harpersee's review
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.
jamrock's review against another edition
5.0
This was a much tougher (as in demanding) read than I expected and it took considerably longer than I planned, or would have liked, given the related books I wanted to read this summer. It was a very rewarding read and will require some partial re-reads as I try to commit as much as possible to memory. Before I start, it might be useful to mention that I learned of this book after, quite by chance, hearing an interview between Michael Portillo and the author, China Mieville, Is the Communist Manifesto relevant today?. If you want a taster of this book, or don't have time to read it, then this is a solid primer and an extremely articulate critique of sclerotic capitalism argued, in good faith, by Mieville, against an icon of modern day neoliberalism and capitalism-apologist, Portillo.
One small criticism before the gushing praise; Ideally this work would be accessible to a blue-collar working-class reader, keen to finally understand the history and modern relevance of the Manifesto. Much of the work reading this was a result of Mieville's sesquipedalian loquaciousness (this phrase means excessively 'wordy' with use of unusual and prosaic language!). When I now describe the pusillanimous and fissiparous "Left" then these are just some of the words I had to look up whole reading this book and, to be honest, while I am used to academic documents, it was the main reason for the slow, slightly jarring read. My vocabulary probably doubled while reading this.
This is a well written and extremely passionate defence of the Manifesto, not just in its historical context, but as contemporary, relevant an increasingly urgent call to action today. The introductory chapters cover a lot of the historical context of the Manifesto and situate it in the wider body of thought and writing by Marx and Engels. What follows is a close reading and analysis of the Manifesto, chapter by chapter, with references to the full text in the appendix. Although this also caused slower reading, it was useful to flick to the actual text and read it with the explanatory context. It was this section that took longest to digest.
What follows is an exciting rollercoaster as Mieville urgently explains the current relevance of the text. He expertly embraces and confronts some genuine criticisms of the Manifesto before absolutely, unflinchingly tearing apart modern capitalism and its impact on society and the planet. If you have experienced Mieville at his exhilarating best, in any of his weird fiction, then you will know it's time to hold on to your hat. The breathless enthusiasm and robust arguments made me believe that while real, lasting, change may still not be likely, it is starting to feel like it could be possible.
The Manifesto is still an instruction manual for us and continues to be a spectre haunting Capitalism. I will be selectively re-reading and quoting this book for a long time.
One small criticism before the gushing praise; Ideally this work would be accessible to a blue-collar working-class reader, keen to finally understand the history and modern relevance of the Manifesto. Much of the work reading this was a result of Mieville's sesquipedalian loquaciousness (this phrase means excessively 'wordy' with use of unusual and prosaic language!). When I now describe the pusillanimous and fissiparous "Left" then these are just some of the words I had to look up whole reading this book and, to be honest, while I am used to academic documents, it was the main reason for the slow, slightly jarring read. My vocabulary probably doubled while reading this.
This is a well written and extremely passionate defence of the Manifesto, not just in its historical context, but as contemporary, relevant an increasingly urgent call to action today. The introductory chapters cover a lot of the historical context of the Manifesto and situate it in the wider body of thought and writing by Marx and Engels. What follows is a close reading and analysis of the Manifesto, chapter by chapter, with references to the full text in the appendix. Although this also caused slower reading, it was useful to flick to the actual text and read it with the explanatory context. It was this section that took longest to digest.
What follows is an exciting rollercoaster as Mieville urgently explains the current relevance of the text. He expertly embraces and confronts some genuine criticisms of the Manifesto before absolutely, unflinchingly tearing apart modern capitalism and its impact on society and the planet. If you have experienced Mieville at his exhilarating best, in any of his weird fiction, then you will know it's time to hold on to your hat. The breathless enthusiasm and robust arguments made me believe that while real, lasting, change may still not be likely, it is starting to feel like it could be possible.
The Manifesto is still an instruction manual for us and continues to be a spectre haunting Capitalism. I will be selectively re-reading and quoting this book for a long time.
jiujensu's review against another edition
slow-paced
5.0
This book includes the Communist Manifesto in the appendix and has a section by section explanation to start us off. Not just praise, but criticism - and unlike many who get popular talking about this, no red scare Mccarthyite propaganda. The tendency in the mainstream is to associate anything Marxist, communist, socialist, etc, including the Manifesto with Stalin. Mieville will debunk this and other falsehoods throughout. The discussion of hate at the end was invigorating - it's not at the individual but the systems.
And there's a great discussion near the end referencing Tad Delay about people having desire, not desire for knowledge - you can't fact check racist relatives into the light. We should have a little give in our belief (a band rather than a line) but still maintain values.
---loved this---
"Not that we should make a counter-fetish of uncertainty. To have fidelity at all to the project of this Manifesto, no matter how critically, is to be convinced of certain claims of which capitalism and its ideologues demand we remain unsure: that inequality and oppression aren't states of nature; that our social reality is controlled by the few; that it's so controlled in opposition to the needs and rights of the many; that we have the capability, at the very least, to make it worth attempting to change the world. That if we succeed, it will be better for the vast majority. There are minimum grounds for agreement without which comradely activity and radical analysis are functionally impossible. Some certainties and what we might call humilophobia can be liabilities for radical change, but not all."
---
I wouldn't call this the most accessible book. It was kind of a hard read. Though maybe my focus has been off. And my study was science, not humanities, so I often have to do more work to catch up there. But it's an important book for the thoroughness and thoughtfulness and overall sticking to facts over some weird anticommunist agenda so common today.
And there's a great discussion near the end referencing Tad Delay about people having desire, not desire for knowledge - you can't fact check racist relatives into the light. We should have a little give in our belief (a band rather than a line) but still maintain values.
---loved this---
"Not that we should make a counter-fetish of uncertainty. To have fidelity at all to the project of this Manifesto, no matter how critically, is to be convinced of certain claims of which capitalism and its ideologues demand we remain unsure: that inequality and oppression aren't states of nature; that our social reality is controlled by the few; that it's so controlled in opposition to the needs and rights of the many; that we have the capability, at the very least, to make it worth attempting to change the world. That if we succeed, it will be better for the vast majority. There are minimum grounds for agreement without which comradely activity and radical analysis are functionally impossible. Some certainties and what we might call humilophobia can be liabilities for radical change, but not all."
---
I wouldn't call this the most accessible book. It was kind of a hard read. Though maybe my focus has been off. And my study was science, not humanities, so I often have to do more work to catch up there. But it's an important book for the thoroughness and thoughtfulness and overall sticking to facts over some weird anticommunist agenda so common today.
colin_cox's review against another edition
4.0
China Miéville's A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto asks a question that many readers and thinkers sympathetic to Marxism ask: To what degree is The Communist Manifesto relevant? Miéville's answer arrives in the form of a sprawling, affectionate text rich with erudition and insight. Furthermore, A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto is both a devoted yet, at times, critical reading of The Communist Manifesto. Any reviews that suggest Miéville's text is pure propaganda have not taken the time to read it.
I would recommend A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto to any unfamiliar with and curious about Marx and Engels's The Communist Manifesto. The book is intelligent, insightful and endlessly readable.
I would recommend A Spectre, Haunting: On the Communist Manifesto to any unfamiliar with and curious about Marx and Engels's The Communist Manifesto. The book is intelligent, insightful and endlessly readable.