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What Is Marxism?
Swedish / Svenska
238 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
July 8, 2021
This is a really fantastic book for beginners and intermediate socialists alike. It really cleared up the fundamentals for me.
I wish I could beam this into people's brains because I seriously doubt that anyone could really dispute Marxism's three core tenets: that things should be considered not in static isolation but rather as part of an interconnected whole ("dialectics"), that the ultimate source of human development is the economic forces that underpin society ("historical materialism"), and,most importantly, the basic premise that waged workers are exploited for their surplus value ("Marxist economics"). This book dedicates a chapter to each of these three tenets and does it well. The chapter on historical materialism is particularly incredible - it traces the entirety of human history in less than 100 pages, specifically, how each epoch gave rise to the next (hunter-gatherer society --> slave society --> feudalism --> capitalism). Pretty mind-blowing.
Overall, a really great book.
I wish I could beam this into people's brains because I seriously doubt that anyone could really dispute Marxism's three core tenets: that things should be considered not in static isolation but rather as part of an interconnected whole ("dialectics"), that the ultimate source of human development is the economic forces that underpin society ("historical materialism"), and,most importantly, the basic premise that waged workers are exploited for their surplus value ("Marxist economics"). This book dedicates a chapter to each of these three tenets and does it well. The chapter on historical materialism is particularly incredible - it traces the entirety of human history in less than 100 pages, specifically, how each epoch gave rise to the next (hunter-gatherer society --> slave society --> feudalism --> capitalism). Pretty mind-blowing.
Overall, a really great book.
December 8, 2015
One of the best introductions to the three pillars of Marxism: dialectical materialism, historical materialism and Marxist economics.
August 18, 2017
solid introduction to the methods of marxism, ie scientific socialism. 10/10 will read again
November 10, 2025
joa...
March 24, 2023
Interesting introduction to marxism (trotskyism). Can get repetitive at points and tends to quote the same passages in some texts over and over. Final rating: 3/5.
April 16, 2025
مدخل جيد للماركسية، وإقحام نصوص كلاسيكية أعطى للمدخل رونق.
الترجمة العربية ممتازة
أقلها جودة الفصل الثالث، ثم الثاني
الترجمة العربية ممتازة
أقلها جودة الفصل الثالث، ثم الثاني
September 19, 2025
Solid introduction to Marxism.
Alan Woods wants the reader to understand the vulnerabilities of the labor market early on due to political incompetence, set in the uncompromising tone of a ''die-hard'' theorist.
It was a little difficult to just sweep through the notions of this book, because I had to stop and read through parts of it again to get a basic understanding of Marxism. Yet in a day-to-day basis, I certainly find myself disagreeing with the capitalistic system and the greed which has poisoned our modern society.
I like it, so I'll give the book a rating of 3/5 stars. It's useful knowledge to a reader who will go on to read Marx's Capital - I know I'll give it a try.
Alan Woods wants the reader to understand the vulnerabilities of the labor market early on due to political incompetence, set in the uncompromising tone of a ''die-hard'' theorist.
It was a little difficult to just sweep through the notions of this book, because I had to stop and read through parts of it again to get a basic understanding of Marxism. Yet in a day-to-day basis, I certainly find myself disagreeing with the capitalistic system and the greed which has poisoned our modern society.
I like it, so I'll give the book a rating of 3/5 stars. It's useful knowledge to a reader who will go on to read Marx's Capital - I know I'll give it a try.
December 25, 2023
Apart from my personal dislike for several euro-centric assumptions of Alan Wood, and apart from general "hmmm" comments about the Marxist propositions (like the so-called Asiatic mode of production), the book does well introducing marxism as based on 3 pillars: Dialectics, Historical Materialism, and Marxist economics. Although I have to say that I have had some background on the topics, so I personally thought that Wood's explanations were sometimes convuluted, as in going around the core essence of the subject matter without actually going into it.
October 25, 2018
Good overview of marxism.
September 16, 2024
The book, “What is Marxism?”, offers a comprehensive introduction for understanding Marxist philosophy on a beginner-level. Woods and Sewell begin by tracing the historical development of Marxism, from its origin in the 19th-century European labor movement to its subsequent influence on global politics and contemporary society. The authors aims to provide a clear and accessible explanation of core Marxist concepts and occasionally puts them into the context of today’s modern society for cultural relevance. It is divided into four parts and each one ends with a summary of the relevant key terms as well as providing the reader with chapter-related questions that the reader can use to make sure they have both understood and grasped the knowledge of what they have read. I think this was an excellent choice on the authors part as actively engaging with philosophy is a great way to make sure you actually understand what you have read.
The reader is also introduced to quite a lot of interesting terms; the one that stuck out the most to me was dialectism. Dialectism, as I have come to understand it now, is a science of our thinking insofar as it is not limited to everyday problems of human life, but rather, it strives towards achieving an understanding of more complicated processes. Dialectical thinking analyzes all phenomena in their constant change. To think dialectically, therefore, means to perceive things as dynamic rather than static. It made me ponder deeply about artificial intelligence and how it impacts the job market with automation becoming more and more normalized. Perhaps I will live long enough to experience a world where human beings no longer need to tie their self-worth partially to how well they perform at work.
Marxist believe that the capitalist system of the 19th century was exploitative and that the working class need a bit of help along the way in order to overthrow it. This would come in the form of inevitable, smaller changes that become bigger and bigger over time until they eventually escalatate and lead to a societal revelation. That is how we have moved from feudalism to capitalism and from capitalism to socialism and so on. The book examines the role of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in capitalist society, as well as the contradictions and crises that inevitably arise from the system.
Throughout the book, the authors provide concrete examples and illustrations to clarify complex Marxist concepts. They also address common misconceptions and criticism against Marxism, offering a robust defense of the philosophy. I personally found this book to be very helpful and I am using the ideas and parts I do find myself agreeing with, quite applicable to life today. Such as the idea of dynamic change and how labor continues to be more ‘fair’ as time goes on, at least here in Sweden where I live.
In conclusion, ‘What is Marxism?’ is a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in learning about the political and economic philosophy of Karl Marx and his partner Freidrich Engels. The book provides a very accessible introduction to key Marxist concepts and even offer literary recommendations for further study, if the reader happens to be interested in exploring and expanding their understanding of Marxism further. I think that by examining strengths and weaknesses of Marxism, the authors offer a quite thought-provoking and informative exploration of one of the most influential ideologies of the modern era.
There is a lot more I could dive into but, I will stop right here, if you feel curious to pick it up yourself, I will highly recommend it.
The reader is also introduced to quite a lot of interesting terms; the one that stuck out the most to me was dialectism. Dialectism, as I have come to understand it now, is a science of our thinking insofar as it is not limited to everyday problems of human life, but rather, it strives towards achieving an understanding of more complicated processes. Dialectical thinking analyzes all phenomena in their constant change. To think dialectically, therefore, means to perceive things as dynamic rather than static. It made me ponder deeply about artificial intelligence and how it impacts the job market with automation becoming more and more normalized. Perhaps I will live long enough to experience a world where human beings no longer need to tie their self-worth partially to how well they perform at work.
Marxist believe that the capitalist system of the 19th century was exploitative and that the working class need a bit of help along the way in order to overthrow it. This would come in the form of inevitable, smaller changes that become bigger and bigger over time until they eventually escalatate and lead to a societal revelation. That is how we have moved from feudalism to capitalism and from capitalism to socialism and so on. The book examines the role of the bourgeoisie and the proletariat in capitalist society, as well as the contradictions and crises that inevitably arise from the system.
Throughout the book, the authors provide concrete examples and illustrations to clarify complex Marxist concepts. They also address common misconceptions and criticism against Marxism, offering a robust defense of the philosophy. I personally found this book to be very helpful and I am using the ideas and parts I do find myself agreeing with, quite applicable to life today. Such as the idea of dynamic change and how labor continues to be more ‘fair’ as time goes on, at least here in Sweden where I live.
In conclusion, ‘What is Marxism?’ is a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in learning about the political and economic philosophy of Karl Marx and his partner Freidrich Engels. The book provides a very accessible introduction to key Marxist concepts and even offer literary recommendations for further study, if the reader happens to be interested in exploring and expanding their understanding of Marxism further. I think that by examining strengths and weaknesses of Marxism, the authors offer a quite thought-provoking and informative exploration of one of the most influential ideologies of the modern era.
There is a lot more I could dive into but, I will stop right here, if you feel curious to pick it up yourself, I will highly recommend it.
December 3, 2024
This is a great introductory text to Marxist thought. It covers the three parts that make up the Marxist Method as referenced by Lenin in “The Three Sources & Component parts of Marxism”, which are Dialectical Materialism, Historical Materialism & Marxist Economics. Understanding these three concepts while initially challenging are key to understanding the Marxist worldview & understanding the development of society & production, why we are where we are & the way forward.
There are other foundational texts that you should read to get a grasp of these three parts & they are all referenced in the text which points you in the right direction. Had I read this text years ago around the time I began to read Marx & read Capital among other texts, I may have gotten to those foundational texts sooner & gained a better understanding much quicker than I did fumbling on my own. There’s no substitute for reading people like Marx, Engels, Lenin & Trotsky in their own words & this text directs you to those immediately pertinent to understanding these Marxist worldview.
This is a great book for anyone new to or curious about the ideas of Marxism, what they really mean & anyone wanting to understand the things we see going on in the world today & what contributed to them. I can’t recommend it enough.
There are other foundational texts that you should read to get a grasp of these three parts & they are all referenced in the text which points you in the right direction. Had I read this text years ago around the time I began to read Marx & read Capital among other texts, I may have gotten to those foundational texts sooner & gained a better understanding much quicker than I did fumbling on my own. There’s no substitute for reading people like Marx, Engels, Lenin & Trotsky in their own words & this text directs you to those immediately pertinent to understanding these Marxist worldview.
This is a great book for anyone new to or curious about the ideas of Marxism, what they really mean & anyone wanting to understand the things we see going on in the world today & what contributed to them. I can’t recommend it enough.
Read
May 29, 2025 This book does an excellent job of explaining the basics of Marxist philosophy and economics. It's an excellent resource for those looking to expand their knowledge of communism or Marxism as a whole.
My most significant criticism of the book is the author's sometimes condescending tone. This tone might be harsh to the average American who is sceptical due to Red Scare propaganda or those outside of academia (aka the majority of the American working class). The book also tends to refer to or denounce specific ideas without fully explaining why, so sometimes, I had to research to understand why these views were adopted.
Overall, I found it to be a very enlightening read. It also contains many excerpts from the original sources that they reference. It lays the groundwork for the Marxist outlook and guides how Marxists form their views.
My most significant criticism of the book is the author's sometimes condescending tone. This tone might be harsh to the average American who is sceptical due to Red Scare propaganda or those outside of academia (aka the majority of the American working class). The book also tends to refer to or denounce specific ideas without fully explaining why, so sometimes, I had to research to understand why these views were adopted.
Overall, I found it to be a very enlightening read. It also contains many excerpts from the original sources that they reference. It lays the groundwork for the Marxist outlook and guides how Marxists form their views.
April 26, 2021
(كتاب مهم في بابه)
(الفهرس)
⚫مدخل للمادية الجدلية:
- ما هي الفلسفة؟
- المثالية والمادية.
- أصول الفلسفة المادية.
- ما هي الجدلية؟
- الجدلية والميتافيزيقيا.
- هيغل.
- الكمية والكيفية.
- تداخل الأضداد.
- نفي النفي.
⚫مدخل للمادية التاريخية:
- الشيوعية البدائية.
- المجتمع العبودي.
- نشوء الإقطاعية.
- نشوء الملكيات المطلقة.
- الثورة الرأسمالية.
- انتصار الرأسمالية.
- الإمبريالية.
- قانون التطور المركب وغير متكافئ.
- التحول الاشتراكي.
- الاشتراكية: المجتمع اللاطبقي.
⚫مدخل للاقتصاد الماركسي:
- مقدمة.
- الشروط الضرورية لوجود الرأسمالية.
- القيمة والبضائع.
- متوسط العمل.
- النقود.
- أسعار البضائع.
- الأرباح.
- قوة العمل.
- الاحتيال.
- فائض القيمة.
- يوم العمل.
- رأس المال الثابت.
- رأس المال المتغير.
- العمل الضروري وفائض العمل.
- معدل فائض القيمة.
- معدل الربح.
- تصدير رأس المال.
(الفهرس)
⚫مدخل للمادية الجدلية:
- ما هي الفلسفة؟
- المثالية والمادية.
- أصول الفلسفة المادية.
- ما هي الجدلية؟
- الجدلية والميتافيزيقيا.
- هيغل.
- الكمية والكيفية.
- تداخل الأضداد.
- نفي النفي.
⚫مدخل للمادية التاريخية:
- الشيوعية البدائية.
- المجتمع العبودي.
- نشوء الإقطاعية.
- نشوء الملكيات المطلقة.
- الثورة الرأسمالية.
- انتصار الرأسمالية.
- الإمبريالية.
- قانون التطور المركب وغير متكافئ.
- التحول الاشتراكي.
- الاشتراكية: المجتمع اللاطبقي.
⚫مدخل للاقتصاد الماركسي:
- مقدمة.
- الشروط الضرورية لوجود الرأسمالية.
- القيمة والبضائع.
- متوسط العمل.
- النقود.
- أسعار البضائع.
- الأرباح.
- قوة العمل.
- الاحتيال.
- فائض القيمة.
- يوم العمل.
- رأس المال الثابت.
- رأس المال المتغير.
- العمل الضروري وفائض العمل.
- معدل فائض القيمة.
- معدل الربح.
- تصدير رأس المال.
January 4, 2024
Oh man this is a modern classic of Marxism. If someone asks me the oh so common question which Alan Woods did us the courtesy of making the title of this book, I will tell them to get this said book.
It's split up into the 3 main pillars of Marxism; philosophy, history, and economics.
They're all great, but I want to give special appreciation to the history section. It successfully provides a red thread throughout essentially all of human history from the Neolithic Revolution, not dogmatically, not mechanically, leaving room for much more analysis especially in the East. But it's some of the most satisfying things I've read.
History now is usually presented as an incomprehensible mish mash of things. But to understand the overall arc, the internal logic, to have that presented to you, is so excellent.
Read this book, even if you've read all of Marx already.
It's split up into the 3 main pillars of Marxism; philosophy, history, and economics.
They're all great, but I want to give special appreciation to the history section. It successfully provides a red thread throughout essentially all of human history from the Neolithic Revolution, not dogmatically, not mechanically, leaving room for much more analysis especially in the East. But it's some of the most satisfying things I've read.
History now is usually presented as an incomprehensible mish mash of things. But to understand the overall arc, the internal logic, to have that presented to you, is so excellent.
Read this book, even if you've read all of Marx already.
April 7, 2024
Some of this text was very confusing, especially the philosophy aspects. I really liked the economics section and it helps to understand not only Marxism but also capitalism, it's a good reading regardless of your political alignment.
Overall it was a little hard to get through, especially with all of the quotes from Marx and Engels (an acquired taste). There were also some parts that were rather presumptuous and require you to be a Marxist, or areas where they fail to flesh out ideas that harm their narrative.
Overall it was a little hard to get through, especially with all of the quotes from Marx and Engels (an acquired taste). There were also some parts that were rather presumptuous and require you to be a Marxist, or areas where they fail to flesh out ideas that harm their narrative.
October 17, 2024
A good introduction to the philosophy of Marxism. The three main concepts of Marxist philosophy are clearly explained here in simple enough terms. However there is a lot of repetition of some points in some areas and that is a bit annoying.
Another negative would be the constant criticism of the Stalin era and the differences he had with Trotsky without explaining in detail why they had different visions of the revolution.
Another negative would be the constant criticism of the Stalin era and the differences he had with Trotsky without explaining in detail why they had different visions of the revolution.
December 13, 2024
A genuinely amazing introduction into the philosophy of Marxism. The way it is written is very engaging and keeps the subject interesting while being explained well. I would definitely suggest this book to people who want an introductionary lesson on the theoretical side of Marxism. The book covers the three main areas of Marxism that being; Dialectical Materialism, Historical Materialism, and Marxist Economics.
December 22, 2025
I heavily enjoyed this. I'd read it sometimes and get into such a state of flow that it'd be 2 in the morning and still be willing to read on. It explains these three concepts in an easy to pick up way so there's no challenge to read it. it is an amazing text for anyone interested in Marxism and a great intro for anyone wishing to read theory. More than that it is a great text for anyone as life is fundamentally Marxist, as you read this you will start understing how.
September 6, 2020
Enkel och lätt introduktion till den vetenskapliga marxismens idéer. Bokens uppdelning efter de tre hörnstenarna: dialektisk materialism, historiematerialism och marxistisk ekonomi gör innehållet fokuserat och enkelt att smälta för den som är ny till ämnet (jag). Instuderingsfrågorna efter varje kapitel är även ett roligt tillägg :) Bra bok men kan ibland bli lite långdragen och repetitiv!
March 22, 2023
Easy to understand but not at all lacking in detail
July 28, 2023
Vrf en pageturner
October 22, 2024
a very clear overview of marxism.
February 7, 2025
Really great introduction to the three pillars of Marxism! It is very digestible and excellent for someone just learning about Marxism/scientific socialism.
February 13, 2025
goated book
May 30, 2025
Nu kan jag faktiskt saker #jepic
July 11, 2025
kan delvis bero på översättningen men tyckte tyvärr inte att den var så välskriven
September 6, 2025
A complete and detailed summary of all the important marxist concepts, I highly recommend this book for people trying to understand the framework.
10/10 on the ninnu scale.
10/10 on the ninnu scale.
November 27, 2024
- "Every country - even the largest and most powerful - is now totally subordinate to the whole world economy, which decides the fate of peoples and nations." - karl marx
- "Every social system believes that it represents the only possible form of existence for human beings, that its institutions, its religion, its morality are the last word that can be spoken."
- "For the immense major part of the history of our species, people lived in societies where private property, in the modern sense, did not exist. There was no money, no bosses and workers, no bankers and landlords, no state, no organised religion, no police and no prisons. Even the family, in our understanding of the word, did not exist. Today, many find it hard to envisage a world without these things; they seem so natural that they could have been ordained by the Almighty. Yet our ancestors managed fairly well without them."
- "Trotsky once wrote: "How many Aristoteles are herding swine? And how many swineherds are sitting on thrones?" Class society impoverishes people, not just materially but psychologically. The lives of millions of human beings are confined to the narrowest limits."
- "In the social production of their life, men enter into definite relations that are indispensable and independent of their will, relations of production which correspond to a definite stage of development of their material productive forces. The sum total of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which rises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness." - karl marx
- "Our daily lives are dominated by mysterious forces. Such things operate behind our backs and we do not fully understand them. Like primitive peoples that worshipped inanimate objects, our world is dominated by money and commodities, which acquire seemingly extraordinary powers. No one has control over the market. And yet it dominates everyone."
- "Everyone becomes dependent on everyone else due to the social division of labour, i.e., because everyone needs the products produced by others. Exchange is the social tie between persons."
- "The ultimate cause of capitalist crisis is over-production. The working class can never buy back the total product of its labour."
- "The capitalists cannot simply increase wages to the level where the surplus value is eliminated, since the justification of capitalism is the maximum extraction of surplus value."
Rewarding and comprehensive read to start my 2024 reading list. I definitely recommend this.
- "Every social system believes that it represents the only possible form of existence for human beings, that its institutions, its religion, its morality are the last word that can be spoken."
- "For the immense major part of the history of our species, people lived in societies where private property, in the modern sense, did not exist. There was no money, no bosses and workers, no bankers and landlords, no state, no organised religion, no police and no prisons. Even the family, in our understanding of the word, did not exist. Today, many find it hard to envisage a world without these things; they seem so natural that they could have been ordained by the Almighty. Yet our ancestors managed fairly well without them."
- "Trotsky once wrote: "How many Aristoteles are herding swine? And how many swineherds are sitting on thrones?" Class society impoverishes people, not just materially but psychologically. The lives of millions of human beings are confined to the narrowest limits."
- "In the social production of their life, men enter into definite relations that are indispensable and independent of their will, relations of production which correspond to a definite stage of development of their material productive forces. The sum total of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which rises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness." - karl marx
- "Our daily lives are dominated by mysterious forces. Such things operate behind our backs and we do not fully understand them. Like primitive peoples that worshipped inanimate objects, our world is dominated by money and commodities, which acquire seemingly extraordinary powers. No one has control over the market. And yet it dominates everyone."
- "Everyone becomes dependent on everyone else due to the social division of labour, i.e., because everyone needs the products produced by others. Exchange is the social tie between persons."
- "The ultimate cause of capitalist crisis is over-production. The working class can never buy back the total product of its labour."
- "The capitalists cannot simply increase wages to the level where the surplus value is eliminated, since the justification of capitalism is the maximum extraction of surplus value."
Rewarding and comprehensive read to start my 2024 reading list. I definitely recommend this.
October 26, 2025
Everything suddenly makes sense............
September 7, 2022
Good on historical materialism and Marxist economics, weak on dialectical materialism, in my opinion. The authors teach dialectical materialism mainly by anecdote and analogy rather than addressing the target head on. They did not present a very clear, persuasive or compelling case for this reader. The supposed principles of dialectical materialism still seem no more than vague notions.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews