
Thx, this is a great list!
I can’t emphasize enough how good Socialism - Utopian and Scientific, and State and revolution are. Possibly the best shorter political works in their given centuries.
No problem! Wanted to have something of my own to share any time I think it might be wanted, plus with the aftermath of the US election many US liberals are more open to radicalization.
Fully agree on Socialism: Utopian and Scientific and State and Rev, both are some of the most useful for understanding Scientific Socialism and the necessity of revolution.
Thanks for your input!
State and Revolution was what convinced me of communism. Black shirts and Reds radicalized me but State and Revolution educated me and convinced me of the necessity of revolution. I straight up could not define what a state was before I read that 💀
Having seen you sharing this list multiple times in the comments lately, I have been thinking “man, this should be a proper post”. Great work and thanks for educating us, comrade o7
Thank you for checking it out! Now more than ever is a great opportunity for reading theory and radicalization, so I’ve been sharing it when I can.
Open for feedback! Want to have this intro list I made as a post I can easily reference with a quick link. I can take this down or edit it if it breaks any rules. Hope I’ve covered all the necessary bases!
Feel free to ask any questions in the comments as well, I’ll do my best to answer. It doesn’t need to specifically be about this list either, it can be a general Marxism question as well!
Also working on a “DLC Pack” for this list for further reading. I’d appreciate any suggestions!
Edit: internationalized the language to not be US-centric (changed “The Democrats will not save us” to “Liberals will not save us” and “Grand Canyon” to “canyons and valleys”).
Edit 2: cleaned up and trimmed extra words that were unnecessary (possible expansion) and added Red Star Caucus and MUG to the org list at @OurToothbrush@lemmy.ml request.
Edit 3: added Pedagogy of the Oppressed and emphasized the Marxist stance on National Liberation and the Right of Self-Determination.
Edit 4: added “Left-Wing” Communism at the request of @yogthos@lemmy.ml
Edit 5: added How to be a Good Communist per the request of a (for now) anonymous comrade.
Edit 6: optimization of link character use thanks to @Edie@lemmy.ml
Edit 7: added Western Marxism Loves Purity and Martyrdom, But Not Real Revolution at the suggestion of @ReadFanon@hexbear.net
Edit 8: Renamed some things, changed to Prolewiki links over Marx2Mao for ease of reading on mobile devices (the target)
Edit 9: Major overhaul and restructuring.
who the fuck is scraeming “READ THEORY” at my house. show yourself, coward. i will never read theory
It’s me, please do it… 🥺
Walter Rodney’s How Europe Underdeveloped Africa would be a good addition to this list as well as his other book Decolonial Marxism. Both have audiobooks available.
They’re very helpful in understanding underdevelopment, dependency theory, unequal exchange, and the colonial mode of production which places and keeps superexploited labor as low as possible on the production chain either in primary production/resource extraction or in very basic secondary production, where then these resources are exported to the metropoles for further refinement.
Good idea! Do you have any suggestions on what I should remove, if anything? I am nearing the limits on character count I believe. I tried to get Decolonialism through Fanon’s work, but am open to making it more of an emphasis.
Alternatively, I could add them to my planned “DLC list” with a long list of other great works and short descriptions so people can choose where to focus upon finishing this list. Works like Settlers and Oppose Book Worship, everything that doesn’t quite fit but should be essential reading anyways, is DLC material.
Oof, I don’t know if I’d remove anything either? There’s so much out there to read that I’d struggle making a concise list.
So on second thought, maybe actually Walter Rodney could be part of a separate introduction to decolonisation?
I’ll keep that in mind!
It was a strict requirement for this list to include work on Decolonialism, so I believe Fanon does that the best in a single work. That way, we remove the risk of people simply taking whatever materially benefits themselves, and push the internationalist, intersectional angle.
The DLC list will likely be broken up into sections so if someone wants further reading on decolonialism, that can be properly provided.
Excellent reading list. 👏
Thank you! Do you have any suggestions for swaps or improvements overall?
I think the list is great as is, but minor suggestions. It might be an idea bump the state and rev higher up because it directly tackles a lot of the debates we’re seeing currently on the left. It explains the nature of the state and addresses the whole reformism and working within the system idea very thoroughly. I’d argue it’s one of the most relevant texts for understanding the current political moment out there. I’d also recommend the excellent What Is To Be Done? (Abridged) from Red Sails https://redsails.org/witbd-rs-abridged/ as it’s more accessible.
And it’s worth mentioning “Left-Wing” Communism: an Infantile Disorder as well since it deals with practical organization, and how to balance pragmatism with staying principled. I think it’s a great overview of what a communist party should strive for.
I can swap section 3 and 4, so State and Rev comes up earlier. I would have to remove Reform or Revolution or a different work to add more theory, but I’ll keep your suggestions in mind, thanks. I agree that “Left-Wing” Communism is a great work for avoiding common pitfalls, but running into the character limit really forces me to pick and choose.
What are your thoughts, if you don’t mind?
I don’t know that I’d take anything out, all the sources you’ve already got there are great. I think it’s honestly a very good intro as is, so totally up to your discretion. :)
Thanks, I appreciate it! Might see if I can trim some fat and throw “Left-Wing” Communism at the end, and maybe Pedagogy of the Oppressed right after Wretched as other comrades have recommended.
o7
o7
By the way, I did end up squeezing in “Left-Wing” Communism," PotO, and added How to be a Good Communist by Liu Shaoqi, so there should be a much stronger focus on National Liberation and principled yet practical organization, both of which were lacking in the original revision of my list IMO. Thanks for the suggestion!
Credits here! I’ll add as I can.
-
@ReadFanon@hexbear.net - advice and audiobooks
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@Edie@lemmy.ml - creator and maintainer of Comrade’s Library, or Comlib!
-
Can’t recommend this list enough as well.
Love the content of that list, hate that it uses Google Analytics. I used to share that list around too, but after a comrade pointed it out I’ve refrained for OPSEC reasons. If you are okay with it, I can personally back it up as a good list even if I made my own list based on my own overall preferences. That’s part of why I am making my own list instead!
Thanks for sharing!
4·10 months agoIf anyone find a problem in the comlib epubs, tell me and I’ll fix it
🫡
I can credit you, if you want!
I just want to fix any errors there may be in the epubs
I know, but if you also want credit I can credit you! @ReadFanon@hexbear.net provided 99% of the audiobooks as well, this isn’t a list made by one person alone.
:shrug: (why are the wrong emojies showing up!!! /j) If you feel like it
Sounds good! I’ll make a credit addendum and comment in a short bit when I can.
Great write up. I’m saving this for my soulless commute! 🙃
Thanks, comrade! 🫡
Thank YOU for the great work! o7
Is communism the end goal? I feel like we should strive for a post economic society. Is there any literature on that?
If by “post economic” you mean the abolishment of money, communism is supposed to be that: a stateless, classless, moneyless society (see: primitive communism)
In practice, the new relations of production post-capitalism may give rise to entirely new class divisions instead — similar to prior changes in modes of production throughout history — but we’ll see that when we get there.
First of all, what do you mean by a “Post-Economic Society?” I am not sure I understand the context of your question. Chiefly, Communism is just the phase in Mode of Production Communists believe will be after Socialism, that doesn’t mean it’s the end of historical movement.
If What is to be Done is not a part of the reading list, making it a footnote, might help a bit with readability
E.g:
— Vladimir Lenin[1]
Gotcha! Good idea.
PSL and FRSO are bad picks. They do not share a structure common with successful revolutions- a smaller demcent vanguard party within a larger mass organization with internal democracy. If you want to recreate the bolsheviks, you need to find your Russian Social Democratic labor party, which means joining other MLs in struggling within DSA.
I’m not aware of any better orgs in the US - do you have a recommendation?
Go join DSA and apply to Red Star or MUG once you have some experience and leadership. Successful struggle generally takes place within mass parties, even if and because the mass parties start off with a lower level of consciousness.
Now is an important time as the national leadership is basically split between relatively cool factions and social democrats with Trots making up deciding votes. The convention is this Summer, and right now the right wing has lost a lot of credibility in the eyes of membership after licking the boot of the unsuccessful kamala campaign. If you want to make a difference in turning the biggest instrument for channeling growing class consciousness back into democrat support into something that genuinely engages in class struggle, now is a critical time to engage.
I’ll add Red Star Caucus and MUG to the list of orgs, though I won’t remove FRSO or PSL as they are supported by many comrades here for legitimate reason as well. Thanks!
Fair enough. There are plenty of cool folks to learn from in both orgs, I just don’t think there structure and orientation toward the more advanced sections of the working class really align with historical lessons.
That’s absolutely a valid argument, I have not done enough personal investigation into the matter to warrant de-suggesting FRSO and PSL, that’s all.
What do you think about adding Manufacturing Consent and Consequences of Capitalism by Noam Chomsky? I think they both explain both the current media situation and realities of global capitalism very well without the need of reading previous theory.
Chomsky is a bit of an interesting conundrum. On the one hand, the conclusions and processes laid out in his analysis of Capitalism, especially with respect to the media and how it operates to prep the public for dramatic action and shift narratives is incredibly valuable. However, his analysis of Socialism is unfortunately incredibly anti-Marxist, and this extends to perpetual misanalysis of Socialism as it exists in the real world, often using “State Capitalism” to refer to Socialist States. As a consequence, including his works can backfire if not read with a strong understanding of Socialism beforehand to separate the golden nuggets from the nonsense, so to speak.
To that end, I actually think Michael Parenti’s Blackshirts and Reds does a decent job of pointing out the role the media plays in Capitalist states, and absolutely nails modern Capitalist Imperialism, all while being realistic about AES due to his Marxist leanings. Here’s one of his most famous quotes:
During the cold war, the anticommunist ideological framework could transform any data about existing communist societies into hostile evidence. If the Soviets refused to negotiate a point, they were intransigent and belligerent; if they appeared willing to make concessions, this was but a skillful ploy to put us off our guard. By opposing arms limitations, they would have demonstrated their aggressive intent; but when in fact they supported most armament treaties, it was because they were mendacious and manipulative. If the churches in the USSR were empty, this demonstrated that religion was suppressed; but if the churches were full, this meant the people were rejecting the regime’s atheistic ideology. If the workers went on strike (as happened on infrequent occasions), this was evidence of their alienation from the collectivist system; if they didn’t go on strike, this was because they were intimidated and lacked freedom. A scarcity of consumer goods demonstrated the failure of the economic system; an improvement in consumer supplies meant only that the leaders were attempting to placate a restive population and so maintain a firmer hold over them.
If communists in the United States played an important role struggling for the rights of workers, the poor, African-Americans, women, and others, this was only their guileful way of gathering support among disfranchised groups and gaining power for themselves. How one gained power by fighting for the rights of powerless groups was never explained. What we are dealing with is a nonfalsifiable orthodoxy, so assiduously marketed by the ruling interests that it affected people across the entire political spectrum.
-Michael Parenti, Blackshirts and Reds
I appreciate your input, though! What do you think about the list overall?
I think Chomsky’s view is similar to Richard Wolff’s when it comes to concepts like State Capitalism. From what I’ve gathered, it relates to the relationship between the owners and workers. In state capitalism, there is still an authoritarian relationship between the owners or board of directors and the workers. The main difference is that the business is owned by the State, I’ve heard Wolff also call this Authoritarian Socialism. I’ve noticed both Chomsky and Wolff differentiate this from a socialist relationship, where the workers are also the owners in a democratic organization of the business, where this socialist relationship can be in either the Private sector or the State. This differentiates both Private and State Capitalism from Democratic Socialism, where the socialist relationship is present all forms of business both State and Private.
I don’t think this makes their works anti-marxist. While Chomsky may use a different definition of Socialism as discussed above, he has a very detailed analysis of how Capital Interests, especially since the implementation of neoliberalism, have affected the material conditions of the working class and atomized social organization. I think the main difference is that Chomsky does not see revolution as inevitable, but he still has a focus on how resistance and organization is necessary to overcome the power of global capitalism. I think it’s quite Marxist, but within the framework of the American Empire.
From that quote it looks look like Blackshirts and Reds does touch on the interplay between media and capital. But I think Manufacturing Consent both goes into much more detail for the whole scope, from Imperialists interests of the State down to individual media consumption, and also much more relevant to the media landscape facing the American and Western public today.
Marv Waterstone in Consequences of Capitalism does a fantastic job detailing the realities and effects of Global Capitalism in every aspect of today. From how it affects Imperialism on the global scale, to the environment and the Climate Catastrophe, to how it affects and has atomized the everyday worker.
They give an incredible amount of context about the current state of Capitalism, the current state of the working class, and a framework of organizing and resistance.
I’m familiar with how Wolff and Chomsky differentiate what they refer to as “authoritarian socialism” or “State Capitalism” and “Democratic Socialism,” but this is a deviation from Marx. Where Wolff and Chomsky define Socialism as “Workplace Democracy,” Socialism in a Marxist sense is more about Public Ownership and Central Planning in the hands of the working class, and dominance over Capital and thus the bourgeoisie. The fact that there are central planners does not mean there are distinct class dynamics, in fact Engels illustrates this quite well in Socialism: Utopian and Scientific:
When ultimately it becomes the real representative of the whole of society, it renders itself superfluous. As soon as there is no social class to be held in subjection any longer, as soon as class domination and the struggle for individual existence based on the anarchy of production existing up to now are eliminated together with the collisions and excesses arising from them, there is nothing more to repress, nothing necessitating a special repressive force, a state. The first act in which the state really comes forward as the representative of the whole of society – the taking possession of the means of production in the name of society – is at the same time its last independent act as a state. The interference of the state power in social relations becomes superfluous in one sphere after another, and then dies away of itself. The government of persons is replaced by the administration of things and the direction of the processes of production. The state is not “abolished”, it withers away.
Chomsky and Wolff advocate for a sort of “worker-owned Capitalism.” A form of Market Socialism, if you will. This is again a deviation from Marx. Where there is competition, there is centralization, such a system would regardless trend towards eventual public ownership and central planning. Engels spends the entirety of Anti-Dühring arguing against such a cooperative-focused system as an inevitable return to Capitalism, and therefore an inevitable turn towards Public Ownership and Central Planning anyways.
Of course, that doesn’t mean a Socialist system would not have Private Property, or Markets, just that the Proletariat would be dominant and by extension the Public Sector would have dominance over the Private, for as long as Markets are still a useful tool for developing these large syndicates ripe for central planning. The Marxist method is Dialectical Materialism, it recognizes that Capitalism itself prepares the way for Socialism, once the Working class is in charge it can gradually wrest from the Bourgeoisie the large business syndicates it creates, but only by the degree to which they have formed. From the Manifesto:
The essential condition for the existence, and for the sway of the bourgeois class, is the formation and augmentation of capital;[43] the condition for capital is wage-labour. Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the labourers. The advance of industry, whose involuntary promoter is the bourgeoisie, replaces the isolation of the labourers, due to competition, by their revolutionary combination, due to association. The development of Modern Industry, therefore, cuts from under its feet the very foundation on which the bourgeoisie produces and appropriates products. What the bourgeoisie, therefore, produces, above all, are its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable.
The sort of “Market Socialist” approach is a deviation from Marxism.
Finally, that also ignores the very real democratic structures in Marxist states. I do recommend you read the essay Why do Marxists Fail to Bring the “Worker’s Paradise?” It’s important to contextualize AES states, their successes and failures, properly. For further reading, Soviet Democracy by Pat Sloan is a good historical account of the Soviet Democratic System, warts and all.
I know this comment was long-winded, but I do hope that encourages you to read the first couple sections at least of my reading guide, if nothing else but to give a different perspective on Socialism.
Ah, I haven’t done much indepth reading of Marx yet so I wasn’t aware those were considered deviations. That makes sense. Overall I still agree with their deviations, I think they are reasonable and applicable to the current situation we’re in. I also agree with you and the works of Engles and Marx that is workplace democracy is not the end-all-be-all solution and that it will inevitably have to change one way or the other, either towards communism or regress back to capitalism.
I still stand by that Chomsky’s works are worth reading for people who are interested in and learning about socialism. It’s relatively digestible, easy to start, informative about our current situation, and I think the concept of workplace democracy is the most applicable method for people to resist the current state of the world dominated by Capitalism. I also agree with you that it’s best if not taken alone and better paired with the works of Marx, Engles, ect. But I do think it’s a great starting place for most people. Especially since most people still think of capitalism as simply ‘markets’ and ‘free trade’ and socialism/communism as ‘bread lines’ and ‘gulags’ which is of course far removed from the reality.
I appreciate your input, however I do want to state that I think it’s important for you to also read Marx if you want to stand by the deviations from Marx. The largest economy in the world, for example, is run along Marxist-Leninist analysis and principles, even if you disagree with individual policies the mere fact of the PRC’s unprecedented rapid development due to Socialism can’t be denied nor ignored.
Workplace Democracy is in no way a bad thing by itself, but is insufficient, and moreover extremely difficult to achieve in a Capitalist system regardless. Revolution remains more practical and more likely as Capitalism and Imperialism continue to crumble and decay.
I think a great step for you with respect to Marxism is to study the first 2 sections in my reading guide, if nothing else. You don’t have to move beyond it, but specifically the concept of Scientific Socialism, or looking at where Capitalism is naturally going and trying to wrest control of it directly, is a massive step up from your current model of trying to simply resist within the framework of a system that is already heading towards collapse.
Thanks for your time!
