mars2k 's review for:

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

3.5

challenging hopeful reflective medium-paced

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I’d been meaning to read The Communist Manifesto for several years now, and I’m not sure why I kept putting it off since it’s so short and quick to read. I have to admit, however, I am a little disappointed.

The book didn’t teach me anything I didn’t already know, and it didn’t open me up to new ways of thinking, mostly because I already agree with the basic ideology it’s trying to convey. I know that this is seen by many as the foundational text of communism (and leftism generally) but I feel that others have communicated Marx and Engels’s points more clearly and more convincingly. Perhaps the Manifesto was revolutionary for its time, but I didn’t get much out of it besides ticking another item off my to-read list.

I don’t think The Communist Manifesto is bad per se, I just think there are better resources out there for learning about communism. I’m giving it three and a half stars, but it has to be said that at least half a star is purely out of respect for its historical significance.