who_is_using_all_30_characters's review against another edition
3.25
i think this would have been more useful to read in a class or a reading group because it didn't feel like i gained much insight into communism from just my own reading of it. it's short and as far as things like this go uses accessible language and is clear, but omfg the forewords and prefaces were literally 45% of the book and most of them were quoting the ones before
qyanacurry's review against another edition
Nothing like reading The Communist Manifesto during an economic crisis.
lazikade's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
justinecass's review against another edition
4.0
An impossible book to review.
Enjoyed reading about the actual intention of communism with there being so many misconceptions in mainstream media, pop culture, etc.
Enjoyed reading about the actual intention of communism with there being so many misconceptions in mainstream media, pop culture, etc.
14hammondh's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.0
An absolute garbage fire of a read. This is the most poorly written text I have ever read. I am decidedly left of center and went into this text with an open mind and genuine curiosity. Too bad I learned absolutely nothing about communism. I can't tell you if I agree or like any of it's ideas, because they are never actually explained. Maybe communism would be more highly regarded if its founding text were legible.
rick2's review against another edition
3.0
It's interesting and historically important to be sure. Like, in concept, it's all pretty good stuff. Less shitty work, more kumbaya with your neighbors. Communal living. I think it's relevant to attempt to understand the ideas again because we are again in a time where people regularly point to technology as a harbinger of change. And as such, I'm challenging myself to read more of this material. To go directly to the source of information.
I was surprised that much of this actual manifesto seems to involve a lot of finger pointing rhetoric. Not so much surprised at the finger pointing. Class struggle seems pretty central to communism. But at the clever turns of phrase and rhetorical flair. "you might be mad that we want to take away your property. but the bourgeois has already done that. hah lawyered" and similar such wording. It seems flat when you read it. It's not so much a logical argument for communism as it is a declaration of how bad the bourgeois is.
To some extent the goals of this writing also seem outdated. The aims of their movement have happened, and under capitalism no less. They talk of national banks, centralization of communication, free education. We more or less have that today. The elimination of private property is interesting. But my uninformed impression is that it's a kind of "burn it all down" gesture. He also talks about how families are systems of oppression, and while I've had a few awkward Thanksgivings in my time, I would go so far as to call it oppressive. But I'm open to changing my opinion on this.
There is a thread that seems to be present in this text and several others of it's kind. It's a kind of "end of history" mentality. This belief that society is at a boiling point, on the precipice of "something." That all this discomfort and class struggle is leading to a cliff JUSSSST around the corner.
I think it is a sort egotistical blind spot. It's a displacement of personal discomfort or in Marx's case a social discomfort. These guys are smart guys, but they can't escape the idea that they are the most important (class/generation/person pick one) since baked bread. There is a level of hubris in that belief because as everyone knows, our current generation is the most important one.
I'm not really sure I have a strong opinion here. I think I'd like to read more of Marx's actual writing and thoughts because this seemed very surface level. Maybe Manifestos were like the Tweets of their day? My day-to-day life in a capitalist society provides me with a compelling counterexample to much of the doom and gloom. It seems lazy saying it because it's a trope, but communism doesn't have the best track record. Without understanding more about how these guys came to their conclusions, it's a bit difficult to accept their conclusions.
I was surprised that much of this actual manifesto seems to involve a lot of finger pointing rhetoric. Not so much surprised at the finger pointing. Class struggle seems pretty central to communism. But at the clever turns of phrase and rhetorical flair. "you might be mad that we want to take away your property. but the bourgeois has already done that. hah lawyered" and similar such wording. It seems flat when you read it. It's not so much a logical argument for communism as it is a declaration of how bad the bourgeois is.
To some extent the goals of this writing also seem outdated. The aims of their movement have happened, and under capitalism no less. They talk of national banks, centralization of communication, free education. We more or less have that today. The elimination of private property is interesting. But my uninformed impression is that it's a kind of "burn it all down" gesture. He also talks about how families are systems of oppression, and while I've had a few awkward Thanksgivings in my time, I would go so far as to call it oppressive. But I'm open to changing my opinion on this.
There is a thread that seems to be present in this text and several others of it's kind. It's a kind of "end of history" mentality. This belief that society is at a boiling point, on the precipice of "something." That all this discomfort and class struggle is leading to a cliff JUSSSST around the corner.
I think it is a sort egotistical blind spot. It's a displacement of personal discomfort or in Marx's case a social discomfort. These guys are smart guys, but they can't escape the idea that they are the most important (class/generation/person pick one) since baked bread. There is a level of hubris in that belief because as everyone knows, our current generation is the most important one.
I'm not really sure I have a strong opinion here. I think I'd like to read more of Marx's actual writing and thoughts because this seemed very surface level. Maybe Manifestos were like the Tweets of their day? My day-to-day life in a capitalist society provides me with a compelling counterexample to much of the doom and gloom. It seems lazy saying it because it's a trope, but communism doesn't have the best track record. Without understanding more about how these guys came to their conclusions, it's a bit difficult to accept their conclusions.