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Das Kapital; Das Kommunistische Manifest
Kapital von bleibendem Wert
Zum Ende eines jeden Jahres wird aufgeräumt. Auch vor dem Bücherschrank mache ich da nicht Halt. Zu jedem Jahreswechsel muß notwendig der ein oder andere Band seinen sonnenbeschienenen Platz im Regal gegen die Dunkelheit und Enge in einer der -- immerhin wohlsortierten -- Kisten auf dem Speicher eintauschen. Drei blaue Folianten mit dem Titel Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Ökonomie, erworben 1980 von mir damals gerade mal 19-Jährigen (für, wenn ich mich recht entsinne, sage und schreibe zehn Ostmark -- kann das sein?-, zwangsumgetauscht gegen "unsere echte D-Mark"), haben bislang bei jeder Aufräumaktion ihren Platz verteidigen können. Und dies wird auch zum Ende dieses Jahres nicht anders sein, wenn mit dem Dezember das Jahrhundert und mit diesem -- wenn man es so rechnen will -- das Jahrtausend zu Ende geht.
Zum Ende eines jeden Jahres wird aufgeräumt. Auch vor dem Bücherschrank mache ich da nicht Halt. Zu jedem Jahreswechsel muß notwendig der ein oder andere Band seinen sonnenbeschienenen Platz im Regal gegen die Dunkelheit und Enge in einer der -- immerhin wohlsortierten -- Kisten auf dem Speicher eintauschen. Drei blaue Folianten mit dem Titel Das Kapital. Kritik der politischen Ökonomie, erworben 1980 von mir damals gerade mal 19-Jährigen (für, wenn ich mich recht entsinne, sage und schreibe zehn Ostmark -- kann das sein?-, zwangsumgetauscht gegen "unsere echte D-Mark"), haben bislang bei jeder Aufräumaktion ihren Platz verteidigen können. Und dies wird auch zum Ende dieses Jahres nicht anders sein, wenn mit dem Dezember das Jahrhundert und mit diesem -- wenn man es so rechnen will -- das Jahrtausend zu Ende geht.
Was (außer den zahllosen Zitaten) wird bleiben von Karl Marx nach dem Ende von so gut wie allen kommunistischen, ja auch nur sozialistischen Staatswirtschaften dieser Welt? Wird sich die Erinnerung an sein Werk mit dem Nachgeschmack des untergegangenen Totalitarismus im Osten Europas allmählich ganz im Nichts verlieren? Ich denke: Nein! Im Gegenteil wird irgendwann der Blick wieder frei werden für dieses Stück deutscher und europäischer Geistesgeschichte. Frei vor allem von der gegenwärtig noch reflexhaften Konnotation mit den ehemals real existierenden staatskapitalistischen Diktaturen, deren Führer ihren und ihrer Staatsdoktrinen Namen mit dem von Marx verbanden, ohne dass der sich noch hätte wehren können.
Das Kapital, zuerst erschienen zwischen 1867 und 1894, ist ohne Zweifel ein bedeutendes Zeugnis der Geschichte der Politischen Ökonomie als Wissenschaft. Und als solches wird es bleiben. Und bleiben wird es auch in meinem Bücherschrank. Auch im neuen Jahrhundert. Beladen freilich mit Erinnerungen, die nichts mit dem Werk und ebenso wenig mit seinem Autor zu tun haben: Mit dem geteilten Berlin des Jahres 1980, dem ersten Jahr des letzten Jahrzehnts der DDR. Hat das irgend etwas zu bedeuten? Nein! Denn: "Abstrakt strenge Grenzlinien scheiden ebensowenig die Epochen der Gesellschafts- wie der Erdgeschichte". (Karl Marx, Das Kapital, Berlin (Ost): Dietz Verlag 1980, Band 1, S. 391). --Andreas Vierecke
776 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1894
57 people are currently reading
470 people want to read
About the author
Karl Marx
3,237 books6,476 followersWith the help of Friedrich Engels, German philosopher and revolutionary Karl Marx wrote
The Communist Manifesto
(1848) and
Das Kapital
(1867-1894), works, which explain historical development in terms of the interaction of contradictory economic forces, form many regimes, and profoundly influenced the social sciences.
German social theorist Friedrich Engels collaborated with Karl Marx on The Communist Manifesto in 1848 and on numerous other works.
Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin in London opposed Communism of Karl Marx with his antithetical anarchy.
Works of Jacques Martin Barzun include Darwin, Marx, Wagner (1941).
The Prussian kingdom introduced a prohibition on Jews, practicing law; in response, a man converted to Protestantism and shortly afterward fathered Karl Marx.
Marx began co-operating with Bruno Bauer on editing Philosophy of Religion of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (see Democritus and Epicurus), doctoral thesis, also engaged Marx, who completed it in 1841. People described the controversial essay as "a daring and original piece... in which Marx set out to show that theology must yield to the superior wisdom." Marx decided to submit his thesis not to the particularly conservative professors at the University of Berlin but instead to the more liberal faculty of University of Jena, which for his contributed key theory awarded his Philosophiae Doctor in April 1841. Marx and Bauer, both atheists, in March 1841 began plans for a journal, entitled Archiv des Atheismus (Atheistic Archives), which never came to fruition.
Marx edited the newspaper Vorwärts! in 1844 in Paris. The urging of the Prussian government from France banished and expelled Marx in absentia; he then studied in Brussels. He joined the league in 1847 and published.
Marx participated the failure of 1848 and afterward eventually wound in London. Marx, a foreigner, corresponded for several publications of United States.
He came in three volumes. Marx organized the International and the social democratic party.
Marx in a letter to C. Schmidt once quipped, "All I know is that I am not a Marxist," as Warren Allen Smith related in Who's Who in Hell .
People describe Marx, who most figured among humans. They typically cite Marx with Émile Durkheim and Max Weber, the principal modern architects.
Bertrand Russell later remarked of non-religious Marx, "His belief that there is a cosmic ... called dialectical materialism, which governs ... independently of human volitions, is mere mythology" ( Portraits from Memory , 1956).
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bi...
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/...
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic...
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/...
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
German social theorist Friedrich Engels collaborated with Karl Marx on The Communist Manifesto in 1848 and on numerous other works.
Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin in London opposed Communism of Karl Marx with his antithetical anarchy.
Works of Jacques Martin Barzun include Darwin, Marx, Wagner (1941).
The Prussian kingdom introduced a prohibition on Jews, practicing law; in response, a man converted to Protestantism and shortly afterward fathered Karl Marx.
Marx began co-operating with Bruno Bauer on editing Philosophy of Religion of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (see Democritus and Epicurus), doctoral thesis, also engaged Marx, who completed it in 1841. People described the controversial essay as "a daring and original piece... in which Marx set out to show that theology must yield to the superior wisdom." Marx decided to submit his thesis not to the particularly conservative professors at the University of Berlin but instead to the more liberal faculty of University of Jena, which for his contributed key theory awarded his Philosophiae Doctor in April 1841. Marx and Bauer, both atheists, in March 1841 began plans for a journal, entitled Archiv des Atheismus (Atheistic Archives), which never came to fruition.
Marx edited the newspaper Vorwärts! in 1844 in Paris. The urging of the Prussian government from France banished and expelled Marx in absentia; he then studied in Brussels. He joined the league in 1847 and published.
Marx participated the failure of 1848 and afterward eventually wound in London. Marx, a foreigner, corresponded for several publications of United States.
He came in three volumes. Marx organized the International and the social democratic party.
Marx in a letter to C. Schmidt once quipped, "All I know is that I am not a Marxist," as Warren Allen Smith related in Who's Who in Hell .
People describe Marx, who most figured among humans. They typically cite Marx with Émile Durkheim and Max Weber, the principal modern architects.
Bertrand Russell later remarked of non-religious Marx, "His belief that there is a cosmic ... called dialectical materialism, which governs ... independently of human volitions, is mere mythology" ( Portraits from Memory , 1956).
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bi...
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/...
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic...
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/...
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 24, 2019
Read the manifesto only from this edition:
Everyone should read it, of course, says I. It is wildly important to have a worldview (and hopefully not a shit one), otherwise you’ll always be wondering, never sure enough, forever on your heels, knowingly or not. For those who say communism has no application, no plan, reading this succinct call to arms will dispel those erroneous assumptions. Of course, you can disagree with Marx. But why would you? Here it is, laid out, an achievable utopian society. Yes, it remains a fantasy, as all the future does. But it is a fantasy with real world application, high moral reaches, and good science behind it. Naysayers gonna naysay, reactionaries will react, oppressors will oppress, and bourgeois safety is a powerful force, so read this and get angry, and then onward we go.
Everyone should read it, of course, says I. It is wildly important to have a worldview (and hopefully not a shit one), otherwise you’ll always be wondering, never sure enough, forever on your heels, knowingly or not. For those who say communism has no application, no plan, reading this succinct call to arms will dispel those erroneous assumptions. Of course, you can disagree with Marx. But why would you? Here it is, laid out, an achievable utopian society. Yes, it remains a fantasy, as all the future does. But it is a fantasy with real world application, high moral reaches, and good science behind it. Naysayers gonna naysay, reactionaries will react, oppressors will oppress, and bourgeois safety is a powerful force, so read this and get angry, and then onward we go.
August 15, 2020
One star only because you can’t rate a zero or a negative number and still have the review posted. It is very obvious by the flowery praise the editor heap on the authors (brilliant; genius, godsend and renewed interest of many) that they (the editors) are enthusiastic followers of Marx and Engels. They’ve drained the Kool-Aid jug and primed the pump for additional sedition. Perhaps that is to expected given the regressive nature of education at American universities, but is as unnecessary window-dressing as describing a former drug dealer and convicted felon turned “rapper” as an “influential rap mogul and artist,” but I digress. Otherwise, the introductions are informative.
Instead of revealing a genius writing at a level far beyond what average humans can comprehend (as Dennis Hopper describes Colonel Kurz in Apocalypse Now), Marx rambles as a maniac. His sentences are too long, convoluted, and incoherent in many places. It is as if he was on drugs when writing. Rarely does Marx speak directly, clearly and concisely (his ten measures on page 37 are an exception), which begs the question whether he does this as a form of protest against and deconstruction of western civilization through misuse of language. Further, Marx is angry and condescending when he rails against the bourgeoise, which is odd because he personally lacked nothing during his upbringing; then again, the post-modern privileged ones act like this today. His rejection of God and his embrace of the false deterministic view of history fuel his hate while damning his analysis. More importantly, today Marx’s disciples are using this tripe as justification and method to violently destroy western civilization, America, Christianity, and people they despise. The measures of his plan are directly counter to the moral absolutes of the Bible, the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. The result would be subjugation, loss of liberty, misery, and death has history has shown since Marx wrote this book and wherever its philosophy has been applied.
Instead of revealing a genius writing at a level far beyond what average humans can comprehend (as Dennis Hopper describes Colonel Kurz in Apocalypse Now), Marx rambles as a maniac. His sentences are too long, convoluted, and incoherent in many places. It is as if he was on drugs when writing. Rarely does Marx speak directly, clearly and concisely (his ten measures on page 37 are an exception), which begs the question whether he does this as a form of protest against and deconstruction of western civilization through misuse of language. Further, Marx is angry and condescending when he rails against the bourgeoise, which is odd because he personally lacked nothing during his upbringing; then again, the post-modern privileged ones act like this today. His rejection of God and his embrace of the false deterministic view of history fuel his hate while damning his analysis. More importantly, today Marx’s disciples are using this tripe as justification and method to violently destroy western civilization, America, Christianity, and people they despise. The measures of his plan are directly counter to the moral absolutes of the Bible, the ideals of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States. The result would be subjugation, loss of liberty, misery, and death has history has shown since Marx wrote this book and wherever its philosophy has been applied.
December 13, 2020
The Communist Manifesto is a great book and a obvious must-read for any leftist. I even think for non-leftist to finally know what it is and isn't. I give it 5 starts individually.
Das Kapital (abridged) is a much more difficult read given it's far more advanced and in-depth, so for the total mix I give 4 stars to it as a whole.
Das Kapital (abridged) is a much more difficult read given it's far more advanced and in-depth, so for the total mix I give 4 stars to it as a whole.
April 25, 2024
Ein Gespenst geht um in Europa 👻
Read
May 16, 2020As I have grown insanely impatient with books in the past years (and as I have ran this point to the ground) I've decided to have this page open while I'm reading this book, so I could instantly write my thoughts about this without getting too distracted by them. (Although the Fusion Jazz I'm listening to might be enough for that matter).
Alright, first things first, it appears that Comrade Engels is quite proud of how widespread his work has been, he has devoted not one but two prefaces talking about how this work (the manifesto) has been widely translated all around the globe, and even further, he manages to start the book with that same fact.
The Communist Manifesto:
Chapter One:
They talk about "our epoch" like it is some kind of biologically significant era of history.
It seems "the rounding of the Cape" points to the European imperialism that conquered Africa.
If you knew nothing about the historical time in which these men lived, you could easily have a guess by their lack of awareness of commercial airlines and how they're talking about railways.
[FRESH LCD! sorry, this JazzFusion thing is weird.]
So the bourgeois has freed man from his eternal struggle against the monarchies and the patriarchies, but we already know BOURGEOIS BAD; so they're not doing a terrific job in picturing the bourgeois as bad people, yet.
Right, ok, they've made man incredibly materialistic, yeah. I mean I'm biased in favor of religion but yeah, undoing the ecstasies of religion fervor is definitely bad. (I'm oversimplifying ™, but you get the point.)
I mean, even if a lot of family relations have been reduced to mere money relations, it's nothing new. I can think of 100s of pre-allTheseStuff people staging coups against their own families (in the monarchies most predominantly) to have more power. When you put power in the hands of one who has the money, it's basically the same thing.
Say what you want about "brutal display of vigor" but pro-wrestling is the best thing ever YOU FUCKING COMMIES.
"The bourgeois can't exist without constantly revolutionizing the instruments of production". I'm not sure what would happen if they stopped doing that for a decade or so, and I also don't see these guys pointing it out either. Like, come on.
Ok they pointed it out, kinda. "Spread inconsistency, constant change and conquer." I think this concept is incredibly noteworthy in most leftist literature, but frankly I'm not feeling it too much. I hope it's not because they can't keep up with new technology, because the quote unquote social construct isn't changing that much, it just sounds more chaotic than previous societies, but come to think about it, they also were fighting endless wars against enemies, so I guess it's not that different?
"Man is at last compelled to face with sober senses his real conditions of life." Well, are the conditions super-forged by the bourgeois or is it just the way it's always been and they're taking the opium away?
[so many questions.]
"Nestle everywhere" Hehe.
I seriously don't get what's supposed to be so righteous and glorious about "the old" and "the past". "Oh the so gloryful days of the past, grace us with your ancient knowledge". Get. Over. It.
"National one-sidedness and narrow-mindedness become impossible." HOW'S THAT A BAD THING?
"the bourgeoisie has subjected nature's forces to man."Still, dude, that's a GOOD thing.
Okay the only way this makes sense is that they're just naming the stuff the bourgeoisie has done, instead of judging them. I'll optimistically make that assumption but DON'T LET ME DOWN FOR CHRIST'S SAKES.
"The less the ""skill"" and exertion of strength implied in manual labor, the more is the labor of men superseded by that of women." This is sharpening my sexism senses but I'll let it slide for now. (Hey Colt Cabana!)
Dear Mr. Marx, not every man who owns a business is a part of the bourgeois, e.g that small shop's owner just around the corner. Regards, a rather concerned citizen.
Ok now he just excused himself by saying that all "those" kinds of business owners will eventually sink into the proletariat. Let me put a big X as a sign of doubt on that sentence. (Yes, I'm using memes in my review of communists.)
"The vanished status of the working man in the middle ages." Here we go again with the glorification of the old age. Plus, not everyone remembers the honor of the middle ages, as a matter of fact, I reckon only a few did in these guys' age, let alone the contemporary working man.
I have no idea as if these guys mean that their said processes are recurring or just a happenstance of the past. For real.
'You, my dear proletariats, are special and essential' totally sounds like a motivational speech.
'But these are not the ""real"" proletariat.' Jesus.
I think these guys might have been a little over-optimistic about "the revolution of the proletariat", because 110 years later, THE BOUTGEOISIE IS STILL RUNNING WILD, BROTHER.
Chapter 2:
"They always and everywhere represent the interests of the movement as a whole". Now I can see why this school of thought led to some tyrannical governments. This sentence by itself is enough to conduct decades of dictatorship.
"The communists merely express the actual relations springing from an existing class struggle." Spoken like a true prophet.
Ah yes, the good 'ol "Abolition of private property." The same thing that made me turn on Anarchists, how good it is to see you again.
Now he's hilariously trying to go back on it. 'I mean, not like the poor people's property, dawg.'
Wait a minute. "The ""average"" price of wage-labour is the ""minimum"" wage"?? Bro do you even mathematics?
"ABOLISH TRADE", he said.
"For those members of the bourgeois who work, acquire nothing and those who acquire anything do not work." Fucking kidding me m8? (For anyone who disagrees, I present to you VINCENT KENNEDY MCMAHON)
The idea that the foundation of the present family is based on private gain sounds pretty insane in the current world, but I shall cast the highest of doubts that this was actually the case when these two lived.
So these guys suggest the abolition of prostitution. i mean I'm all for it, but if someone willingly (and not out of despair) wanted to do it, would you stop her?
YES. ABOLISH NATIONALITY YOU COWARDS.
"The charges against Communism made from a religious, a philosophical, and generally, from a ideological standpoint are not worthy of serious examination." Boy.
Ok so these guys are basically hoping at this point that when the proletariat takes over from the bourgeois, they'll not become the new bourgeois and inflict pain on others that have not gained the power. Which is, kinda naive.
Chapter 3:
Not much to say here, I suppose. :))
****
As for Das Kapital, apparently this book only covers a small portion of the original, therefore I must bid it adieu. :))
Alright, first things first, it appears that Comrade Engels is quite proud of how widespread his work has been, he has devoted not one but two prefaces talking about how this work (the manifesto) has been widely translated all around the globe, and even further, he manages to start the book with that same fact.
The Communist Manifesto:
Chapter One:
They talk about "our epoch" like it is some kind of biologically significant era of history.
It seems "the rounding of the Cape" points to the European imperialism that conquered Africa.
If you knew nothing about the historical time in which these men lived, you could easily have a guess by their lack of awareness of commercial airlines and how they're talking about railways.
[FRESH LCD! sorry, this JazzFusion thing is weird.]
So the bourgeois has freed man from his eternal struggle against the monarchies and the patriarchies, but we already know BOURGEOIS BAD; so they're not doing a terrific job in picturing the bourgeois as bad people, yet.
Right, ok, they've made man incredibly materialistic, yeah. I mean I'm biased in favor of religion but yeah, undoing the ecstasies of religion fervor is definitely bad. (I'm oversimplifying ™, but you get the point.)
I mean, even if a lot of family relations have been reduced to mere money relations, it's nothing new. I can think of 100s of pre-allTheseStuff people staging coups against their own families (in the monarchies most predominantly) to have more power. When you put power in the hands of one who has the money, it's basically the same thing.
Say what you want about "brutal display of vigor" but pro-wrestling is the best thing ever YOU FUCKING COMMIES.
"The bourgeois can't exist without constantly revolutionizing the instruments of production". I'm not sure what would happen if they stopped doing that for a decade or so, and I also don't see these guys pointing it out either. Like, come on.
Ok they pointed it out, kinda. "Spread inconsistency, constant change and conquer." I think this concept is incredibly noteworthy in most leftist literature, but frankly I'm not feeling it too much. I hope it's not because they can't keep up with new technology, because the quote unquote social construct isn't changing that much, it just sounds more chaotic than previous societies, but come to think about it, they also were fighting endless wars against enemies, so I guess it's not that different?
"Man is at last compelled to face with sober senses his real conditions of life." Well, are the conditions super-forged by the bourgeois or is it just the way it's always been and they're taking the opium away?
[so many questions.]
"Nestle everywhere" Hehe.
I seriously don't get what's supposed to be so righteous and glorious about "the old" and "the past". "Oh the so gloryful days of the past, grace us with your ancient knowledge". Get. Over. It.
"National one-sidedness and narrow-mindedness become impossible." HOW'S THAT A BAD THING?
"the bourgeoisie has subjected nature's forces to man."Still, dude, that's a GOOD thing.
Okay the only way this makes sense is that they're just naming the stuff the bourgeoisie has done, instead of judging them. I'll optimistically make that assumption but DON'T LET ME DOWN FOR CHRIST'S SAKES.
"The less the ""skill"" and exertion of strength implied in manual labor, the more is the labor of men superseded by that of women." This is sharpening my sexism senses but I'll let it slide for now. (Hey Colt Cabana!)
Dear Mr. Marx, not every man who owns a business is a part of the bourgeois, e.g that small shop's owner just around the corner. Regards, a rather concerned citizen.
Ok now he just excused himself by saying that all "those" kinds of business owners will eventually sink into the proletariat. Let me put a big X as a sign of doubt on that sentence. (Yes, I'm using memes in my review of communists.)
"The vanished status of the working man in the middle ages." Here we go again with the glorification of the old age. Plus, not everyone remembers the honor of the middle ages, as a matter of fact, I reckon only a few did in these guys' age, let alone the contemporary working man.
I have no idea as if these guys mean that their said processes are recurring or just a happenstance of the past. For real.
'You, my dear proletariats, are special and essential' totally sounds like a motivational speech.
'But these are not the ""real"" proletariat.' Jesus.
I think these guys might have been a little over-optimistic about "the revolution of the proletariat", because 110 years later, THE BOUTGEOISIE IS STILL RUNNING WILD, BROTHER.
Chapter 2:
"They always and everywhere represent the interests of the movement as a whole". Now I can see why this school of thought led to some tyrannical governments. This sentence by itself is enough to conduct decades of dictatorship.
"The communists merely express the actual relations springing from an existing class struggle." Spoken like a true prophet.
Ah yes, the good 'ol "Abolition of private property." The same thing that made me turn on Anarchists, how good it is to see you again.
Now he's hilariously trying to go back on it. 'I mean, not like the poor people's property, dawg.'
Wait a minute. "The ""average"" price of wage-labour is the ""minimum"" wage"?? Bro do you even mathematics?
"ABOLISH TRADE", he said.
"For those members of the bourgeois who work, acquire nothing and those who acquire anything do not work." Fucking kidding me m8? (For anyone who disagrees, I present to you VINCENT KENNEDY MCMAHON)
The idea that the foundation of the present family is based on private gain sounds pretty insane in the current world, but I shall cast the highest of doubts that this was actually the case when these two lived.
So these guys suggest the abolition of prostitution. i mean I'm all for it, but if someone willingly (and not out of despair) wanted to do it, would you stop her?
YES. ABOLISH NATIONALITY YOU COWARDS.
"The charges against Communism made from a religious, a philosophical, and generally, from a ideological standpoint are not worthy of serious examination." Boy.
Ok so these guys are basically hoping at this point that when the proletariat takes over from the bourgeois, they'll not become the new bourgeois and inflict pain on others that have not gained the power. Which is, kinda naive.
Chapter 3:
Not much to say here, I suppose. :))
****
As for Das Kapital, apparently this book only covers a small portion of the original, therefore I must bid it adieu. :))
June 24, 2020
For a 19th century ideological piece, The Communist Manifesto gives an insight into aims, ideological aspects and values of socialism and communism, highlighting the exploitation of working class by the ruling elite of 'proletarians'.
From the criticism of capitalism to proclamation of state' s property and socialistic approach of individualism, the manifesto completely turns away from the fact that by state owned property and no free market principle as well as the ruling elite (state leaders) become all that they want to eliminate. Corruption, poverty and scarcity of resources and wage distribution is all that the manifesto wants to adjust for the benefit of the working class, but it has a lot of holes, questionable arguments and it lacks any working solutions or successful strategies - all which we can observe today in the 21st century while looking back at USSR, Cuba and modern day China. This is a must-read piece in order to understand the concepts of history, ideological difference and failed state approach. Why failed you might ask - well, if one takes enough time to look at China (capitalistic communist country), Cuba (contemporary example of how bad the corruption was in the Baltic States during the occupation of the Soviet Union) and Russia's oligarchy, where biggest state companies are owned by the state, causing instability in societal welfare, the Manifesto can be seen rather as opinion and well structured thought rather than working system of state/regional governance.
From the criticism of capitalism to proclamation of state' s property and socialistic approach of individualism, the manifesto completely turns away from the fact that by state owned property and no free market principle as well as the ruling elite (state leaders) become all that they want to eliminate. Corruption, poverty and scarcity of resources and wage distribution is all that the manifesto wants to adjust for the benefit of the working class, but it has a lot of holes, questionable arguments and it lacks any working solutions or successful strategies - all which we can observe today in the 21st century while looking back at USSR, Cuba and modern day China. This is a must-read piece in order to understand the concepts of history, ideological difference and failed state approach. Why failed you might ask - well, if one takes enough time to look at China (capitalistic communist country), Cuba (contemporary example of how bad the corruption was in the Baltic States during the occupation of the Soviet Union) and Russia's oligarchy, where biggest state companies are owned by the state, causing instability in societal welfare, the Manifesto can be seen rather as opinion and well structured thought rather than working system of state/regional governance.
November 12, 2020
Hat einige gute Inhalte und beschreibt wichtige Konzepte, wie Überproduktion, die Ware Arbeitskraft und noch mehr, sehr knapp und bündig. Einige Kritik ist etwas missverständlich und man sollte sich in die Themen noch weiter einarbeiten, da es sonst zu Missverständnissen kommen kann. Das Ganze wird in dem Buches auch interessant erklärt, jedoch fand ich das letzte Kapitel des Buches weniger interessant. Auf jedenfall lesenswert.
December 4, 2025
This took a long time day in and out specially says was made as an audio book however you need hard copy to view all the math. So of course I had to look for my copies, but unfortunately in another state library. So I’ve ordered a new copy of all volumes plus the manifesto.
Recommend reading for all who care about the economy.
Recommend reading for all who care about the economy.
December 15, 2019
Somehow still valid
October 31, 2023
Worth reading. There is communism, capitalism, and late-stage capitalism, and the former and the latter are ineffective for the same reason - too much power held by the state.
December 19, 2024
"A história de todas as sociedades que existiram até nossos dias tem sido a história das lutas de classes"
December 26, 2023
This edition of the book contains the editor's introduction, a few prefaces originally added my Engels, The Communist Manifesto, and an an abridge of Das Kapital. The introduction is an appetizer of scene-setting which serves as context to the uninitiated, a synopsis to the assigned reader who won't be finishing the book, easy reading to those will soon face the demotivating uphill read that is Kapital, and fanservice to leftists.
The Communist Manifesto, despite both its often daunting association with dense and inaccessible theory and its reputation in American mainstream political spheres, is at its core, the homepage of a movement. It is a good read for fans of history, a fundamental read for fans of progress.
Das Kapital, on the other hand, is deserving of an appreciation I am not qualified to give it. Important, but in the way that Clark Howard was when i was five years old and my mom had tuned in in the car. I would not suggest reading through the entirety of Das Kapital unless you are an established leftist who's favorite flavor is unbuttered toast.
Bonus! Beyond what was included here of Kapital lie a few pages of timeline of the Lives of Marx and Engels. The timeline includes important and relevant world events (I'm here respecting the tradition of referring to Europe as the world.) Here I learned that Budapest was once, as it was during the lives of Marx and Engels, two cities! Buda and Pest! Yay!
The Communist Manifesto, despite both its often daunting association with dense and inaccessible theory and its reputation in American mainstream political spheres, is at its core, the homepage of a movement. It is a good read for fans of history, a fundamental read for fans of progress.
Das Kapital, on the other hand, is deserving of an appreciation I am not qualified to give it. Important, but in the way that Clark Howard was when i was five years old and my mom had tuned in in the car. I would not suggest reading through the entirety of Das Kapital unless you are an established leftist who's favorite flavor is unbuttered toast.
Bonus! Beyond what was included here of Kapital lie a few pages of timeline of the Lives of Marx and Engels. The timeline includes important and relevant world events (I'm here respecting the tradition of referring to Europe as the world.) Here I learned that Budapest was once, as it was during the lives of Marx and Engels, two cities! Buda and Pest! Yay!
October 2, 2024
It’s real long
Would not have made it through without the audiobook, but long sections are not suited to audiobook format as the reader is just reading out a series of tables repeatedly.
I recommend just sticking to the manifesto… Kapital is more noise than signal.
Would not have made it through without the audiobook, but long sections are not suited to audiobook format as the reader is just reading out a series of tables repeatedly.
I recommend just sticking to the manifesto… Kapital is more noise than signal.
Currently reading
July 17, 2008great book, it's really opening my eyes
November 12, 2008
I found this book quite interesting.
August 3, 2013
bloody hard going this one
July 12, 2022
Wer mit 20 kein Kommunist war hat kein Herz. Wer mit 40 noch Kommunist ist hat kein Verstand
January 1, 2024
Spent the entire year reading these classics, but it's worth it.
August 24, 2008
just for knowing marx it is a good idea
July 10, 2015
Gelecek nesillere ışık tutacak çok önemli bir eser.
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