Introductions to Marxism

Marxism in these web pages is understood as the theory and practice of working class self-emancipation. This theoretical and political tradition is radically different from the way Marxism is generally described by both critics and many 'adherents' who identify Marxism with the repressive state capitalist regimes that used to dominate Russia and eastern Europe and still hold sway in China, North Korea, Vietnam and Cuba. David McNally explains in one of the chapters of Socialism from Below how this confusion came about, as a consequence of the defeat of the Russian revolution during the 1920s, and the consequences the defeat had for the international communist movement.

The following are some useful introductions to the classical Marxist tradition:

On the web

• Alex Callinicos The Revolutionary Ideas of Karl Marx 1996. A good introduction to Marx's thought. More substantial introduction than those by Harman and McNally
• Hal Draper The Two Souls of Socialism, 1960/1992, also in German. Brilliant outline of what distinguishes Marxism from other approaches to socialism
• Chris Harman How Marxism Works 1997. A brief and straightforward introduction to Marxist theory that also takes account of the contributions of later Marxists
• Rick Kuhn et al. Class and struggle in Australia seminar papers 2004. Introductions to class, oppression and struggle in Australia
• Karl Marx Value, Price and Profit. An abridgement by Paul Zarembka of Marx's own introduction to the labour theory of value, which underpins Marxist economics
• John Molyneux What is the real Marxist tradition 1983. A useful guide through the maze of self-proclaimed 'Marxisms'
• David McNally Socialism from Below, 1984. An overview of Marxist politics
• Tom O'Lincoln 'Trade unions and revolutionary oppositions: a survey of classic Marxist writings'
• Bertell Ollman 'Market Mystification in Capitalist and Market Socialist Societies' 1998
• David Riazanov Karl Marx and Frederick Engels: An Introduction to Their Lives and Work 1927

Available in book form

• Hal Draper Karl Marx's Theory of Revolution in four volumes, Monthly Review Press, New York 1976-1990. An excellent and detailed account of many aspects of Marx's politics
• Chris Harman The Economics of the Madhouse Bookmarks, London 1995 provides a clear introduction to Marxist economics

Bookmarks in England and Haymarket Books in the USA are excellent sources of socialist books.

Marxism Page

Original URL http://www-dev.anu.edu.au/polsci/marx/intros.html
Author Rick Kuhn. Last revised 22 May 2008. Send feedback to Rick.Kuhn @ anu.edu.au