Book Review # 15: The Communist Manifesto : A Modern Edition
Before we start let me clarify one thing to you, NO I’m not in to communism and never will be.
Born and raised in a capitalism arena, I always wonder what is actually the core of the system I’m living in. In order to find out about that, perhaps reading something from the total extreme opposite ideal would help me to understand capitalism even more.
That’s is the pure single idea when I bought this particular book. Needless to say, authors of this book are prominent figure in the world’s history and we are pretty familiar with both of them.
This is no doubt a literature that plays important part in political history of our world. When I said important it doesn’t necessary means good or vice versa.
This manifesto was written by an extreme idealist, the content therefore was extreme. Frankly, I do not agree with most of the contents which seems narrow-minded, yet some of the contents also raised questions to me. Is capitalism have more of its flaw than we originally thought? Is capitalism the best system we have?
Anyway, readers must be warned that some part of this book is quite outrageous and provocative in nature. Some of the methodology are outdated as well. However, considered that it was written well over 150 years ago, some of the situation described in the manifesto are happening at the very moment, up, close and personal.
The language used in the Manifesto rather elaborate which I think mainly is to stated superiority. I found it somewhat pleasant to read.
Growing up in the wings of Democratic system, I think it’s kind of nice to study the other side of the story as well.
To me, It was literally a book describe an evil side of capitalism. The price majority of society have to pay for embracing capitalism as well as the price leaders have to pay to keep their positions.
Here come the question, are we paying too much?
Tough some part of it is obsolete, a merely other part of it is surprisingly up to date. Perhaps it might even predict other important “ political trends” in the future as well. For example there is one part that said:
"The conditions of bourgeois society are too narrow to comprise the wealth created by them. And how does the bourgeoisie get over these crises? On the one had by enforced destruction of a mass of productive forces; on the other, by the conquest of new markets , and by the more thorough exploitation for the old ones. That is to say, by paving the way for more extensive and more destructive crises, and by diminishing the means where by crises are prevented. "
Surprisingly, it sounds too familiar. Oh I see, it’s what’ happen in 2008.
Bottom line is, It’s important to study the past in order to foresee the future even from the people we totally disagree with. If you are interested in how the global power is shifted from time to time, this is definitely your book.
Truth be told, do to the hostile and extreme content of this book, I will not give my rating as usual.
Cheers
Tab
