20 Best Books On Communism (Jan 2023 Update)

From the internationally acclaimed oxford authority on communism comes a definitive history that examines the origins of the ideology, its development in different nations, its collapse in many of those countries following perestroika, and its current incarnations around the globe. the rise and fall of communism explores how and why communists came to power; how they were able, in a variety of countries on different continents, to hold on to power for so long; and what brought about the downfall of so many communist systems. for this comprehensive and illuminating work, brown draws on more than forty years of research and on a wealth of new sources. tracing the story of communism from its nineteenth-century roots, brown explains both its expansion and its decline in the twentieth century. even today, although communism has been widely discredited in the west, more than a fifth of humanity still lives under its rule.

The worst idea in history is back.communism has wrecked national economies, enslaved whole peoples, and killed more than a hundred million men and women. what's not to like? too many young americans are supporting communism. millennials prefer socialism to capitalism, and 25 percent have a positive view of lenin. one in four americans believe that george w. bush killed more people than josef stalin. and 69 percent of millennials would vote for a socialist for president.they ought to know better. communism is the most dangerous idea in world history, producing dire poverty, repression, and carnage wherever it has been tried. and no wonder—because communism flatly denies morality, human nature, and basic facts. but it's always going to be different this time. in the politically incorrect guide to communism, renowned scholar and bestselling author paul kengor unmasks communism, exposing the blood-drenched history—and dangerously pervasive influence—of the world's worst ideology.

This concise anthology presents a broad selection of writings by the world’s leading revolutionary figures. spanning three centuries, the works include such milestone documents as the declaration of independence (1776), the declaration of the rights of man (1789), and the communist manifesto (1848). it also features writings by the russian revolutionaries lenin and trotsky; marat and danton of the french revolution; and selections by jean-jacques rousseau, emma goldman, mohandas gandhi, mao zedong, and other leading figures in revolutionary thought.an essential collection for anyone interested in the issues, ideas, and history of the major revolutions of modern times, this book will prove an enlightening companion to students of this genre. includes a selection from the common core state standards initiative: the declaration of independence.

The third volume of the cambridge history of communism spans the period from the 1960s to the present, documenting the last two decades of the global cold war and the collapse of soviet socialism. an international team of scholars analyze the rise of china as a global power continuing to proclaim its maoist allegiance, and the transformation of the geopolitics and political economy of cold war conflict in an era of increasing economic interpenetration. beneath the surface, profound political, social, economic and cultural changes were occurring in the socialist and former socialist countries, resulting in the collapse and transformations of the existing socialist order and the changing parameters of world marxism. this volume draws on innovative research to bring together history from above and below, including social, cultural, gender, and transnational history to transcend the old separation between communist studies and the broader field of contemporary history.

China miéville's riveting engagement with the communist manifesto offers a lyrical introduction and a spirited defense of the modern world's most influential political document. few written works can so confidently claim to have shaped the course of history as karl marx and friedrich engels's manifesto of the communist party. since first rattling the gates of the ruling order in 1848, this incendiary pamphlet has never ceased providing fuel for the fire in the hearts of those who dream of a better world. nor has it stopped haunting the nightmares of those who sit atop the vastly unequal social system it condemns. in this strikingly imaginative introduction, china miéville provides readers with a guide to understanding the manifesto and the many specters it has conjured. through his unique and unorthodox reading, miéville offers a spirited defense of the enduring relevance of marx and engels' ideas. presented along with the full text of the communist manifesto, miéville's guide has something to offer first-time readers, revolutionary partisans, and even the most hard-nosed skeptics.

A new series of beautiful hardcover nonfiction classics, with covers designed by coralie bickford-smith – world-changing ideas meet eye-catching design: the best titles of the extraordinarily successful great ideas series are now packaged in coralie bickford-smith’s distinctive, award-winning covers. whether on a well-curated shelf or in your back pocket, these timeless works of philosophical, political, and psychological thought are absolute must-haves for book collectors as well as design enthusiasts. – the communist manifesto, marx and engels's revolutionary summons to the working classes, is one of the most important and influential political theories ever formulated. after four years of collaboration, the authors produced this incisive declaration of their idea of communism, in which they envisage a society without classes, private property or a state. they argue that increasing exploitation of industrial workers will eventually lead to a revolution in which capitalism is overthrown. this vision provided the theoretical basis of political systems in russia, china, cuba and eastern europe, affecting the lives of millions. – the communist manifesto still remains a landmark text: a work that continues to influence and provoke debate on capitalism and class. – for more than sixty-five years, penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the english-speaking world. with more than 1,500 titles, penguin classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

A new series of beautiful hardcover nonfiction classics, with covers designed by coralie bickford-smith – world-changing ideas meet eye-catching design: the best titles of the extraordinarily successful great ideas series are now packaged in coralie bickford-smith’s distinctive, award-winning covers. whether on a well-curated shelf or in your back pocket, these timeless works of philosophical, political, and psychological thought are absolute must-haves for book collectors as well as design enthusiasts. – the communist manifesto, marx and engels's revolutionary summons to the working classes, is one of the most important and influential political theories ever formulated. after four years of collaboration, the authors produced this incisive declaration of their idea of communism, in which they envisage a society without classes, private property or a state. they argue that increasing exploitation of industrial workers will eventually lead to a revolution in which capitalism is overthrown. this vision provided the theoretical basis of political systems in russia, china, cuba and eastern europe, affecting the lives of millions. – the communist manifesto still remains a landmark text: a work that continues to influence and provoke debate on capitalism and class. – for more than sixty-five years, penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the english-speaking world. with more than 1,500 titles, penguin classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

A different kind of politics for a new kind of society–beyond work, scarcity and capitalismin the twenty-first century, new technologies should liberate us from work. automation, rather than undermining an economy built on full employment, is instead the path to a world of liberty, luxury and happiness—for everyone. technological advance will reduce the value of commodities—food, healthcare and housing—towards zero. improvements in renewable energies will make fossil fuels a thing of the past. asteroids will be mined for essential minerals. genetic editing and synthetic biology will prolong life, virtually eliminate disease and provide meat without animals. new horizons beckon. rather than a final destination, such a society merely heralds the real beginning of history.

Already famous throughout europe, this international bestseller not only documents communist crimes against humanity, but also crimes against national and universal culture, from stalin's destruction of hundreds of churches in moscow to ceausescu's leveling of the historic heart of bucharest to the wide scale devastation visited on chinese culture by mao's red guards. 78 halftones. already famous throughout europe, this international bestseller plumbs recently opened archives in the former soviet bloc to reveal the actual, practical accomplishments of communism around the world: terror, torture, famine, mass deportations, and massacres. astonishing in the sheer detail it amasses, the book is the first comprehensive attempt to catalogue and analyze the crimes of communism over seventy years. revolutions, like trees, must be judged by their fruit, ignazio silone wrote, and this is the standard the authors apply to the communist experience–in the china of the great helmsman, kim il sung's korea, vietnam under uncle ho and cuba under castro, ethiopia under mengistu, angola under neto, and afghanistan under najibullah. the authors, all distinguished scholars based in europe, document communist crimes against humanity, but also crimes against national and universal culture, from stalin's destruction of hundreds of churches in moscow to ceausescu's leveling of the historic heart of bucharest to the widescale devastation visited on chinese culture by mao's red guards. as the death toll mounts–as many as 25 million in the former soviet union, 65 million in china, 1.7 million in cambodia, and on and on–the authors systematically show how and why, wherever the millenarian ideology of communism was established, it quickly led to crime, terror, and repression. an extraordinary accounting, this book amply documents the unparalleled position and significance of communism in the hierarchy of violence that is the history of the twentieth century.

Already famous throughout europe, this international bestseller not only documents communist crimes against humanity, but also crimes against national and universal culture, from stalin's destruction of hundreds of churches in moscow to ceausescu's leveling of the historic heart of bucharest to the wide scale devastation visited on chinese culture by mao's red guards. 78 halftones. already famous throughout europe, this international bestseller plumbs recently opened archives in the former soviet bloc to reveal the actual, practical accomplishments of communism around the world: terror, torture, famine, mass deportations, and massacres. astonishing in the sheer detail it amasses, the book is the first comprehensive attempt to catalogue and analyze the crimes of communism over seventy years. revolutions, like trees, must be judged by their fruit, ignazio silone wrote, and this is the standard the authors apply to the communist experience–in the china of the great helmsman, kim il sung's korea, vietnam under uncle ho and cuba under castro, ethiopia under mengistu, angola under neto, and afghanistan under najibullah. the authors, all distinguished scholars based in europe, document communist crimes against humanity, but also crimes against national and universal culture, from stalin's destruction of hundreds of churches in moscow to ceausescu's leveling of the historic heart of bucharest to the widescale devastation visited on chinese culture by mao's red guards. as the death toll mounts–as many as 25 million in the former soviet union, 65 million in china, 1.7 million in cambodia, and on and on–the authors systematically show how and why, wherever the millenarian ideology of communism was established, it quickly led to crime, terror, and repression. an extraordinary accounting, this book amply documents the unparalleled position and significance of communism in the hierarchy of violence that is the history of the twentieth century.

Almost two decades after the collapse of communism in eastern europe and the ussr, leading historian robert service examines the history of communism throughout the world. moves from marx and lenin to mao and castro and beyond to trace communism from its beginnings to the present day.offering vivid portraits of the protagonists and decisive events in communist history, service looks not only at the high politics of communist regimes but also at the social conditions that led millions to support communism in so many countries. after outlining communism's origins with marx and engels and its first success with lenin and the russian revolution in 1917, service examines the soviet bloc, long-lasting regimes like yugoslavia and cuba, the chinese revolution, the spread of communism in asia, africa, and latin america, and the international links among the hundreds of parties. he covers communism's organization and ideology as well as its general appeal. he looks at abortive communist revolutions and at the ineffectual parties in the united states and elsewhere.service offers a human view of the story as well as a global analysis. his uncomfortable conclusion—and an important message for the twenty-first century—is that although communism in its original form is now dying or dead, the poverty and injustice that enabled its rise are still dangerously alive. unsettling and compellingly written, comrades! is the most comprehensive study of one of the most important movements of the modern world.

The communist manifesto (originally manifesto of the communist party) is an 1848 political pamphlet by german philosophers karl marx and friedrich engels. commissioned by the communist league and originally published in london (in the german language as manifest der kommunistischen partei) just as the revolutions of 1848 began to erupt, the manifesto was later recognised as one of the world's most influential political manuscripts. it presents an analytical approach to the class struggle (historical and present) and the problems of capitalism and the capitalist mode of production, rather than a prediction of communism's potential future forms.the communist manifesto summarises marx and engels' theories about the nature of society and politics, that in their own words, "the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles." it also briefly features their ideas for how the capitalist society of the time would eventually be replaced by socialism, and then finally communism.this case laminate collector's edition includes a victorian inspired dust-jacket.

“i admire russia for wiping out an economic system which permitted a handful of rich to exploit and beat gold from the millions of plain people. . . . as one who believes in freedom and democracy for all, i honor the red nation.” —frank marshall davis, 1947 in his memoir, barack obama omits the full name of his mentor, simply calling him “frank.” now, the truth is out: never has a figure as deeply troubling and controversial as frank marshall davis had such an impact on the development of an american president. although other radical influences on obama, from jeremiah wright to bill ayers, have been scrutinized, the public knows little about davis, a card-carrying member of the communist party usa, cited by the associated press as an “important influence” on obama, one whom he “looked to” not merely for “advice on living” but as a “father” figure. while the left has willingly dismissed davis (with good reason), here are the indisputable, eye-opening facts: frank marshall davis was a pro-soviet, pro–red china communist. his communist party usa card number, revealed in fbi files, was cp #47544. he was a prototype of the loyal soviet patriot, so radical that the fbi placed him on the federal government’s security index. in the early 1950s, davis opposed u.s. attempts to slow stalin and mao. he favored red army takeovers of central and eastern europe, and communist control in korea and vietnam. dutifully serving the cause, he edited and wrote for communist newspapers in both chicago and honolulu, courting contributors who were soviet agents. in the 1970s, amid this dangerous political theater, frank marshall davis came into barack obama’s life. aided by access to explosive declassified fbi files, soviet archives, and davis’s original newspaper columns, paul kengor explores how obama sought out davis and how davis found in obama an impressionable young man, one susceptible to davis’s worldview that opposed american policy and traditional values while praising communist regimes. kengor sees remnants of this worldview in obama’s early life and even, ultimately, his presidency. kengor charts with definitive accuracy the progression of davis’s communist ideas from chicago to hawaii. he explores how certain elements of the obama administration’s agenda reflect davis’s columns advocating wealth redistribution, government stimulus for “public works projects,” taxpayer-funding of universal health care, and nationalizing general motors. davis’s writings excoriated the “tentacles of big business,” blasted wall street and “greedy” millionaires, lambasted gop tax cuts that “spare the rich,” attacked “excess profits” and oil companies, and perceived the catholic church as an obstacle to his vision for the state—all the while echoing davis’s often repeated mantra for transformational and fundamental “change.” and yet, the communist is not unsympathetic to davis, revealing him as something of a victim, an african- american who suffered devastating racial persecution in the jim crow era, steering this justly angered young man on a misguided political track. that davis supported violent and heartless communist regimes over his own country is impossible to defend. that he was a source of inspiration to president barack obama is impossible to ignore. is obama working to fulfill the dreams of frank marshall davis? that question has been impossible to answer, since davis’s writings and relationship with obama have either been deliberately obscured or dismissed as irrelevant. with paul kengor’s the communist, americans can finally weigh the evidence and decide for themselves. *** there were hundreds of thousands of american communists like frank who agitated throughout the twentieth century. they chose the wrong side of history, a horrendously bloody side that left a wake of more than 100 million corpses from the streets of the bolshevik revolution to the base of the berlin wall—double the combined dead of the century’s two world wars. and they never apologized. quite the contrary, they cursed their accusers for daring to charge (correctly) that they were communists whose ideology threatened the american way and the greater world and all of humanity. they took their denials to the grave, and still today their liberal/progressive dupes continue to conceal their crimes and curse their accusers for them. to fail to do so is a great historical injustice. such figures cannot be ignored. the people who influence our presidents matter. —from the communist: the untold story of barack obama’s mentor

Published in 1848, at a time of political upheaval in europe, karl marx and friedrich engels's manifesto for the communist party was at once a powerful critique of capitalism and a radical call to arms. it remains the most incisive introduction to the ideas of communism and the most lucid explanation of its aims. much of what it proposed continues to be at the heart of political debate into the 21st century. it is no surprise, perhaps, that the communist manifesto (as it was later renamed) is the second bestselling book of all time, surpassed only by the bible. the guardian's editorial cartoonist martin rowson employs his trademark draftsmanship and wit to this lively graphic novel adaptation. published to coincide with the 200th anniversary of marx's birth, the communist manifesto is both a timely reminder of the politics of hope and a thought-provoking guide to the most influential work of political theory ever published.

“what is globalization? here is one of the best answers. it is the 'constant revolutionizing of production' and the 'endless disturbance of all social conditions.' it is 'everlasting uncertainty.' everything 'fixed and frozen' is 'swept away,' and 'all that is solid melts into air.' yes, you have read this before. it is from the communist manifesto, by messrs. marx and engels.”—the new york times – here, at last, is an authoritative introduction to history's most important political document, with the full text of the communist manifesto by marx and engels. – this beautifully organized and presented edition of the communist manifesto is fully annotated, with clear historical references and explication, additional related texts, and a glossary that will bring the text to life for students, as well as the general reader. – since it was first written in 1848, the manifesto has been translated into more languages than any other modern text. it has been banned, censored, burned, and declared “dead.” but year after year, the text only grows more influential, remaining required reading in courses on philosophy, politics, economics, and history.“ apart from charles darwin's origin of species,” notes the los angeles times, the manifesto “is arguably the most important work of nonfiction written in the 19th century.” the washington post calls marx “an astute critic of capitalism.” writing in the new york times, columbia university professor steven marcus describes the manifesto as a “masterpiece” with “enduring insights into social existence.” the new yorker recently described karl marx as “the next thinker” for our era. this book will show readers why. – phil gasper is a professor of philosophy at notre dame de namur university in northern california. he writes extensively on politics and the philosophy of science and is a frequent contributor to counter – punch.

America began to breathe easy at the close of the cold war and loosened its grip on the fear of nuclear confrontation for the first time since world war two. peace was palpable, but in retrospect the years between 1988 and 2008 were as rocky as they were uncertain. bennett explores america's recent and momentous history: the fall of the berlin wall and the collapse of global communism; sweeping changes in political and popular culture; the war on terror and the election of america's first african american president. surveying the players, personalities, and pivotal moments, bennett captures this recent chapter in the american story with piercing insight and unrelenting optimism.

This book takes us into the heart of the soviet union, where alexander krylov grew up as an underground catholic in the 1970s and 1980s, never even entering a church until he was a teenager. how does faith in god live on when god is outlawed? how i became a man shows us, offering glimpses at the everyday reality of communism through the eyes of a child, with humor, irony, and a keen sense of human goodness.divided into short vignettes, this book challenges us look at our own lives differently–especially with regard to freedom. how i became a man is a courageous, joyous, even whimsical testimony of living the catholic faith in today's world.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to the relationship between communism (understood as an ideological, political, and social project) and culture, broadly defined as the field of aesthetic production. communism was a global phenomenon, and the global civil war of the 20th century was, in more than one respect, a cultural war, which involved some of the most influential figures of the last century. the book highlights and explains the impact of political mythologies in the effiorts to transcend the “bourgeois” legacies and engage in a social, cultural, and anthropological revolution. the authors examine the interplay between utopian goals and cultural practices in fields such as literature, visual arts, film, and humanities in general.radu stern taught art history at the university of lausanne, switzerland and was invited to teach at the university de bourgogne, france, the university of neuchâtel, switzerland, and the university of massachusetts, usa. among his various research interests, the study of the european avant-garde is a privileged subject.vladimir tismaneanu is professor in the department of government and politics at the university of maryland, college park, usa, and a global fellow at the woodrow wilson international center for scholars, usa. his most recent book, co-authored with kate c. langdon, is putin's totalitarian democracy: ideology, myth, and violence in the twenty-first century (2020).

A provocative essay on the relationship between communism, philosophy and language.since plato, philosophers have dreamed of establishing a rational state ruled through the power of language. in this radical and disturbing account of soviet philosophy, boris groys argues that communism shares that dream and is best understood as an attempt to replace financial with linguistic bonds as the cement uniting society. the transformative power of language, the medium of equality, is the key to any new communist revolution.

No other marxist text has come close to achieving the fame and influence of the communist manifesto. translated into over 100 languages, this clarion call to the workers of the world radically shaped the events of the twentieth century. but what relevance does it have for us today? in this slim book slavoj zizek argues that, while exploitation no longer occurs the way marx described it, it has by no means disappeared; on the contrary, the profit once generated through the exploitation of workers has been transformed into rent appropriated through the privatization of the ‘general intellect’. entrepreneurs like bill gates and mark zuckerberg have become extremely wealthy not because they are exploiting their workers but because they are appropriating the rent for allowing millions of people to participate in the new form of the ‘general intellect’ that they own and control. but, even if marx’s analysis can no longer be applied to our contemporary world of global capitalism without significant revision, the fundamental problem with which he was concerned, the problem of the commons in all its dimensions – the commons of nature, the cultural commons, and the commons as the universal space of humanity from which no one should be excluded – remains as relevant as ever. this timely reflection on the enduring relevance of the communist manifesto will be of great value to everyone interested in the key questions of radical politics today.