I figure this is a common ask but I haven’t seen a post anywhere in the recent past, so…What is the VERY first book on theory that I need to read?

I haven’t read any theory yet, besides a short excerpt from the Communist Manifesto a long time ago. I have read some Parenti and Blackshirts & Reds is definitely on my list. I’m also interested in history books, biographies, autobiographies, anything socialist/marxist really.

I am also very interested in recommendations from non-white folks, as well as any literature about non-white socialist movements/people/history/theory etc.

  • ratboy [they/them]@hexbear.netOPEnglish
    2·
    10 months ago

    I definitely plan on breaking up the readings lol. What I think makes this stuff extra hard is that I get stuck on the things I don’t know and go down research rabbit holes when really I should be taking the text in then maybe going back to it. Like I got stuck on Engels’ introduction because I wanted to look up all of the wars of 1848 because I was unfamiliar, and and then i wanted to look up Ricardian economics because he mentions it and I don’t know what that is… then i forgot where I was…

    I think I’m going to try to start off with:

    • wage labor and capital
    • people’s guide to capitalism (or another “kapital for dummies” type book)
    • Caliban and the Witch
    • State and Revolution

    I’m having a hard time figuring out what order I want to read in but I have so many books on my list so idk if it’s just worth it to wing it or order them somehow

    • ghostOfRoux();@lemmygrad.mlEnglish
      2·
      10 months ago

      I actually am adding Caliban and the Witch to my list. Engels wrote a similar piece called The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State that might pair well with Caliban.

      If you are prone to rabbit holes, I would recommend skimming this or the Wikipedia page if you are inclined to just have a basic understanding of it. You don’t need an in-depth knowledge of it or even some of the people Lenin mention to follow the book but knowing a few dates and what exactly the Commune was might help. Maybe read the Manifesto of Principles first to have a baseline when going into Lenin’s analysis of Communism. That was what I did and I think it helped.

      But again, take it slow and don’t get overwhelmed. Some of the text is worth further analyzing and if you get stuck you can ask on hexbear or grad and I know someone will be able to help lol. Heck, even the socialism_101 subreddit has been a worthwhile tool to help with some things.