Rating: Summary: Don't buy it.....Yet Review: The Communist Manifesto is cited, quoted and refered to way too often in refrence to Marxist thinking. It is not an explanation of Communism, but an introduction. Much of it is outdated, and it often refers to schools of thought and ideas long since out of date. It is not meant to explain how Communism or Marxism should be carried out, just give you the VERY basic outline of thinking. For that one should read Das Capital. The document itself is only twenty or thrity pages long, and can be read, even analyticaly in a matter of hours. When you read it, don't bother buying it. Seeing as it is immensely short instead go to a site ... and read it there (being so old it isn't copywritten). In buying the book you just purchase a bunch of critisisms and introductions. I severly recommend you read this, but don't amke your judgements of Marxism based on it. Instead, read it alongside Das Capital which will give you a much more detailed and clear understanding of how it should be carried out. Only then can one see the distinct differences between Soviet (Stalinism, Trotskyism, Leninism), Cuban, Chinese (Maoism), Vietnamese, and Korean Communism, vs. what was actually said by Marx. Everyone should read Marx, no matter what your political alignment, but don't start with "The Manifesto". Despite it's pretty language to seemingly aim toward an uneducated audience, you'll walk away a bit confused. Start with Das Capital and work your way here. It will make a lot more sense.
Rating: Summary: Genius Review: Those of you that have attacked this are ridiculous. First of all read the bloody title its a Manifesto of the Communist Party in no way does it have to reveal the way communism should or would work. It gives the general views of a the communist party as an international organisation. Also if this is the only thing that you have read on communism and Karl Mark then you are a fool. Go read Das Kapital before you make unjust decisions on communism and Karl Marxs ideas. I mean this is only a pamplet. I'll admit that communism, as in the Soviet form, failed. But marxism and soviet communism are two very different things. When the the Russian Revolution took place you can not say that it was Marx at the frontline because it just wasn't. Lenin was the leader and yes he was influenced by Marx. But by dismissing communism because of the Soviet Union is like dismissing Christianity because of the atrocious acts such as the Spanish Inquisition happened in its name or the slaughter of many native americans due to manifest destiny. Stalin bastardized communism and it will stand at that. The fact that someone suggested to read Wealth of Nations was good but there intentions are sick. If the poor fool can not see the depravity that has resulted from capitalism (poverty, third world debt, etc.) then they are foolish. Capitalism works because it runs of the greed. And as far as the "American Dream" thats ... families come hear and get burned alive by our unfair economy. I quite frankly think that it is unfair that people such as Bill Gates are at the top with billions were as my family is struggling to get out of debt. The "american dream" amounts to a dream of exploitation. And dont say comments like "ask the russians if they like communism or if their economy is good or look how many died?" because i already said Stalin bastardized communisim and marxs ideas. Think before you write. as for customers, buy this, buy Wealth of Nations, buy Das Kapital their all great. I like this edition because it as the prefaces of many different releases and its cheap.
Rating: Summary: Historical Work Review: Karl Marx is a paragon of Western civilization. That said, I want to say his "Communist Manifesto" is an interesting historical read so to understand critiques of the industrial revolution and the evils it effected. But I think the ideas taken together are today bankrupt due to better government and a lean toward the left in coopting some of the ideas of Marx. If you are interested in reading this book for historical purposes, I recommend it; if you want to read it for ideas about bettering our present condition, I would say you might be wasting your time. Great thinker nonetheless.
Rating: Summary: Empty promises Review: As one familiar with the principles of communism but unclear on Marx's continued relevance after communism's collapse,The "Communist Manifesto" seemed like an ideal read, and it is certainly a work of art. Karl Marx crtiques capitalism like no one before him; he even offers up a firm event timeline for those interested in watching knowledgably as the capitalist system inevitably self-destructs. Unfortunately, Marx's predictions have not actually occured. How does Marx account for the dominance of today's middle class? Where is the declining rate of profit? Why do liberal democracies respect human rights, when communist ones do not? Rather than simply poking holes in Marx's arguments, and without even touching on the fact that communism has failed miserably (millions killed, millions more plunged into poverty), I wish to point out the Communist Manifesto's fatal flaw: Marx never takes the time to explain how communism is actually supposed to work. This is why it is so easy to dismiss every form of communism that has ever been put into practice (and thus failed) as un-true to Marx's central ideas. It is up to the reader to infer how communism should be actually practised simply by excluding the concepts that Marx deplored: Private ownership, "exploitation", and so on. As any intelligent person will infer, this book is no manifesto, it is an attack on the ideas of others. For those intersted in intelligent suggestions on how the world should conduct its complex affairs, I suggest Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations". If however, one is more interested in vague predictions and guidelines on avoiding the problems of man, the Bible or the Qu'ran would certainly offer more clarity. If Christianity, Judaism, or Islam are not your thing, feel free to pick up the "Communist Manifesto" and join the rest of Marx's followers.
Rating: Summary: Karl Mark Maddox supercedes the manifesto Review: Reading this for the 3rd time, I have no doubt Marx has had profound effect everywhere. However I see his ideas were known (even in his time) to never have real time effect. To keep my book review in respect, I do have to relate to Marx and his dreaming, his excellent writing, but I have to relate that to the rest of the worlds direction. Marx's ideas can only come about if there is a world cataclysmic change,,,maybe. You'd be surprised by his more realistic offsprings book, SB 1 or God by Karl Mark Maddox.
Rating: Summary: i'm not a commie Review: i'm not a commie, but at least i think this book is interesting in its own respect. communism can never happen and I dislike the very idea of it but you can't deny that karl marx and fredrich engel put a lot of thinking into this unnatainable philosophy to make an interesting "fiction" book.
Rating: Summary: Quintessential Marx Review: Two of the most important proponents of communism joined hands to address the social situation of Europe in the beginning of the industrialization. The manifesto, written in 1848, a time when many social movements began to rise all over Europe against the exploitation of capitalism against the laboring class, is addressed mainly to the incipient working classes, and is quintessential Marx and Engels in its style and attractiveness, adopting the same pugnatious and inequivocal style found in the best and most polemical parts of The Capital, Marx most important work. It is exactly this polemical character of the text which lends weight to the reading of the book and one might say that almost never a so small and concise text has produced so many controversy and dissent, which is, once again, Marx's trademark.
Rating: Summary: great day read Review: I read this book for the first time today actually. I haven't read it more then once, or really had time to let the book brew in me, but I was very satisfied with it. I read it in the cafe section of a book store because I was unwilling, or even able, to buy it. It's a great book for this purpose. I took a couple of hours, and read it cover to cover. It wasn't exactly earth shattering for me, but it got me thinking. Don't expect more then a small paper on the subject, it's just some simple facts, good for a pocket book. In fact, the various different introductions that were included with different printings take longer to read then the actual manifesto. I was very impressed by them especially, well written, and provide some views into what is essentially a dated book. One particular interesting subject in one oof the many introductions is a slight dip into the life and views of Thomas Jefferson. It includes a quote from the declaration of independence, all men are endowed with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, forgive the errors, I don't feel like looking it up to make it correct. That particular quote and it's placement got me thinking about the complete ignorance we have of it. Everyone has the right to life, so murder is wrong, but to infringe upon their right to live in order to punish it is just as unjust an action. Imprisonment infringes upon the right of liberty. Drug laws, anti-suicide laws, and a million other things we do infringe upon both the rights of liberty, and the right to pursue happiness. Although we have succeeded in being a totalitarian state as America, we have not followed the radical views of those tired with the corruption of society, the very ones that are mocked every day in schools across the country by their views being taught through rose colored glass. As I put it to my brother, capitalism is like building a skyscraper with bodies, the higher the building gets, the less stable it becomes, and the only ones that will survive the fall are the ones who are not ingrained in it. This book is not about communism as an ideal, it's about communism as a reality. There is only so long that a race will live in slavery.
Rating: Summary: Good for posterity's sake Review: As a history teacher, I am glad that this book exists. It is never good to destroy literature, especially something that has so fundamentally changed the course of the world. That being said, Communism has been shown to be a bankrupt system. Ideologists can argue until they are blue in the face, but the system does not work. Certain aspects of it do work (socialized medecine, social security) but the basic premise of 'Power to the People' is not viable. Many conservatives argue that Marx is evil. Many liberals argue that communism is a viable way of giving the people the power to run their country. The truth is that man will always seek power and that the powerful will seek to keep their power. In a system with no formal method for changing government you end up with totalitarianism and dictatorships. The last bastions of true communism (or what passes for communism) are China, Cuba and North Korea. Of the three, only one is successfully moving towards a free market. Coincidentally, only one of the three is actually managing to succeed in the world market.
Rating: Summary: How's the Dictatorship of the Proletariat coming?? Review: THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO basically states that the workers (Proletariat) are being more and more exploited by the middle and upper-class (Bougeoise, if that's how it is spelled), and that in order to end the class struggle, the Proleteriat must overthrow the Bougeoise by any means necessary, including violence. Several highly destructive social-planning ideas are put forth, such as the abolition of private property, marraige and inheritance rights. When inplemented in an actual real-life scenario, they create a populaton that is lazy, self-degrading, without any hold on thier traditional culture or former standards of honor, morality or history and its harsh and brutal lessons. Furthermore, human consiousness cannot make everyone equal. The forces of nature did not make everyone equal in all abilities, mental and physical. Not to mention, there are basic biological differences between men and women that will always show up even when an environment is created to try to surpress them. What makes a Communist movement suspicious is that it will be joined by members of the Bougeoise to lead it. This seems to point to raging masses of people being manipulated by powerful people behind the scenes who are using Communist idealogy for their own ends. But there is one redeeming point about this book, which is why I gave it two stars: If it has been an genuine inspiration of sorts for people to fight and die against unfair oppressors, and to altruistically strive to better their lives, then it has some value on a humanistic scale.
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