Produktdetaljer
Biografisk notat
Richard D. Wolff is professor of economics emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a visiting professor at the New School University in New York. Wolff hosts the weekly hour-long radio program Economic Update, which is syndicated on public radio stations nationwide.<p>"This is an excellent little book and will be a good read for anyone wanting to introduce themselves to Marx’s key ideas, particularly around the issues of democracy, or to anyone wanting to refresh their understanding."<br />
<strong>—Graham Kirkwood, </strong><strong><em>Counterfire</em></strong><br />
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"For someone new to Marxism, <em>Understanding Marxism</em> could be, at first, a flashlight illuminating a pathway through a dark hallway. For someone gaining familiarity with Marxism (possibly the same reader just described, some time later), this book could be a floor plan of the overall layout of the theory’s structure."<br />
<strong>—Zoe Sherman, </strong><strong><em>Dollars & Sense</em></strong></p>
Richard D. Wolff masterfully explains why Karl Marx’s analysis of class struggle is fundamental to a proper understanding of capitalism and explores how to build a more sustainable democratic society.
Class struggle is everywhere, and it influences everything and everyone in our society. Marx is the person who first explained this struggle systematically. For Marx, capitalism signified not the end of history, but rather the latest phase of human development that leads ordinary people to rid themselves of “all the muck of ages and become fitted to found society anew."
Marx’s theories are deeply prescient and relevant in our efforts to understand and cope with the crises of our time. Every day, we see more evidence that the capitalist system is both undermining itself and those whose labor it depends on, as Marx predicted.
Understanding Marxism is an essential resource for looking at the power and usefulness of Marx’s criticism of the capitalist economic system—and how we can move beyond it to a truly sustainable and democratic society based on workers’ self-management.
Introduction to the 2021 Hardcover Edition ... 3
Preface ... 23
I.... 29
II.... 35
III..... 47
IV..... 59
V..... 65
VI..... 73
VII.... 81
Quotes by Karl Marx:.... 91
Further Reading:.... 95
About Richard D. Wolff .... 97
About Democracy at Work..... 99
FOR READERS OF BOOKS ON LEFT ECONOMICS: such as Talking to My Daughter About the Economy by Yanis Varoufakis, Invisible Doctrine by George Monbiot, A People's Guide to Capitalism by Hadas Their, How to Be an Anticapitalist in the Twenty-First Century by Erik Olin Wright.
HIGH PROFILE AUTHOR WITH HUGE SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING: Richard Wolff is a social media sensation. With close to 300,000 TikTok followers, Wolff’s easy to follow and razor-sharp videos have helped hundreds of thousands of people develop a vocabulary that challenges the exploitation and oppression of the capitalist system. His previous books Democracy at Work sold 35,000 copies and Capitalism's Crisis Deepens sold 9,000 copies.
URGENT POLITICAL INTERVENTION: As the limitations of a burning planet become more evident, the horrific effects of ruthless capitalist competition are livestreamed on our phones, and historic levels of economic inequality condense power and resources into the hands of a select few, Wolff’s economic insights are more urgent than ever.
INTRODUCTION TO LEFT ECONOMIC IDEAS: Readers will acquire the tools needed to engage with broad economic ideas and urgent social issues
PERFECT FOR HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE COURSES: Understanding Marxism is accessible, engaging, and a perfect fit for classes on economics, inequality, and social science.