lusca's reviews
15 reviews

Stasi State or Socialist Paradise?: The German Democratic Republic and What Became of It by Bruni de la Motte, John Green

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

A very good look at the GDR and it's attempt to build socialism. The author shows genuine care for what was and the direction of where things were going. He discusses the flaws not in condemnation, but as lessons so that socialism can be achieved in the future.

My only point is that I felt like the idea of socialism, as the author treats it, is not a Marxist-Leninist socialism with the end goal of communism, but rather a vague idea of equality and fairness. And I think a stronger point should have been made on how capitalism doesn't oppose fascism, but merely uses it and discards it as it sees fit. How it will stop at absolutely nothing to stop the development of working power and its control over the means of production.

“Left-Wing” Communism, an Infantile Disorder by Vladimir Lenin

challenging informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Socialism: Utopian and Scientific by Friedrich Engels

hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

Wage Labour and Capital by Taylor Anderson, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

A nice, short, informative booklet that excellently explains the relation wage labour and capital. How different classes are affected, how the growth of capital creates a larger working class.

Blackshirts and Reds: Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism by Michael Parenti

challenging funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State by Friedrich Engels

informative reflective medium-paced

4.0

Very reflective. Many new information has come to light that contradicts what Engels writes about here, but I really like this way of observing history, and connecting human development to our productive forces and relations. Despite some information not being relevant anymore, this book is an interesting read and important to understanding Marxist thought and dialectical materialism.

Reform or Revolution by Rosa Luxemburg

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

3.5

Rosa Luxeburg brilliantly explains the opportunist line of reformism and why it will not only fail, but aid the bourgeoisie. I've learned so much with such a short book, a testament to her abilities as a writer and a theorist.

I give this book a lower score, because the edition I bought was full of typos. It makes me sad how little care was put into this work. If you are interested in reading this book (and I insist you do), please get a different edition.

Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow, John King Fairbank

adventurous challenging funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels

challenging informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

3.5

I bought this edition not knowing most of it wasn't the manifesto. Despite not agreeing on the position the commentator in regards to the communist movements of the 20th century, it provides a lot of interesting context to Marx and Engels' trajectory in life and philosophy prior to writing the manifesto.

The manifesto itself I found great. Some of the wording is antiquated, but is still inspiring, revolutionary and definitely earns its top position in communist literature.

State and Revolution by Vladimir Lenin

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0