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schwarmgiven's review
4.0
China is clever & persuasive. Very few people have thought about the Manifesto like this--as a literary object, a piece of writing that kicked off the Manifesto craze.
Lots of good history--too many modern references to Palestine and Trump feel petty--but the stuff about what was going on when the Manifesto was written is good—a solid overview of some of Marx's academic axe-grinding, which I like.
Honest review of the criticism of the Manifesto and objective acknowledgments of its weaknesses.
It is a good read and a quick overview of the Current communist thinking.
Lots of good history--too many modern references to Palestine and Trump feel petty--but the stuff about what was going on when the Manifesto was written is good—a solid overview of some of Marx's academic axe-grinding, which I like.
Honest review of the criticism of the Manifesto and objective acknowledgments of its weaknesses.
It is a good read and a quick overview of the Current communist thinking.
occlude's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.5
A fascinating, thought provoking read. The Manifesto raises a number of issues which are as relevant today as they were at the time.
Mieville's analysis and contextualisation are invaluable, particularly where he ventures into a themes which the Manifesto touches only briefly like race. Minus half a star for Mieville's propensity for five dollar words, which make it less accessible and a clunkier read.
Mieville's analysis and contextualisation are invaluable, particularly where he ventures into a themes which the Manifesto touches only briefly like race. Minus half a star for Mieville's propensity for five dollar words, which make it less accessible and a clunkier read.
harpersee's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
My review is contained within Mieville’s last lines of this text:
“Yes we will change the existing state of thing. Not *we will* in the sense of *it is inevitable* but in the sense of *it is not impossible* in the sense that it is necessary*, that *it is utterly worth the wager and the fight.* In the sense that living with *Yes* smouldering at the core of you, next to, as string as, ultimately stronger than the also smouldering *No* of necessary hate, is the only way to come close to existing, to living as a human, in so foul and mounstrous and in - and anti-human a system. Yes. Yes we will change the existing state of things.’
That’s why I’m a socialist. Because it’s the most human thing to be.
“Yes we will change the existing state of thing. Not *we will* in the sense of *it is inevitable* but in the sense of *it is not impossible* in the sense that it is necessary*, that *it is utterly worth the wager and the fight.* In the sense that living with *Yes* smouldering at the core of you, next to, as string as, ultimately stronger than the also smouldering *No* of necessary hate, is the only way to come close to existing, to living as a human, in so foul and mounstrous and in - and anti-human a system. Yes. Yes we will change the existing state of things.’
That’s why I’m a socialist. Because it’s the most human thing to be.