Communism is a political and economic ideology that aims to create a classless society in which the community, as a collective, owns and controls the means of production - as opposed to private ownership by rich billionaires under capitalism.
Its goal is to eliminate private property, which means changing factories and offices to public ownership, but this does not involve taking away your home or phone (as trolls would have you believe).
The ideology aims to create a society where everyone works together for the common good - as opposed to capitalism, where the workers are forced to work to survive. From birth to death, the capitalist system imposes fees and taxes upon the worker. Thus, under capitalism, workers do not work for the common good; instead, they work for the benefit of the rich capitalists that privately own the factories and offices.
Although there are many different branches of communism, it stems from the work of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
📚 Recommended Reading
- Who Needs the War?
- This is a Marxist book that avoids Marxist jargon. Kollontai provides moving arguments as to why we the workers must unite together against our capitalist oppressors.
- Principles of Communism by Friedrich Engels
- Engels outlines the basics of communism in a short and practical way providing definitions for often misunderstood words.
- Lenin: The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism
- Lenin outlines the origin of materialism and its application.
- Lenin: Adventurism
📚 Join our Book Club
Join us each Saturday and Monday on Twitch as we engage directly with communist literature. Whether you're new to Marxist theory or a seasoned reader, our book club is the perfect place to deepen your knowledge and engage in critical discussions.
Why should you join?
What should I expect?
During our meetings, which last approximately 1.5-2 hours, we'll listen to the audiobook and pause to discuss key themes and ideas. Our discussions allow us to clarify dense passages and answer any questions.
📰 Communist News Sources:
- https://www.wsws.org/
- https://www.marxist.com/
- https://socialist.net/
- https://socialistrevolution.org/
- https://www.idcommunism.com/
- https://socialist.net
- https://redherald.org/
- https://redphoenixnews.com/
- https://www.leftvoice.org/ (SocDem)
- https://www.peoplesworld.org/ (SocDem)