Join the Amherst branch of the International Socialist Organization for a three part study series on the fundamentals of Marxism!
For Marxists, there is an indissoluble interrelation between ideas and what we do: theory and practice. The theory of Marxism draws upon the historical experience of the working-class movement; and that theory in turn informs our practice. Practice without theory is rudderless; theory without practice... is academics.
The purpose of this study group is to provide a grounding in some of the basic tenets of Marx and Engels's thought on historical materialism (Marx’s view of history and social change); on the economic structures of capitalism; and on the political and social dynamics of class struggle. Anyone can participate, but these are not introductory texts, so it is recommended that people familiarize themselves with some basics (listed in each section) before moving on to the main texts.
All of the main readings are available online, free of charge!
PART ONE - Historical Materialism: Thursday, July 15th from 7pm-9pm
First Churches, Main Street, Northampton, MA
Recommended prerequisites:
Paul D’Amato, Meaning of Marxism, Chapter 2 and 3
Phil Gasper, The German Ideology
Main reading:
Marx and Engels, Preface and First chapter of TheGerman Ideology (83 pages)
Marx and Engels, Theses on Feuerbach (3 pages)
Engel’s: Letter to J. Bloch: (2 pages)
PART TWO - Marx's Political Economy: Thursday, August 5th from 7pm-9pm
First Churches, Main Street, Northampton, MA
Recommended prerequisites:
Paul D’Amato, Meaning of Marxism: chapter 4, “How Capitalism Works and How it Doesn’t”
Phil Gasper, Marx’s Capital
Main Reading
Marx, Value, Price and Profit (43 pages)
Marx, Capital, Part VI: Primitive Accumulation (chapters 26, 27, 28, 30, 31,and 32) (55 pages)
PART THREE- The Politics of Social Classes and the Experience of the Paris Commune: Saturday, August 28th, from 12pm-4-pm
Engel’s introduction to Class Struggles in France (18 pages)
Marx’s Class Struggles in France (87 pages)
Engels’ preface to Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (2 pages):
Marx, Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (82 page):
Prerequisite: Elizabeth Lalasz, The Civil War in France
Marx, Civil War in France (45 pages)
