Scan barcode
A review by navyachintaman
The ABCs of Socialism by Bhaskar Sunkara
3.0
I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and it does a great job at doing what it says it will: It provides a solid grasp of the basics of socialism. However, it left me with more questions than answers, which I can only find answers to through further reading. I think some of the questions I have should have been anticipated and addressed in the book since they follow a pretty logical train of thought with the book's discussion and are common questions asked when discussing socialism. Therefore, my only real complaint is that the book feels a little TOO introductory.
I also will note that, even though the authors say repeatedly that socialism isn't ideal, the discussion of socialism in this book, oftentimes, seemed a little too focused on how revolutionary and wonderful it is, and it's clear to note that EVERY political system has flaws. Towards the end, I wish the book delved a little further into specifics of what socialist life was like under the Russian Revolution, noting what exactly some of these flaws were and how society developed in spite of them.
I also will note that, even though the authors say repeatedly that socialism isn't ideal, the discussion of socialism in this book, oftentimes, seemed a little too focused on how revolutionary and wonderful it is, and it's clear to note that EVERY political system has flaws. Towards the end, I wish the book delved a little further into specifics of what socialist life was like under the Russian Revolution, noting what exactly some of these flaws were and how society developed in spite of them.