The Communist Manifesto
Ratings164
Average rating3.4
Some good ideas, but way over the top. Proven over time to fail in the end.
this is part of the little black classics challenge I'm doing so I guess I had to read this
not sure what to think, communism has good and bad parts just like capitalism does. I'm not on any side tbh.
Figured I'd see what all the hubbub is about. But I quickly realized that this book isn't very easily consumable by the layman either. You ought to read a book that analyzes it rather than going straight to the source. Kinda like jumping into philosophy for the first time in your life by reading Thus Spake Zarathustra, you probably won't get it without a more robust foundation.
I figured I should start here, with this tiny paperback that's been at my bedside for years; both since it's a thin one and it's a pretty dry bit of prose, so whatever I read next will feel like a breeze.
reread this while reading [b:A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto 61279009 A Spectre, Haunting On the Communist Manifesto China Miéville https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660079932l/61279009.SY75.jpg 58440526] and also read the turkish translation and original german. the original german was surprisingly... less dramatic than the english version. The wording is just more straightforward and the evocative passages kind of fall flat in the original. Although granted, this could be just me not being as good as german as I think I am. The turkish version is barely readable, it feels so needlessly complicated. If I wasn't familiar with the original I'd have put it down. Was interesting to see how much translation changes the experience. Feels weird to rate this but I don't like leaving stuff unrated so 5 stars as a commie
This version contains a 200 page introduction by Gareth Stedman Jones who is a self-declared reformist. Only wrong ideas of Marxism here. The manifesto itself is a good introduction to communist ideology (that's what it's for after all).
A manifesto of fiery confidence, brutally accurate analysis and unrealistically idealist hopes.
This book is an example of giving the most unbelievably accurate and perfect diagnosis but not having as much success with the cure. I can see why it caused such a fuss, I want to take on some of these bourgeoisie dogs like myself after reading this.