I have often heard lines from the Communist Manifesto and have heard it summarized but until now I had not ever read it. Everyone who supports or opposes Communism should read this book. There is no better way to understand someone’s ideology than to read what they actually wrote on the subject.
Marx convinced me he was a radical thinker from the start. Speaking of the bourgeoisie he notes “ It has resolved personal worth into exchange value, and in place of the numberless and feasible chartered freedoms, has set up that single, unconscionable freedom—Free Trade. In one word, for exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusions, naked, shameless, direct, brutal exploitation.”
Marx continues by outlining the goal of communism as follows: “The immediate aim of the Communist is the same as that of all the other proletarian parties: formation of the proletariat into a class, overthrow of the bourgeois supremacy, conquest of political power by the proletariat.”
To accomplish this aim Marx lays out what needs to be done. In his words here are two of his strategies. First: “the theory of the Communists may be summed up in the single sentence: Abolition of private property.”
Second: “ Abolition of the family! Even the most radical flare up at this infamous proposal of the Communists.
On what foundation is the present family, the bourgeois family, based? On capital, on private gain. In its completely developed form this family exists only among the bourgeoisie. But this state of things finds its complement in the practical absence of the family among the proletarians, and in public prostitution.”
Marx is so convinced in the power of communism that he believes that“Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis; it therefore acts in contradiction to all past historical experience."
Finally Marx shows his willingness to use violence he ends by stating “The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions. Let the ruling classes tremble at a Communistic revolution.“
Marx writes like a man who has been wronged by the world and who wants his revenge. He believes he can abolish eternal truths and bring about utopia. His is a world without morality and without familial affection and he believes removing these things will lead to an end of exploitation.
Marx has bad ideas and his writing is convoluted. However he is very influential and therefore I think it is essential that everyone is exposed to his ideas. Overall I give this book 2 out of 5 stars.
William Wilberforce has been called an agitator for his commitment to ending the slave trade. One of his well known speeches on the subject was given on May 12, 1789.
Cardinal Richelieu has been hailed as a great statesman and as a subversive authoritarian. Depending on who you talk to he was a man needed to strengthen the monarchy in France, or he was a tyrant seeking personal power. Next week I will have a book review that may shed more light on Cardinal Richelieu.
When Lenin was working on his major writing projects he would often pace across the room formulating the ideas that he would write down by saying them out loud. Once he had the idea for what he wanted to write he would often repeat the idea to Nadezhda Krupskaya, who would provide feedback. Once this process was complete he would then write the ideas down.
Here is an AI rendering of what that might have looked like when he was drafting What is to be Done.
This month this community will focus on political subversion. What is subversion? When is it justified? What is the interplay between subversion and agitation? These are some of the topics to be discussed this month.
“You get used to the despot’s shortcomings, when they are not great vices, and the change of an autocratic ruler leads to involuntary fear.”
Sergei Trubetskoi
