The Communist Manifesto

I came to the manifesto with an open mind, and after reading I realized that Communism is not a very going idea after all. Any political system with an innately carnivorous stance toward opposing political structures seems dated. I also find the concept of Communism too all encompassing. I agree with may of it's points, though I think it was in fact already dated by the time of it's original...more

I came to the manifesto with an open mind, and after reading I realized that Communism is not a very going idea after all. Any political system with an innately carnivorous stance toward opposing political structures seems dated. I also find the concept of Communism too all encompassing. I agree with may of it's points, though I think it was in fact already dated by the time of it's original release. No one can talk about the nature of Communism without reading this. It's a source for understanding where the idea came from. This probably shouldn't be your only source for understanding communism, mainly because I don't think one can get a proper context. But certainly no one can even talk about communism if you haven't read this book. It will only take about an hour.   hide

Communism did not become what Marx and Engels intended.They make some very valid arguments about how capitalism treats the serfs like shit and that it is the middle classes' fault. However I think there is a better way to run government than giving them all the land and wealth to divide evenly. Also, a bloody revolution is unnecessary. But they do bring some serious problems to the forefront.

Interesting and enlightening. Much of the Communist platform is currently being championed by the American Democratic party, whether by coincidence or out of admiration is unclear. The logic of the book is weak and makes incredible leaps and conclusions without support; its level of self-assuredness is a bit irritating too, but this is an excellent way to keep one's awareness keen regarding the...more

Interesting and enlightening. Much of the Communist platform is currently being championed by the American Democratic party, whether by coincidence or out of admiration is unclear. The logic of the book is weak and makes incredible leaps and conclusions without support; its level of self-assuredness is a bit irritating too, but this is an excellent way to keep one's awareness keen regarding the inroads that socialism makes into the personal lives of individuals and their rights.   hide

necessary, if not particularly enjoyable, reading.

Workers of the world,I don't know if you'll appreciate his arguments or not because you need to have a background in Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, and Frederich Hegel, but it's still a fascinating read. What if Marx was right about his theory of social evolution? If so, what comes next is not very good for anybody. After reading this, go find the works of John Maynard Keynes, the architect of FDR's...more

Workers of the world,I don't know if you'll appreciate his arguments or not because you need to have a background in Adam Smith, Immanuel Kant, and Frederich Hegel, but it's still a fascinating read. What if Marx was right about his theory of social evolution? If so, what comes next is not very good for anybody. After reading this, go find the works of John Maynard Keynes, the architect of FDR's New Deal and whose methods were used to rebuild Europe and Japan after WWII. His methods worked to circumvent Marx's dialectical materialism. I think they can again.   hide

It's not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with the philosophy of Communism, it's a matter of historical impact. I found the actual manifesto rather dull and dry after studying the juicy effects it had on society; all the wars and revolutions it sparked. But it is after all a statement-of-intention-type thing and worth a look if you're into history. Personally I enjoyed the introduction more...more

It's not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing with the philosophy of Communism, it's a matter of historical impact. I found the actual manifesto rather dull and dry after studying the juicy effects it had on society; all the wars and revolutions it sparked. But it is after all a statement-of-intention-type thing and worth a look if you're into history. Personally I enjoyed the introduction more than the actual manifesto, it's all about the various interpretations of the text and how people have chosen to use it in their own social experiments.   hide

Becomes cliche after understanding the concepts of Communism, but I can finally say I read it. My only problem with communism is that it requires the allocation of private property to everyone equally. Who is in charge of handing out the snacks? What checks are in place to keep him from taking 2 cookies instead of one? We've suddenly taken all the property and power and given it to one person in...more

Becomes cliche after understanding the concepts of Communism, but I can finally say I read it. My only problem with communism is that it requires the allocation of private property to everyone equally. Who is in charge of handing out the snacks? What checks are in place to keep him from taking 2 cookies instead of one? We've suddenly taken all the property and power and given it to one person in the name of the proletariat! I don't have faith enough in humankind for this form of government, but I like what it stands for.   hide

Marxism is really too intricate an idea to be done justice to by such a thin book, but a surprising amount can be gleaned from this very easy-to-read document. Just after a quick read, one can see how an educated person today can never discuss politic theory, economics, social theory, historiography, or literary theory without acknowledging Marx in some way.

When I've read this at 18 for the first time, I felt a fever taking over my body. It's the greatest piece of political writing I've read. The power of this message, the radical and audatious changes it proposes (though we all know today what happened on Berlin in '89) and above all how damn well written it is, like Hobsbawm said, it has short and powerful paragraphs such as those contained in the...more

When I've read this at 18 for the first time, I felt a fever taking over my body. It's the greatest piece of political writing I've read. The power of this message, the radical and audatious changes it proposes (though we all know today what happened on Berlin in '89) and above all how damn well written it is, like Hobsbawm said, it has short and powerful paragraphs such as those contained in the Bible.. and who could doubt today that communism was the first religion without a God?   hide