What do you think?
Rate this book
The Workers’ Way to Freedom: and Other Council Communist Writings
Anton Pannekoek (1873-1960), the Dutch astronomer and Marxist
revolutionary, was a key theoretician of council communism—a Marxist
alternative to both Leninism and Social Democracy that instead
emphasized working-class self-emancipation through workers’ councils.
The
first half of this book walks the reader through the fundamentals of
council communism and the conditions that led to the development of
these ideas. The second half of the book demonstrates the rich depth of
Pannekoek’s thinking, with penetrating essays and insightful letters on
revolutionary organization, state capitalism, Marxism, the limitations
of trade unions and political parties, the potential of wildcat strikes,
public vs. common ownership, the necessity of combining organization
and freedom, the deceptiveness of parliamentarism, workers’ councils,
the vital importance of working-class self-emancipation, and more.
With the recent resurgence in the naïve hope that Democratic Socialism
and trade unionism can act as radical methods to meaningfully confront
or even overthrow capitalism, Pannekoek’s council communist ideas
encourage workers to think for themselves rather than submit to the
dead-end traditions of the old movement and embrace the collective
self-activity that can build a new movement capable of overcoming the
struggles we face ahead.
revolutionary, was a key theoretician of council communism—a Marxist
alternative to both Leninism and Social Democracy that instead
emphasized working-class self-emancipation through workers’ councils.
The
first half of this book walks the reader through the fundamentals of
council communism and the conditions that led to the development of
these ideas. The second half of the book demonstrates the rich depth of
Pannekoek’s thinking, with penetrating essays and insightful letters on
revolutionary organization, state capitalism, Marxism, the limitations
of trade unions and political parties, the potential of wildcat strikes,
public vs. common ownership, the necessity of combining organization
and freedom, the deceptiveness of parliamentarism, workers’ councils,
the vital importance of working-class self-emancipation, and more.
With the recent resurgence in the naïve hope that Democratic Socialism
and trade unionism can act as radical methods to meaningfully confront
or even overthrow capitalism, Pannekoek’s council communist ideas
encourage workers to think for themselves rather than submit to the
dead-end traditions of the old movement and embrace the collective
self-activity that can build a new movement capable of overcoming the
struggles we face ahead.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 2, 2024
3 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Anton Pannekoek
88 books56 followersDutch astronomer and marxist theorist.
He was one of the main theorists of council communism. As a recognized Marxist theorist, Pannekoek was one of the founders of the council communist tendency and a main figure in the radical left in the Netherlands and Germany.
In his scientific work, Pannekoek started studying the distribution of stars through the Milky Way, as well as the structure of our galaxy. Later he became interested in the nature and evolution of stars. Because of these studies, he is considered to be the founder of astrophysics as a separate discipline in the Netherlands.
The Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek at the University of Amsterdam, of which he had been a director, still carries his name.
He was one of the main theorists of council communism. As a recognized Marxist theorist, Pannekoek was one of the founders of the council communist tendency and a main figure in the radical left in the Netherlands and Germany.
In his scientific work, Pannekoek started studying the distribution of stars through the Milky Way, as well as the structure of our galaxy. Later he became interested in the nature and evolution of stars. Because of these studies, he is considered to be the founder of astrophysics as a separate discipline in the Netherlands.
The Astronomical Institute Anton Pannekoek at the University of Amsterdam, of which he had been a director, still carries his name.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 24, 2024
For readers interested in the depth of Socialism and Communism this is a very clear explanation of a 'workers first' approach which finds its basis in 'Workers' Councils', aka 'Soviets'.
Anton Pannekoek was Dutch, hence my choice for this book from the instagram account @workingclasshistory. He lived from 1873 until 1960 and always was a communist.
This manuscript and the published articles derived from it were probably written up until 1935.
Author dives into many societal concepts, analyses them and puts forward an alternative, derived from his analysis. I loved following him in his thoughts about, for example, Trade Unionism, The Russian Revolution, Fascism, the Intellectual class and many more. This being written in 1935, contrasted with the ideas about these concepts nowadays, made it a very exciting read.
One bit from the first chapter that grasps the optimism of the conquering of capitalism as they knew it back then is this pledge to Marxism:
(paraphrased) Capitalism is a passing, temporary form of society, only by the separation of The Machine and The Workers, which have to be united for the existence of mankind. The instrument for this separation is 'the spell called 'the right of property' which is instrumental in the owning of the means of production by the Bourgeois class.
Also, author keeps on insisting over the course of all this written work (period 1935 until 1960) that the revolution that will bring workers to their natural state, united with the Machine, is only possible through working 'bottom-up'. A parliamentary system for example, is not a credible way because it only means the replacement of old masters by new masters. Workers' councils, Soviets, as shown by the Russian factory workers in their revolutions of 1905 and 1917, so before Lenin, are the only way to abolish capitalism. In 1935.
This is a definitive re-read for 2044.
Anton Pannekoek was Dutch, hence my choice for this book from the instagram account @workingclasshistory. He lived from 1873 until 1960 and always was a communist.
This manuscript and the published articles derived from it were probably written up until 1935.
Author dives into many societal concepts, analyses them and puts forward an alternative, derived from his analysis. I loved following him in his thoughts about, for example, Trade Unionism, The Russian Revolution, Fascism, the Intellectual class and many more. This being written in 1935, contrasted with the ideas about these concepts nowadays, made it a very exciting read.
One bit from the first chapter that grasps the optimism of the conquering of capitalism as they knew it back then is this pledge to Marxism:
(paraphrased) Capitalism is a passing, temporary form of society, only by the separation of The Machine and The Workers, which have to be united for the existence of mankind. The instrument for this separation is 'the spell called 'the right of property' which is instrumental in the owning of the means of production by the Bourgeois class.
Also, author keeps on insisting over the course of all this written work (period 1935 until 1960) that the revolution that will bring workers to their natural state, united with the Machine, is only possible through working 'bottom-up'. A parliamentary system for example, is not a credible way because it only means the replacement of old masters by new masters. Workers' councils, Soviets, as shown by the Russian factory workers in their revolutions of 1905 and 1917, so before Lenin, are the only way to abolish capitalism. In 1935.
This is a definitive re-read for 2044.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2024
Its strength is his insistence on the council form and his analysis of the development of the three principle forms of workers organisation (unions, parties, and councils/soviets) - though this analysis could be better, especially with regards to political parties where it relies on philosophically idealist notions of leaders and followers and their essential qualities. The analysis of the power of the classes and trade unionism are both insightful too.
Development of these ideas about organisational forms and a grounding in proper materialist analysis would be good to see.
It has many weaknesses, notably his approach to materialism is abstract and passive and his analysis of state capitalism is particularly shallow. The idea that council communism can synthesise Marxism and anarchism is indicative of the lack of thorough materialism that Pannekoek offers. The appendix by Mattick is also weak, particularly in straw-manning Lenin.
Chapters 2, 3, 10, and 14 are the main ones worth reading.
Development of these ideas about organisational forms and a grounding in proper materialist analysis would be good to see.
It has many weaknesses, notably his approach to materialism is abstract and passive and his analysis of state capitalism is particularly shallow. The idea that council communism can synthesise Marxism and anarchism is indicative of the lack of thorough materialism that Pannekoek offers. The appendix by Mattick is also weak, particularly in straw-manning Lenin.
Chapters 2, 3, 10, and 14 are the main ones worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews