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What reading should I give my uncle? (hexbear.net)

submitted 2 weeks ago by CaliforniaSpectre@hexbear.net to c/askchapo@hexbear.net

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My uncle asked me for a primer on socialism. I was thinking maybe Socialism Made Easy or Socialism: Utopian and Scientific. Anything that might be better?

For context my whole family are through and through vote blue liberals. It's sad to say but most of them didn't even like/vote for Bernie during the primary cycles. They aren't really hardcore anticommunists though and have always been good on unions and labor generally, moreso the problem is really anti-Trump/pro-Dem brainworms. Maybe there's something more modern to share that I don't know of.

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[–] roux@hexbear.net 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (6 children)

My suggestions for a good well rounded primer, imo:

Intro to theory:

The Principles of Communism by Engels
Why Socialism? by Mr. Einstein himself
Understanding Socialism by Richard Wolff
Understanding Marxism by Richard Wolff(personally haven't read this yet)
The Communist Manifesto

For historical analysis:

Blackshirts and Reds by Michael Parenti
A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

For understanding media biases against socialism:

Inventing Reality by Parenti
Manufacturing Consent by Noam Chomsky(haven't read yet so subject to change)

For philosophy:

Elementary Principles of Philosophy by Georges Politzer(since Marx was first a philosopher, this is super helpful in understanding where he got his ideas of what socialism in the modern era can look like - I'm currently reading this)

For later if he wants more:

The State and Revolution by VI Lenin
Reform or Revolution by Rosa Luxemburg

[–] Frank@hexbear.net 16 points 2 weeks ago (5 children)

I would maybe wait on state and revolution. I was listening to an audiobook and without context it sounds like an unwrapped twitter beef full of people with weird names you've never heard before.

[–] CaliforniaSpectre@hexbear.net 7 points 2 weeks ago

Honestly I thought the same. I was listening to S4A's audiobook of it and even with all his asides adding in context it was a lot to take in. It is still really great and I still need to finish it.

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