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The Communist Manifesto & Other Selected Writings
A rousing call to arms whose influence is still felt todayOriginally published on the eve of the 1848 European revolutions, The Communist Manifesto is a condensed and incisive account of the worldview Marx and Engels developed during their hectic intellectual and political collaboration. Formulating the principles of dialectical materialism, they believed that labor creates wealth, hence capitalism is exploitive and antithetical to freedom.This new edition includes an extensive introduction by Gareth Stedman Jones, Britain's leading expert on Marx and Marxism, providing a complete course for students of The Communist Manifesto, and demonstrating not only the historical importance of the text, but also its place in the world today.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 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.
272 pages, Paperback
Published December 10, 2024
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286 people want to read
About the author
Karl Marx
3,251 books6,542 followersWith the help of Friedrich Engels, German philosopher and revolutionary Karl Marx wrote
The Communist Manifesto
(1848) and
Das Kapital
(1867-1894), works, which explain historical development in terms of the interaction of contradictory economic forces, form many regimes, and profoundly influenced the social sciences.
German social theorist Friedrich Engels collaborated with Karl Marx on The Communist Manifesto in 1848 and on numerous other works.
Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin in London opposed Communism of Karl Marx with his antithetical anarchy.
Works of Jacques Martin Barzun include Darwin, Marx, Wagner (1941).
The Prussian kingdom introduced a prohibition on Jews, practicing law; in response, a man converted to Protestantism and shortly afterward fathered Karl Marx.
Marx began co-operating with Bruno Bauer on editing Philosophy of Religion of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (see Democritus and Epicurus), doctoral thesis, also engaged Marx, who completed it in 1841. People described the controversial essay as "a daring and original piece... in which Marx set out to show that theology must yield to the superior wisdom." Marx decided to submit his thesis not to the particularly conservative professors at the University of Berlin but instead to the more liberal faculty of University of Jena, which for his contributed key theory awarded his Philosophiae Doctor in April 1841. Marx and Bauer, both atheists, in March 1841 began plans for a journal, entitled Archiv des Atheismus (Atheistic Archives), which never came to fruition.
Marx edited the newspaper Vorwärts! in 1844 in Paris. The urging of the Prussian government from France banished and expelled Marx in absentia; he then studied in Brussels. He joined the league in 1847 and published.
Marx participated the failure of 1848 and afterward eventually wound in London. Marx, a foreigner, corresponded for several publications of United States.
He came in three volumes. Marx organized the International and the social democratic party.
Marx in a letter to C. Schmidt once quipped, "All I know is that I am not a Marxist," as Warren Allen Smith related in Who's Who in Hell .
People describe Marx, who most figured among humans. They typically cite Marx with Émile Durkheim and Max Weber, the principal modern architects.
Bertrand Russell later remarked of non-religious Marx, "His belief that there is a cosmic ... called dialectical materialism, which governs ... independently of human volitions, is mere mythology" ( Portraits from Memory , 1956).
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bi...
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/...
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic...
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/...
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
German social theorist Friedrich Engels collaborated with Karl Marx on The Communist Manifesto in 1848 and on numerous other works.
Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin in London opposed Communism of Karl Marx with his antithetical anarchy.
Works of Jacques Martin Barzun include Darwin, Marx, Wagner (1941).
The Prussian kingdom introduced a prohibition on Jews, practicing law; in response, a man converted to Protestantism and shortly afterward fathered Karl Marx.
Marx began co-operating with Bruno Bauer on editing Philosophy of Religion of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (see Democritus and Epicurus), doctoral thesis, also engaged Marx, who completed it in 1841. People described the controversial essay as "a daring and original piece... in which Marx set out to show that theology must yield to the superior wisdom." Marx decided to submit his thesis not to the particularly conservative professors at the University of Berlin but instead to the more liberal faculty of University of Jena, which for his contributed key theory awarded his Philosophiae Doctor in April 1841. Marx and Bauer, both atheists, in March 1841 began plans for a journal, entitled Archiv des Atheismus (Atheistic Archives), which never came to fruition.
Marx edited the newspaper Vorwärts! in 1844 in Paris. The urging of the Prussian government from France banished and expelled Marx in absentia; he then studied in Brussels. He joined the league in 1847 and published.
Marx participated the failure of 1848 and afterward eventually wound in London. Marx, a foreigner, corresponded for several publications of United States.
He came in three volumes. Marx organized the International and the social democratic party.
Marx in a letter to C. Schmidt once quipped, "All I know is that I am not a Marxist," as Warren Allen Smith related in Who's Who in Hell .
People describe Marx, who most figured among humans. They typically cite Marx with Émile Durkheim and Max Weber, the principal modern architects.
Bertrand Russell later remarked of non-religious Marx, "His belief that there is a cosmic ... called dialectical materialism, which governs ... independently of human volitions, is mere mythology" ( Portraits from Memory , 1956).
More: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Marx
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bi...
http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/...
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic...
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/...
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/t...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
July 14, 2020
I've never been a Communist but I do think we should read this as a warning as to where the evils and dangers of unfettered capitalism (in those days it included child labour and workhouses in Britain) lead. Espeically since I always find myself surrounded by fanatical free market libertarian lunatics who believe free markets are more important thank human life.
January 3, 2023
soy grimes
March 30, 2020
'En memoria del manifiesto de los comunistas' es una introducción perfecta al Manifiesto. 60 páginas de riguroso recorrido histórico-intelectual por el siglo XIX que convierten a esta edición, en mi opinión, en la mejor que hay en castellano.
October 16, 2012
Letto per un'interrogazione, mi è stato sicuramente più utile del manuale di Storia della Filosofia. Lo stile di Marx è scorrevole, di facile comprensione, divulgativo, appunto.
Credo che sia uno di quei libri che, considerando la brevità e l'importanza che ha avuto nella storia moderna e contemporanea, deve essere letto.
Credo che sia uno di quei libri che, considerando la brevità e l'importanza che ha avuto nella storia moderna e contemporanea, deve essere letto.
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June 10, 2024Karl, Friedrich.. listen besties.. i still need my silly little treats and retail therapy what can i say.. i'm just a girl!!
April 10, 2025
wild to think that this text has been around for so long, but our society is still, well... ✨️society✨️
can't wait for the next time my dad asks what I've been reading lately
can't wait for the next time my dad asks what I've been reading lately
December 7, 2025
O comunismo não se trata apenas de uma radical oposição ao sistema vigente, mas também, de uma total superação do modelo capitalista. A burguesia teve fundamental papel na superação do modelo feudal, o que distoa um pouco quanto ao proletário e o capitalismo, que não só possui papel fundamental como único. Os avanços da sociedade burguesa não podem ser negados, mas seu sistema exploratório está ultrapassado.
Segundo Marx, a natureza humana é fundamentada no trabalho, e tendo isso em mente, vemos que não há nada mais lucrativo que se apropriar da própria natureza. Esse sempre foi e ainda é o pensamento burguês, lucro sobre a condição humana. A partir do momento que temos de vender nosso trabalho, nossa mão de obra, por capital (e cada vez menos capital, por falar nisso.), o que estamos vendendo, na verdade, somos nós mesmos, é nossa própria condição de existência. Deixamos de ser humanos e agora passamos a ser ativos patrimoniais. Mas isso não é suficiente para a burguesia.
O sistema capitalista é falho em diversos aspectos, suas crises cíclicas caracterizam-o desde seus primórdios, se intensificando e encurtando os intervalos entre uma e outra a cada ano que passa. Com isso, a burguesia percebe que não só basta a exploração do proletário, necessita também concorrer com outros burgueses para assegurar a continuidade de seu domínio e existência, com isso, precisa de novos mercados, precisa entrar em novas áreas, difundir sua ideologia. Com movimentos sociais surgindo e confrotando seu domínio, o burguês se vê diante de um abismo, onde sua própria criação, se volta contra ele. Em contorno a essa situação, a burguesia se espalha para os vínculos familiares, sociais, infesta a sociedade com sua ilusória meritocracia, estabelece laços com a religião e reinventa de forma absurda a velha ideia do direito divino: "Deus quem me deu".
O comunismo não é apenas fim do antagonismo de classes, da propriedade privada, é também a evolução de nossa própria condição existencial. A libertação dos nossos. A melhora para os nossos. O mundo para os nossos.
Uni-vos.
Segundo Marx, a natureza humana é fundamentada no trabalho, e tendo isso em mente, vemos que não há nada mais lucrativo que se apropriar da própria natureza. Esse sempre foi e ainda é o pensamento burguês, lucro sobre a condição humana. A partir do momento que temos de vender nosso trabalho, nossa mão de obra, por capital (e cada vez menos capital, por falar nisso.), o que estamos vendendo, na verdade, somos nós mesmos, é nossa própria condição de existência. Deixamos de ser humanos e agora passamos a ser ativos patrimoniais. Mas isso não é suficiente para a burguesia.
O sistema capitalista é falho em diversos aspectos, suas crises cíclicas caracterizam-o desde seus primórdios, se intensificando e encurtando os intervalos entre uma e outra a cada ano que passa. Com isso, a burguesia percebe que não só basta a exploração do proletário, necessita também concorrer com outros burgueses para assegurar a continuidade de seu domínio e existência, com isso, precisa de novos mercados, precisa entrar em novas áreas, difundir sua ideologia. Com movimentos sociais surgindo e confrotando seu domínio, o burguês se vê diante de um abismo, onde sua própria criação, se volta contra ele. Em contorno a essa situação, a burguesia se espalha para os vínculos familiares, sociais, infesta a sociedade com sua ilusória meritocracia, estabelece laços com a religião e reinventa de forma absurda a velha ideia do direito divino: "Deus quem me deu".
O comunismo não é apenas fim do antagonismo de classes, da propriedade privada, é também a evolução de nossa própria condição existencial. A libertação dos nossos. A melhora para os nossos. O mundo para os nossos.
Uni-vos.
January 8, 2026
A satisfying, if at times dry collection of timelessly evocative ideas.
"Value, Price and Profit" in particular overstays its welcome, and Engels (or whichever editor) was overly keen on useless italics, to a distracting degree.
However, I did escape with a few transformative insights:
1. While the concept of the rich making life necessarily miserable for the poor is prevalent today, this book reveals it to be timeless. Humanity post the second world war was an anomaly of sorts.
2. Conceptually, modern salaried work is no different from mediaeval serfs. Where they worked a set number of days gratis for their superiors, the modern worker works a portion of each day gratis. Both modern workers and serfs spend a certain amount of time working for their own subsistence (wage or food production), and the rest is free labour; unfortunately in the modern day there's much less anger due to the non-obvious distinction within each day.
3. There is a notably silly conflict within any capitalist society. During downturns, the entire population is ready to work to sustain themselves, and yet, unable to simply because this work would not further the interests of capitalists.
Because the means of production belong to a select few who necessarily want profit to provide a means for workers to work, and profit is hard to come by in a downturn, workers end up starving while the fields stay empty.
Overall, quite elucidating, and strikes a stark contrast with communism in popular culture. Das Kapital seems like a worthwhile read now, or at least for whenever I gain greater patience.
"Value, Price and Profit" in particular overstays its welcome, and Engels (or whichever editor) was overly keen on useless italics, to a distracting degree.
However, I did escape with a few transformative insights:
1. While the concept of the rich making life necessarily miserable for the poor is prevalent today, this book reveals it to be timeless. Humanity post the second world war was an anomaly of sorts.
2. Conceptually, modern salaried work is no different from mediaeval serfs. Where they worked a set number of days gratis for their superiors, the modern worker works a portion of each day gratis. Both modern workers and serfs spend a certain amount of time working for their own subsistence (wage or food production), and the rest is free labour; unfortunately in the modern day there's much less anger due to the non-obvious distinction within each day.
3. There is a notably silly conflict within any capitalist society. During downturns, the entire population is ready to work to sustain themselves, and yet, unable to simply because this work would not further the interests of capitalists.
Because the means of production belong to a select few who necessarily want profit to provide a means for workers to work, and profit is hard to come by in a downturn, workers end up starving while the fields stay empty.
Overall, quite elucidating, and strikes a stark contrast with communism in popular culture. Das Kapital seems like a worthwhile read now, or at least for whenever I gain greater patience.
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September 15, 2025Apesar de ser um livro conhecido e influente, foi bem por acaso que eu decidi lê-lo, não era algo que passava pela minha cabeça (eu só pensava "ah, quero ler algum dia"). Eu queria algo pra ler, e como aqui na casa do meu avô, que é onde estou, não tem livro, fui na casa da minha prima, logo em frente, ver os livros dela e escolher algum. O Manifesto caiu como uma luva: uma leitura relevante, que eu já sabia que queria fazer algum dia, e eu já sabia que era uma leitura até simples e acessível, e eu não queria nada denso demais para essas férias (não que o Manifesto não seja denso, mas, pelo caráter panfletário, é mais fácil de absorver do que, sei lá, 300 páginas de teoria literária); e é curto, então daria tempo de eu ler e entregá-lo antes de voltar de viagem.
Sobre ele, primeiro, eu estou feliz de finalmente começar minha jornada de compreensão dessas teorias tão influentes que são as marxistas. Tem partes do Manifesto que eu não entendi, mas, de modo geral, eu considero que posso dizer que compreendi os pontos principais e que tenho os blocos com os quais vou construir um entendimento de toda a teoria dos autores.
Agora, uma coisa que ficou na minha cabeça foi a diferença entre superestrutura e infraestrutura. Não é algo que entra no texto do Manifesto, mas é um ponto central do pensamento deles (Marx e Engels) e que eu tô bastante curiosa pra compreender.
Sobre ele, primeiro, eu estou feliz de finalmente começar minha jornada de compreensão dessas teorias tão influentes que são as marxistas. Tem partes do Manifesto que eu não entendi, mas, de modo geral, eu considero que posso dizer que compreendi os pontos principais e que tenho os blocos com os quais vou construir um entendimento de toda a teoria dos autores.
Agora, uma coisa que ficou na minha cabeça foi a diferença entre superestrutura e infraestrutura. Não é algo que entra no texto do Manifesto, mas é um ponto central do pensamento deles (Marx e Engels) e que eu tô bastante curiosa pra compreender.
August 28, 2025
leefde ik ma 150jaar geleden zodat ik iets aan deze kennis had
January 7, 2026
Leitura para a licenciatura em Ciências Sociais
January 3, 2024
Perhaps not the introductory work to Marx, Engels, and the formulation of scientific socialism intended by the authors, the Communist Manifesto is a fantastic insight into socialism, not necessarily on a theoretical basis, rather to rediscover the working conditions of 19th century Europe. As Marx and Engels lay the immediate demands of the proletariat and communists, using the vestiges of the state, today's reader is able to learn the horrid conditions of early capitalist factory life, exemplified through their desire for universal education, abolition of child labor, and horrendously unsafe practices in the workplace. The Communist manifesto obviously does not serve as widely accessible to the contemporary proletariat, it cannot serve this function for it was written in the contextualization of 1844 English conditions, however, it is an incredible time capsule that allows all readers to better understand the place and conditions in which scientific socialism had been birthed.
October 14, 2020
This is a combination of 3 works:
* "The Communist Manifesto" itself, which is short and still very relevant,
* "The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844", which is filled with repetitive descriptions and numbers of little relevance to reader interested in the broader picture,
* "Socialism: Utopian and Scientific" which provides a brief but interesting and relevant overview of two different streams of Socialism
Honestly, I couldn't finish the middle book which forms the bulk of the paperback; it was dull and boring work reading through numbers and details which are not relevant except if you are interested specifically in England in 1844.
The other two works are still extremely relevant in 2020 as they were when they were written.
* "The Communist Manifesto" itself, which is short and still very relevant,
* "The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844", which is filled with repetitive descriptions and numbers of little relevance to reader interested in the broader picture,
* "Socialism: Utopian and Scientific" which provides a brief but interesting and relevant overview of two different streams of Socialism
Honestly, I couldn't finish the middle book which forms the bulk of the paperback; it was dull and boring work reading through numbers and details which are not relevant except if you are interested specifically in England in 1844.
The other two works are still extremely relevant in 2020 as they were when they were written.
July 27, 2024
The communist manifesto is a very misunderstood piece of literature. It is not the entire theory of communism, not even close. It discusses the bare basics of the system in away most people can understand. Even if you are an ardent capitalist, huge fan of Taylorism, free market everything, etc etc, etc.... You should actually read this. Keep an open mind. Keep in mind what it is, a pamphlet with basic ideas just like Taylor's "Principles of scientific management". Keep in mind that the theory has progressed far past these humble beginnings. But like with everything you read, engage with it in good faith. Dialectical materialism, even if you disagree with the conclusion that Marx came to, is still useful to keep in your back pocket.
March 14, 2015
"The bourgeoisie, by the rapid improvement of all instruments of production, by the immensely facilitated means of communication, draws all, even the most barbarian nations into civilization... It compels all nations, on pain of extinction, to adopt bourgeois mode of production; it compels them to introduce what it call civilization into their midst, i.e., to become bourgeois themselves. In one word, it creates a world after it's own image."
March 26, 2023
Apesar da escrita ser antiga e que dificulta a compreensão por completo, mas o pouco que é entendível, para os dias atuais, nos mostra como ainda as pessoas têm dificuldade de identificar a que classe ela pertence. Acho que a máxima aprendida é que se vc ganha salário (independente do valor) então vc é proletário. Além de perceber que as opressões da classe dominante (burguesia) continuam seguindo a mesma estrutura (aparelhada com as instituições). Este livro continua mais atual do que nunca.
January 19, 2025
Published in 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engel’s pamphlet The Communist Manifesto is a landmark text in socialist and Marxist history – a rallying cry for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalist society by the working classes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 11, 2024
Today this is best thought of as a historical document, as much a product of its time as the writings of the Leveller movement. As a guide to economics and political development it is redundant: the sea change it foresaw in the 19th century has been and gone.
August 26, 2018
"A spectre is haunting Europe- the spectre of communism. All the powers of old Europe have entered into a Holy Alliance to exorcise this specter..."
February 5, 2017
Breaks down the ideas pretty easily, but it's so short! (This review is for the comic book version, which isn't listed on Goodreads and is only 25 pages)
January 2, 2017
The translation could be somewhat better the illustration is awesome the theme of course always relevant!
January 18, 2017
read it with expectations. not as polarizing as people say it is
April 20, 2017
A must to understand the origin of communism
December 24, 2017
The basic guide lines to understand the red revolution.
December 18, 2017
I didnt actually read this one; I read Vol. 1, but that's not listed here and I'm not motivated enough to figure out how to get it added.
Vol. 1 was great!
Vol. 1 was great!
November 6, 2024
A bunch of whining from lazy non-thinkers. This is why leftists love it so much.
November 17, 2021
Its a good book , provides good insight into what a communist britian might have bin.
February 25, 2022
An effective graphic portrayal.
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August 6, 2022Yes deliberate rating of zero. Waste of time. Hard, sound money fixes the problems this guy raises. He is either completely ignorant or corrupt in the omission of this concept.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews