They always will, they serve the same donors and bourgeois powers. Marx and Lenin are vindicated by the passage of time. They were not clairvoyant, they just accurately analyzed the systems around them and saw what necessarily follows from their directions.
Everyone, get organized, read theory, learn self-defense and self-sufficiency. A good primer is Blackshirts and Reds. Defend yourselves and protect each other.
Great recommendation. Blackshirts and Reds is a great place to start. I'll add on Principles of Communism https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1847/11/prin-com.htm as a great place to go from there.
"Without Revolutionary theory, there can be no Revolutionary Movement."
- Vladimir Lenin, What is to be Done? | Audiobook
It's time to read theory, comrades! As Lenin says, "Despair is typical of those who do not understand the causes of evil, see no way out, and are incapable of struggle." Reading theory helps us identify the core contradictions within modern society, analyze their trajectories, and gives us the tools to break free. Marxism-Leninism is broken into 3 major components, as noted by Lenin in his pamphlet The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism: | Audiobook
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Dialectical and Historical Materialism
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Critique of Capitalism along the lines of Marx's Law of Value
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Advocacy for Revolutionary and Scientific Socialism
As such, I created the following list to take you from no knowledge whatsoever of Leftist theory, and leave you with a strong understanding of the critical fundamentals of Marxism-Leninism in an order that builds up as you read. Let's get started!
Section I: Getting Started
What the heck is Communism, anyways? For that matter, what is fascism?
- Friedrich Engels' Principles of Communism | Audiobook
The FAQ of Communism, written by the Luigi of the Marx & Engels duo. Quick to read, and easy to reference, this is the perfect start to your journey.
- Michael Parenti's Blackshirts and Reds | Audiobook
Breaks down fascism and its mortal enemy, Communism, as well as their antagonistic relationship. Understanding what fascism is, where and when it rises, why it does so, and how to banish it forever is critical. Parenti also helps debunk common anti-Communist myths, from both the "left" and the right, in a quick-witted writing style. This is also an excellent time to watch the famous "Yellow Parenti" speech.
Section II: Historical and Dialectical Materialism
Ugh, philosophy? Really? YES!
- Georges Politzer's Elementary Principles of Philosophy | Audiobook
By far my favorite primer on Marxist philosophy. By understanding Dialectical and Historical Materialism first, you make it easier to understand the rest of Marxism-Leninism. Don't be intimidated!
- Friedrich Engels' Socialism: Utopian and Scientific | Audiobook
Further reading on Dialectical and Historical Materialism, but crucially introduces the why of Scientific Socialism, explaining how Capitalism itself prepares the conditions for public ownership and planning by centralizing itself into monopolist syndicates. This is also where Engels talks about the failures of previous "Utopian" Socialists.
Section III: Political Economy
That's right, it's time for the Law of Value and a deep-dive into Imperialism. If we are to defeat Capitalism, we must learn it's mechanisms, tendencies, contradictions, and laws.
- Karl Marx's Wage Labor and Capital | Audiobook as well as Wages, Price and Profit | Audiobook
Best taken as a pair, these essays simplify the most important parts of the Law of Value. Marx is targetting those not trained in economics here, but you might want to keep a pen and some paper to follow along if you are a visual person.
- Vladimir Lenin's Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism | Audiobook
Absolutely crucial and the most important work for understanding the modern era and its primary contradictions. Marxist-Leninists understand that Imperialism is the greatest contradiction in the modern era, which cascades downward into all manner of related contradictions. Knowing what dying Capitalism looks like, and how it behaves, means we can kill it.
Section IV: Revolutionary and Scientific Socialism
Can we defeat Capitalism at the ballot box? What about just defeating fascism? What about the role of the state?
- Rosa Luxemburg's Reform or Revolution | Audiobook
If Marxists believed reforming Capitalist society was possible, we would be the first in line for it. Sadly, it isn't possible, which Luxemburg proves in this monumental writing.
- Vladimir Lenin's The State and Revolution | Audiobook
Excellent refutation of revisionists and Social Democrats who think the State can be reformed, without needing to be replaced with one that is run by the workers, in their own interests.
Section V: Intersectionality and Solidarity
The revolution will not be fought by atomized individuals, but by an intersectional, international working class movement. Intersectionality is critical, because it allows different marginalized groups to work together in collective interest, unifying into a broad movement.
- Vikky Storm and Eme Flores' The Gender Accelerationist Manifesto | (No Audiobook yet)
Critical reading on understanding misogyny, transphobia, enbyphobia, pluralphobia, and homophobia, as well as how to move beyond the base subject of "gender." Uses the foundations built up in the previous works to analyze gender theory from a Historical Materialist perspective.
- Frantz Fanon's The Wretched of the Earth | Audiobook
De-colonialism is essential to Marxism. Without having a strong, de-colonial, internationalist stance, we have no path to victory nor a path to justice. Fanon analyzes Colonialism's dehumanizing effects, and lays out how to form a de-colonial movement, as well as its necessity.
- Leslie Feinberg's Lavender & Red | Audiobook
Solidarity and intersectionality are the key to any social movement. When different social groups fight for liberation together along intersectional lines, the movements are emboldened and empowered ever-further.
Section VI: Putting it into Practice!
It's not enough to endlessly read, you must put theory to practice. That is how you can improve yourself and the movements you support. Touch grass!
- Mao Tse-Tung's On Practice and On Contradiction | Audiobook
Mao wrote simply and directly, targeting peasant soldiers during the Revolutionary War in China. This pair of essays equip the reader with the ability to apply the analytical tools of Dialectical Materialism to their every day practice, and better understand problems.
Congratulations, you completed your introductory reading course!
With your new understanding and knowledge of Marxism-Leninism, here is a mini What is to be Done? of your own to follow, and take with you as practical advice.
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Get organized. Join a Leftist org, find solidarity with fellow comrades, and protect each other. The Dems will not save you, it is up to us to protect ourselves. The Party for Socialism and Liberation and Freedom Road Socialist Organization both organize year round, every year, because the battle for progress is a constant struggle, not a single election. See if there is a chapter near you, or start one! Or, see if there's an org you like more near you and join it.
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Read theory. Don't think that you are done now! Just because you have the basics, doesn't mean you know more than you do. If you have not investigated a subject, don't speak on it! Don't speak nonsense, but listen!
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Aggressively combat white supremacy, misogyny, queerphobia, and other attacks on marginalized communities. Cede no ground, let nobody be forgotten or left behind. There is strength in numbers, when one marginalized group is targeted, many more are sure to follow.
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Be industrious, and self-sufficient. Take up gardening, home repair, tinkering. It is through practice that you elevate your problem-solving capabilities. Not only will you improve your skill at one subject, but your general problem-solving muscles get strengthened as well.
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Learn self-defense. Get armed, if practical. Be ready to protect yourself and others. The Democrats will not save us, we must save each other.
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Be persistent. If you feel like a single water droplet against a mountain, think of the Grand Canyon. Oh, how our efforts pile up! With consistency, every rock, boulder, even mountain, can be drilled through with nothing but steady and persistent water droplets.
"Everything under heaven is in utter chaos; the situation is excellent."
- Mao Tse-Tung
Anarcho-NATOist detected
Hey quick question, can you tell me where fascism arises from, and why?
Fascism arises from Capitalist decay. Fascism is the self-defense mechanism of the bourgeoisie deployed against rising revolutionary undercurrents from the working class as the contradictions within Capitalist society sharpen.
You really should read Blackshirts and Reds, at least the first few chapters.
And you really should read CoB if you think everybody does not have a natural right to life, and that we need oppressive top down systems to control us.
Direct action, mutual aid, build up from the grassroots to empower people not politicians.
Sounds great, can you grassroots me some air defense systems so my grassroots mutual aid non-state can stop getting bombed by the USAF? Thanks.
We can't reeducate or shoot the reactionaries because that would make us evil authoritarian tankies
Oh no, the reactionaries we didn't reeducate or shoot instituted an armed takeover and now they're torturing and killing us along with countless innocent people! It was worth it to preserve our moral purity, though
Real revolutionary socialist states: "evil authoritarian red fash, why can't you be instantly perfect utopias?!!!?"
Failed revolutions: pure, good, unburdened by reality and the fact that every capitalist state wants you dead, totally would have established a worker's utopia in a week if it succeeded, despite being besieged on all sides.
The Bread Book is good, if more people read it I think the world would be a better place. However, I firmly disagree with your analysis on the merits of Marxism. I find it insulting that you claim I don't believe everyone has a right to life, and it's disingenuous to say that a publicly owned, centrally planned, democratically run government is the same as a Capitalist State.
I can recommend Marxist theory, if you'd like an intro list.
What's a state? And does that mean every state is a fascist state?
A state is an authoritarian organisation bent on maintaining its control over an area or peoples.
Every state is authoritarian, not every authoritarian is a fascist.
People > country lines.
What prevents someone from calling your anarchist collective that arms up to defend their class interests, a state?
What prevents ppl from labeling your actions "authoritarian" when you start to dismantle capitalist power structures?
If not every state is fascist, then the conditions for fascism must be more specific than the presence of a state
If you think "authoritarianism bad" is a coherent anarchist ideology, you're ignorant. Whatever fantasy world you have in your head of an anarchist society will still have authority wielded for various purposes within that society
Oh eat my dick balls and ass, liberal
Think about it for more than 5 seconds. Do you think this fantasy society will be entirely free of disputes? How will they be decided? How will they be enforced?
That's authority you brainless cretin.
The only difference is an anarchist society wouldn't have this authority arbitrarily wielded by a ruling class.
Jesus fucking christ, talk about stupid. Call me a chud again, fucker
I think it's important to read Blackshirts and Reds to see why "red fash" is a gross misunderstanding of Marxist movements. You don't have to agree with Marxism, but you must understand that Marxist movements have served the working class, and fascist movements the Capitalist class.
Myself, I am a Marxist-Leninist. There are good Anarchists that do good practice and good work, don't get me wrong, but in this moment sectatian nonsense like "red-fash" splits and divides what should be a more solidified movement.
They would literally, unironically, genuinely lose 100 times to republicans before they elect anybody who would appease anybody left of Clinton.
If liberals had brains they'd want the entire leadership of the DNC thrown into a pit for this and other colossal failures. Instead they're brainless and will just blame us for not voting
wow great list!
