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>"Richard Wolff's book is the best accessible and reliable treatment we have of what socialism is, was, and should be.”<br />
<strong>—Cornel West </strong></p>
<p>“Lucid, brilliant, and uncompromising in his dissection of the capitalist system, [Wolff] also provides a sane and just socialist alternative to capitalist exploitation, one we must all fight to achieve.”<br />
<strong>—Chris Hedges</strong></p>
<p>“In the same accessible style that has made his programs and lectures such a hit, [Wolff] explains his subject in a way that's not only smart, but makes the rest of us feel smart. It's actionable intelligence.”<br />
<strong>—Laura Flanders </strong></p>
<p>"Wolff’s 138-page book is an accessible and insightful primer that undertakes a critical examination of the history of state-led socialism while offering a refreshing vision of a new model based upon workplace democracy."<br />
<strong>—Gregory N. Heires</strong></p>
Socialism is a yearning for justice, community, and the greater realization of human potential. Cornel West calls it “the best accessible and reliable treatment we have of what socialism is, was, and should be.”
Understanding Socialism is a plainspoken text that disarms false narratives, confronts past failures, and offers a path to a fresh and modern understanding of socialism, by outlining what democracy in the workplace could look like.
Wolff not only explains what socialism is and has meant to its various proponents, he also looks at the transition from feudalism to capitalism as a model to help us visualize an evolution from our current socioeconomic state.
Understanding Socialism explores how socialist theory was used and applied to help shape the histories of countries such as Russia and China, and beyond. Wolff also analyzes the successes and defeats of those countries, the world's reactions to them, and how they offer important lessons for the building of a democratic, worker-controlled 21st-century socialism.
Introduction
Chapter 1: A Brief History: How Socialism Got to Its Here and Now
Chapter 2: What Is Socialism?
Chapter 3: Capitalism and Socialism: Struggles and Transitions
Chapter 4: Russia and China: Major Experiments in Constructing Socialism
Chapter 5: Two Anti-socialist Purges: Fascism and Anti-communism
Chapter 6: Socialism’s Future and Worker Co-ops
Conclusion
About the Cover: The Red Rose as a Symbol of Socialism
About the Author
About Democracy at Work
Further Reading
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.