Why You Should Read the Communist Manifesto, #2 Most Popular Book of All Time
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- Опубліковано 28 лют 2023
- The Communist Manifesto was a short but world-changing text that, despite being written in 1848, is a vital read for anyone who wants a better and more equal society. Brian Becker discusses the importance of the book, the historical context, and what it brought to the world.
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As a Chinese, the Communist Manifesto would always make my heart pump faster, the noble idea of free all mankind from exploitation and enslavement, and China is on its way to show to the world, it is indeed possible no matter how far away it is, even though my generation may no live long enough to see it, we still believe it will be realised someday.
It will take western cultures too long for communism to work…The sheep skin completely glued. Even the educated are emotionally invested, please tell me I’m wrong.
not by the Chinese Communist Party .
That's a beautiful sentiment. I've studied China's approach extensively (including online classes through Tsinghua) and it has filled me with a tremendous optimism for mankind. Much love from the USA, and sorry about all the INSANE shit our rulers/government do to try to thwart China's wonderful efforts =).
China is the only hope to see a model that can free the world from the west's social and economic darwinism. I hope it will be achieved one day and acknowledged by the other asian civilisations, if not the west.
Personally I think that Chinese socialism is about as advanced as it could possibly be today, given the material conditions of a capitalist world. The Chinese people have done their revolution justice, imo. Will it continue to advance towards communism? That may well deppend on the willingness of the working class of the rest of the world to catch up with them...
"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen
The truth of socialist ideas has trickled through all the myths and slander.
Great comment. ❤️
I can be listening to this all day.
Yes, every person should read it, it’s part of education, and inspiring for human rights, and moral growth. Thank you.
Have you read it? 😂 It's the dumbest take I've ever read.
We have nothing to lose but our chain. We have a world to win.
Workers of all countries, Unite!!!- A worker on the way to work
Thanks Brian!! U.S. Congress is trying to revivie The Red Scare after all these years if you can believe it. We need more of this - keep it coming!!
Yes, I can believe it - how am I not surprised 🤔
The first time I read the Manifesto was for a class I took in grad school. I devoured it in one sitting and tuned out everything around me. It's one of the works of literature that have gotten me so transfixed. Over 20 years later, you can access it online for free. There's no excuse NOT to read it.
That was excellent. As a sociology professor who requires my students to read the Manifesto) and excerpts of Capital in my Theory course, I could not be happier with Brian Becker’s exposition. I want to express my profound gratitude to all at Break Through news for their consistent, principled and revolutionary work.
You’re doing amazing work for the working class! KEEP IT UP🙌🏿
I read the Communist Manifesto back in 1994 and I totally agree with wanting everyone in the world to read it.
WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE ✊🏼
Absolutely wonderful view of the historical journey thank U!!
Comrade u r simply marvelous enhancing my faith in the pleasure of living as I hv been nurturing promoting aspiring struggling for a socialist revolution here in pakistan I'm simply proud of you as a comrade though . . . . long live socialism long live AWP pakistan
Ordered one up. In my 50s about time to read it!!
Don't waste your time
Brian please do more segments like this!
Thank you for this lecture 🔥❤️🔥
I learnt so much from this video!
Why americans hate communist?? It is because of their government propagandas. But in every aspect in life, every person is practicing communist, communist is the communal community, they are helping each other in every aspect.
But the USA gov change it to the "lack of freedom", in communist country, they have freedom also, and the most important, freedom of safety.
No, communism is control and equal suffering
Communist countries do not have freedom or freedoms of safety
Go ask all the cubans who fled to Florida
@@liljuan206 why not ask the ones who stayed?
@@liljuan206 You mean those cubans who benefitted before the socialist revolution under the batista regime which is a dictatorship meant to serve the interest of the bourgeoisie. The upper classmen in cuba got to where they are through exploitation and slavery.
Amazing historical perspective to keep in mind when reading this pamphlet. Great video!
One of the best lectures on the topic. Read it many years ago. Thank you.
Damn why couldn’t I have gotten this perspective in highschool!
Thank you so much BTN and Brian Becker for explaining simply what I always thought was an exhaustive topic . As someone who didn't take any political science courses in university I needed this. So far, I have looked at the world through a psychological and theological lens and felt I did not and do not quite understand the economic and political ways of this world, which left me feeling something was amiss. Brian Becker did such an excellent job here and I am very grateful for this episode. Thank you so much 🙏
Brilliant! ❤
Loved this keep up the good work
México has been having Marxist theory talks during the book fairs around the country, this last week was full of interesting discussions on the page paraleerenlibertad
Fairness and equality is the greatest struggle of mankind and still elusive
let's admit this sounds good
🌎🌍🌏✊️
Thank you. A very informative and enlightening presentation.
Love it! Keep up the great content please!
17:30 Appreciate Brian giving historical context as to how these class, race, gender divisions arose.
. . . and we are celebrating international women's Day tomorrow here in islamabad . . .
You'll be amazed by the deep analysis and precise prediction of capitalism.
I have it , never read it, but I shall.
😂
Lenin has also made valuable contributions to political theory and Stalin's texts are easy to digest
Yes, Stalin did a great job of synthesizing/explaining the socialist thinkers who came before him and bringing that information down to a level of more common understanding. It's no wonder he was so heavily demonized. (Though he made his own share of mistakes too.)
@@Weinus True! Stalin is not free of criticism, but after reading Wheatcroft, Davies, Kotkin, Getty, Fitzpatrick, Davies, Thurston, and other scholars and primary sources on his life and leadership I now see that he is one of the most maligned characters in history as even anti-communist historians disagree with the mainstream view that the general public has of him (at least in America).
Thank you for sharing!
wow, I never knew it was a small book. I always thought it was a really long book.
You’re probably thinking of Kapital by Marx
Super Bowl commercials could end world hunger, but....profit.
Required reading when I was a freshman at University of Illinois in History 101... 1975.
Not anymore 😅
Hellyeah socialism for everyone not just the rich
If we think that socialism is "society where workers own means of productions directly or indirectly"*, or attempt to build such society*, then how there ever could be "socialism for rich"? It is completely oxymoron. As I see, socialism can exists only for everyone, and never just for plutocrats. It is plutocracy or oligarchy where small "elite" benefits, and it is something what socialism is against.
(*=these are official definitions for the word in several different languages as far as I know).
A wage is just enough money to make you feel you are not a slave
Wow! What a speech
Thanks guys!!
That was a very good presentation.
VIVA El Minifesto Comunista !!
Bless you
Also, read Lenin.
13:57 ...and in Finland!
Awsome
I don't understand how a corporation can pay a tax.
If a corporation is successful, it must pass all costs (including taxes) to the consumer. A corporation can not consume anything. A tax is paid when an item is consumed and removed from the market place; when a corporation consumes a service or good, it is a intermediate good and must passed to consumer or externalized to remain profitable and return the surplus to its stockholder.
How many American corporations pay no federal income tax?
In 2010 when the supreme court granted personhood to corporations, the Robert 's court gave corporations personhood, it gave the corporations representation without taxation.
Slavery is still legal in USA and USA is the greatest exploiter of slave labor in the world still today. The fact that now slavery is allowed in prison system only is a mere bureacrautic formality.
USA slavery is still existing in USA prisons where prisons are pay 25 cents an hour for their labors.
Slavery is everywhere in the world, even socialist countries
When they banned slavery, they made an exception for criminals. So the constitution makes prison slavery legal & it can't be undone by any laws. The constitution itself has to be changed to remove slavery in prisons.
@@john_hunter_ bit hard to change the constitution when the ones who hold all the power loves it
In the last 100 years Communism imposed more humanistic impact on mankind than 450 years of capitalism - which practiced slavery, colonialism, racial segregation and mass poverty.
Proofs? Black Book of Communism doen't count.
@@youdontneedtoknowwhoiam9612 Proofs of what exactly?
Except for all the death and suffering trying to impose communistic dictatorships
@@johnchisholm2896 Capitalist dictatorships costed 20% of England's population and 25% of Germany's population during capitalist revolutions of 18th century.
While Russian, Chinese, Cuban, Vietnamese and all other communist revolutions didn't even cost a 1% of population.
@@AlexanderUnit-731 oxymorons
Please make a video for Lenins work and Maos work.
Slavery is not illegal in the USA.
In the West we are starting to understand the term "Slave to the System" and what it really means.
I think communism means you are a slave to the system
Thank you for your explanations.
The fact that we live in a world where considers this or that individual as owners of this or that land is by itself the source of multiple major consequential problems that will follow.
Any land belongs to God or Earth or Nature not any particular human individual.
I agree that socialst movements although not the only force but the most significant force that made the equal rights for women possible.
Pity that the vast majority of the so called successful women, do not know about this fact, do not want to know about this fact or dishonestly deny this fact.
Yes human rights should not have any gender excuses.
However, considering many if not most contemporary women in leadership positions worldwide, unfortunately other than the issue of women's right, which arguably is directly associated with their own personal comfortable position, they have all other lack of capacities and mal characteristics of their men peers regarding almost every other imaginable issue.
Obviously almost no talking head in the social media dares to talk about most aspects of this issue because in today's world, it would be like walking in the minefield.
The United States was created as a country to continue slavery. The settlers created an armed struggle against England to continue slavery, and expand westward. Texas became an independent country in 1836 for the same reason, crating an armed struggle against Mexico.
Where cn we get the book ?
Why communism ideals work in China? Because Chinese have always been living in a commune like society culturally since ancient times.
Might wana look at history in America before the Europeans showed up
@@Gigika313 Yes. Native Americans also have a commune like society which worked well for them. Europeans came and destroyed that culture and now Native Americans are living in dire state plagued by drugs, alcoholism and domestic violence.
How is China successful? You can get persecuted for speaking your mind and you have to ask the gov for permission to do many things that are none of their business
the 20th century was a nice attempt to make things work for the better, now, we are back to the dark ages again (
the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice
I hope your referring to the supreme court as the 'great institution of democracy' was sarcasm.
it 100% was sarcasm
wao surkh salamunas
haha dictatorship has a negative connotation particularly here in pakistan ?
As long as economic inequalities arise from voluntary exchange, they cannot be unjust.
Then who voluntarily agreed for having crisis and for saving "too big to fail" companies?
Great history lesson. So many people now seem to know so little, even of recent history. Who was it that said, something like "If we don't learn from the mistakes of history, we are doomed to repeat them."
Rania had Daniel Bessner recently and he talked of liberalism and communalism being antiquated ideologies based on developmentalism, a 19th century view of unlimited resources and economic expansion, which today we know is impossible. We've seen the world population triple in 50 years to unsustainable levels based on cheap energy. Peter Joseph has a belief in ephemeralization, doing more with less, but that doesn't solve infinite growth as humanity destroys the ecosystem and wars over shrinking resources. Sure, read the manifesto, but consider the era and mindset.
Its written like scripture and everything left up for interpretation. And marx seems inherently anti semetic. I like policies of socialist, but dont think it can be achieved. We have to have free markets to an extent. You cant put value on somthing from the labor used to make it. I think a healthy dose of central planning will be best. With other free markets policies. In my opinion. Something has to change i know that. And we dont have anything else.
Two things...well three. First, the manifesto is not a book but a brochure. It did not become popular outside of France in 1849 until someone stumbled upon an old copy and started redistributing it. Finally, yes everyone should read it, but caution should be taken. It is not a theoretical treatise on Capital, Communism, or Marx's economic theories on either. This is simply a call to arms during the 1849 French Revolution and ONLY that. This brochure should not be taken as an alternative to learning Marxian Theory or to avoid reading Marx's more relevant work, Capital. It is not also not a toolkit to realize a communist society or a rule book to how Communism should function. For that, you have to look beyond Marx and Engles as they never defined Communism. So, yes by all means, read this brochure but you have to take what I layer out into account.
35 year old here born in Belarus. I read all works of big names in Socialism and Communism. At around age of 12 I picked up a book "How the world came to be" and began searching for answers. My search forever grounded my believes against Socialism and Communism and I will never support it.
Where was Breakthrough News at Rage Against the War Rally? You call yourself socialist? I think not.
It took guns to win the revolution, yet the new Chinses gov after the revolution was won, outlawed the guns.
And yet the Chinese has now rise to the top without using guns or stealing any resources from anyone so unlike American stealing resources and killin folks all over the world
The Bible is also a body of historical texts, and is also literature. I understand the distinction you are wanting to make, but it's based on false bourgeois categories of religion and secular. While believed to be holy and the sole authority for theology in the protestant traditions, scripture isn't meant to be read in an unquestioning or uncritical way either, neither ignoring its historical contexts nor its historicity. With Marx and Engels the debt to modern scholarship is obvious; we know of and can read their working notes and the other authors they reference or quote. With scripture it is much harder to discern the authors' sources, but not the marks of the process of writing and editing and collation, which adds to their historicity. And of course scripture was a source for Marx and Engels, from their own educations and study at home and at church during their lives.
technically correct, but how many Christians read the Bible as a historical text and not as a holy text, let's be honest...
@@emanuelneagu14 That's not a contradiction. The same set of eyes can be doing both at the same time. Too many Christians don't really read it much at all.
@@patrickholt2270 well, most don't. Most who read it, read it as irrefutable truth. But yeah most Christians don't even read it.
Heartbreaking: The worst profile picture you know just made a great point.
@@Dorian_sapiens Thanks comrade. I try to do that.
This man needs to do a bit more research about 'slavery'.
and economics, and history...
What does Socialism have to do with communism...... Socialism is for the people by the people....and then there's yours
it's the same ideas against a minority of elite ruling class.
Socialism is the road to communism
This guy is a demagogue...
I read the Communist Manifesto, Das Kapital, and the Theses on Feuerbach nearly a decade ago. I was not impressed. Karl Marx was an ok sociologist but a terrible economist, far inferior to predecessors like Adam Smith and David Ricardo. His "Scientific socialism" is pure pseudoscience or scientism. There is far more value to be gained from reading the works of Henry George.
What have you read from Henry George?
meh, china is successful
@@jemfalor Good point! Also, the OP seems to be a Kato Institute talking point. Probably just chasing YT stories with the tags Socialism, Communism etc. because we dare not let the unwashed masses get any funny ideas!
Yet Marx is one of the most influential figure in all humanity, not a hyperbole. Adam Smith's invisible hand is misused and quoted out of context.
China adapted to its own context and developed its own theories to guide the practices.