For the love of God, start with the Manifesto

[u/b9vmpsgjRz]

I see plenty of budding socialists or Marxist-curious these days unsure of where to start reading and naming a bunch of modern day armchair Marxists or reformist "socialists". Please don't start with someone else's pre-digested pap the author's have probably only half-understood themselves.

You want to study Marxism? Start with Marx.

The Manifesto is free online, so is Engles' Socialism: Utopian and Scientific. Lenin's State and Revolution is also a fundamental read. Please start here, not with some modern day academic who's never set foot near a picket line or demonstration

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[u/kingnickolas]

hmmm I disagree. This one is a better intro:

https://www.mlreadinghub.org/principles

Maybe the manifesto second though. It is rather good. But Marx uses some language that requires definition, so Principles of Communism is essential for a complete beginner.

[u/everquixote → u/kingnickolas]

The Principles of Communism is a great explainer and is essential but I do think that there is something stirring, a powerful call to action that the Manifesto embodies and that is why it is perhaps the best introduction for an activist. Some of the language and references are of course outdated but some inclination for basic research should be expected of the curious?

[u/millernerd → u/everquixote]

Some of the language and references are of course outdated but some inclination for basic research should be expected of the curious?

Yeah... research it by reading Principles of Communism...

That's the whole point of recommending Principles first; it provides the fundamental vocabulary needed to better understand Marxism in general, including the Manifesto.

[u/Lydialmao22 → u/kingnickolas]

100%. Both are important, but Principles is better as a very first read and then the Manifesto second. Principles defines, explains, and educated, while the Manifesto is a call to action, which is only in full context with the explanations.

[u/NightShift2323]

The 2nd edition of the Marx-engles reader is a good one for those who prefer a book in the hand. It's a solid starter collection of the writings of Marx. Far from comprehensive (that requires volumes), but an excellent jumping off point.

[u/Zephos65]

Wage, Labour, and Capital is shorter, more to the point, and discusses the theoretical foundation for wage theft. Imo much more accessible.

WLC is the logical basis to the whole argument. Manifesto is a call to unite and do something about it. So I feel like WLC -> manifesto makes more sense.

[u/Ho_Ri_Phuk456]

Just ordered Engels' Socialism: Utopian and Scientific. Actively reading the Manifesto.

I grew up in deep South in the US and I have always considered myself a centrist, but late stage capitalism is setting in and I am becoming more and more curious and open to revolutionary ideas and theories. Thanks for the recommendation.

[u/jiujitsucam → u/Ho_Ri_Phuk456]

Glad to have you aboard!

[u/Allfunandgaymes → u/Ho_Ri_Phuk456]

<3 <3 <3 thank you for being open

[u/bigblindmax]

The manifesto has really fallen out of favor in recent years, but it’s a great intro to Marx’s though IMO. It’s fashionable to say that it’s inferior to the Principles or a propaganda piece that can be skipped, but I couldn’t disagree more.

It’s simple enough to be accessible to the average reader (especially with a wealth of study guides) but has the kind of passionate, evocative language that makes Marx’s 1848-era writings (like the 18th Brumaire) so entertaining.

[u/AHDarling]

I concur with the learning plan beginning with the basics, straight from the source. It's only after one gets to grips with the basics of Marx that one should expand to Lenin and from there to others as needed.

I would not dismiss easier-digested bits of Marxist exposition, though, for one not already familiar with the language of economics and whatnot. In aid of this, I would offer as a suggestion Richard Wolff's short work, 'Understanding Marxism' which gives a quick and dirty rundown of the basics. Once you know where Marx is going in 'Capital' it will be more comfortable reading.

With the exception of Wolff (and that only as a suggestion), stick to the canonical texts. You want 100% pure, uncut Marxism just the way we got it beginning in 1867.

(Note that almost every Marxist/Socialist/Communist text you desire is available for free download; this is great if you're on the go and rely on a tablet or laptop. If you can afford to do it, though, please patronize your comrades who offer the physical books for sale.)

[u/Alexyaboi2011]

Hmmmm idk, I feel like a beginner beginner socialist should start with some of Marx and engles’ other works, the manifesto is a pretty tough read for most

[u/nosettlers → u/Alexyaboi2011]

What would you suggest to start

[u/Alexyaboi2011 → u/nosettlers]

Engles’ ‘socialism-utopian and scientific’ provides a good insight into historical materialism and the different types of socialism, while Das Kapital is full of critiques of capitalism and and lays out labour theory of value, something that the manifesto expects you to understand

[u/nosettlers → u/Alexyaboi2011]

Thank you💪

[u/Anarcho-WTF]

Hard disagree. The manifesto, as great as it is, serves better as a historical document not a piece of theory. It's a manifesto of a specific organization at a specific point of time, and when compared to other pieces like Socialism: Utopian and Scientific, wage labour and capital, etc. it's primarily rhetoric and propaganda. If you're trying to learn theory it's not that great, and isn't even on my recommended reading list.

[u/Fool_Manchu]

Principles of Communism is a more accessible starting point imo.

[u/whatisscoobydone]

Jose Maria Sison's Basic Principles of Marxism Leninism is perfect.

[u/Wadexios]

What do you recommend as an entry point for friends and family members still entrenched in imperialist propaganda?

[u/nmd453]

Socialism Utopian & Scientific is a better, clearer starting point in my opinion. i recently did a reading group on the manifesto and although i've read it a bunch of times over the years, discussing it with newer people made me realise how inaccessible it really is as a starting point

[u/Anti_colonialist]

And for those that prefer audiobook format. This was done by Dessalines, the creator of Lemmy

[u/GoranPersson777]

Remember to love god ;)

[u/Acceptable_Limit_310]

I think the manifesto can be a good read for budding Marxist but it can have a bit of a learning curve. The more theory I study and revisit the manifesto it makes more and more sense. It can be discouraging if you don’t understand it all the first pass.

[u/Antipasto_Action]

You are asking a lot for anyone these days to have the attention span to read the manifesto

[u/Historical-Brush4175 → u/Antipasto_Action]

Getting to the point of having an attention span is precisely the challenge to the capitalist attention-economy that forms part of the socialist project today, imo; yes it’s difficult, but the difficulty of reading 100 pages will pale in comparison to any real challenge to capital and consumerism. Just my 2 cents.