Manifesto: Three Classic Essays on How to Change the World

by Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

The three texts this book, all written in vastly different eras — The Communist Manifesto (1848) by Marx and Engels, Reform or Revolution (1899) by Rosa Luxemburg and Socialism and Man in Cuba (1965) by Ernesto Che Guevara—illuminate socialist ideas of the 19th and 20th centuries.

For a new generation of activists, these are classic revolutionary writings by four famous rebels, including The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels; Reform or Revolution by Rosa Luxemburg; and Che Guevara’s Socialism and Man in Cuba . Includes an introduction by Cuban Marxist intellectual Armando Hart and a preface by US radical poet Adrienne Rich.
 
The essays in this book, Manifesto, were written by three relatively young people—Karl Marx when he was 30, Rosa Luxemburg at 27, Che Guevara at the age of 37. Born into different historical moments and different generations, they shared an energy of hope, an engagement with history, a belief that critical thinking must inform action, and a passion for the world and its human possibilities. Here are urgent conversations from the past that are still being carried on, among new voices, throughout the world.
 

Genres: Politics, History, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Essays, Literature

196 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2004

About the author

Rosa Luxemburg (Rosalia Luxemburg, Polish: Róża Luksemburg) was a Marxist theorist, philosopher, economist and activist of Polish Jewish descent who became a naturalized German citizen. She was successively a member of the Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania, the Social Democratic Party of Germany(SPD), the Independent Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party of Germany.

In 1915, after the SPD supported German involvement in World War I, she co-founded, with Karl Liebknecht, the anti-war Spartakusbund (Spartacist League). On 1 January 1919 the Spartacist League became the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). In November 1918, during the German Revolution she founded the Die Rote Fahne (The Red Flag), the central organ of the Spartacist movement.

She regarded the Spartacist uprising of January 1919 in Berlin as a blunder, but supported it after Liebknecht ordered it without her knowledge. When the revolt was crushed by the social democrat government and the Freikorps (WWI veterans defending the Weimar Republic), Luxemburg, Liebknecht and some of their supporters were captured and murdered. Luxemburg was drowned in the Landwehr Canal in Berlin. After their deaths, Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht became martyrs for Marxists. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, commemoration of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht continues to play an important role among the German far-left.

Reviews

[Maya]

Seems like a stupid thing to rate

[kimmy☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

1/3

“Socialism and Man in Cuba”
An essay that has been dubbed Che’s “Communist Manifesto” this short text is packed with history, ideas, plans and the breakdown of the Cuban revolution. In his essay Che not only talks about how the Cuban revolution achieved its success but also lays down the plan for other revolutions, as well as explains how and why attitudes and culture must change in order to achieve a truly socialist society. Che’s writing is very easy to understand, his vocabulary is rich and at times very prose like, yet his work is very accessible which makes it good for beginners but in no way is it too surface level for people more knowledgeable about this topic.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Che's essay read with the most clarity for me and I enjoyed his writing style and his vision. Though Luxemburg's look at militarism was eerie knowing our current state and the history that followed her writing (and her tragic death at the hands of fascists), but her essay was long and repetitive, probably because it was originally published as shorter articles, so she had to keep repeating the same context she was responding to. Her prose was also just more difficult for me, though she's undoubtedly a brilliant thinker.

Marx and Engels are, of course, required reading for anyone interested in politics and the effects of capitalism, and it's arguably the most important text in terms of history, as so much conflict and revolution centered on this text's existence alone. It's not my first time reading it, however, so the other two essays interested me the most.

[Gina Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly worth reading, as these ideas are just as relevant today as they were at the times the essays were published. However, Luxemburg’s essay (which fills up about half of the book) can feel tedious and repetitive.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introductions were incredibly insightful and each part on their own were fantastic. When combined, however, Rosa Luxemburg’s essay sticks out like a sore thumb. “The Communist Manifesto” and “Socialism and Man in Cuba” are two concise beginner level writings on socialism, while Rosa Luxemburg’s “Reform or Revolution” is an extremely difficult read with copius amounts of literary and historical references which are extremely archaic in the modern day. On top of this, Das Kapital seems to be required reading to fully understand it, which is certainly a choice when you’re including “The Communist Manifest” in your anthology.

[Amelia Eilertsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading

[blah blah III]

Communist manifesto isn’t Marx’s best at all, Reform or Revolution is easily the best essay here, and socialism and man in Cuba is good except for the vanguard party ideas

[Katelyn Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

beware !!! If you read, you may be on your way to becoming a socialist ;) it’s great starter literature to see inside some of the genius minds behind socialist theory and how it has developed through 19th-20th centuries.

[Alicia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I think during the time I read this, I felt like I needed to find some "enlightment." I sadly, never found that with this book.

[4614 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. Short and to the point. loved Marx the best but che and rosa can hold their own...

[J A G · Rating 4 out of 5]

great ideas, but it could only work in a perfect world . where humans cease to ask for more, and more, and more.......
loved it....shared it...

[Garrett Dunnington · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small collection of essays including the communist manifesto is a perfect introduction to Marx even if you think you already nailed it.

[محمد الهاشمي · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring and disappointing how these great words were taken lightly by both friends and foes.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

The language of philosophy books is always tough for me to plow through, especially from centuries past. However, Marx is a must read for any with an interest in politics.