This guide is simply that; a guide. Whilst everything is recommended it cannot be treated in isolation. What you should read will depend on your prior reading, and any other information gained through other education and activism.
This list also only covers some of the fundamentals; there is no shortage of worthwhile material to read, and our understanding of Marxism must also be fused with a thorough understanding of Irish history and current affairs, and the experience from practice. At the same time, there is great value in revisiting many of the fundamentals; some texts benefit from multiple readings in order to get the most out of them, particularly as you develop your overall understanding and develop an ability to “connect the dots” with other information and knowledge.
Likewise, these texts can form the groundwork for better understandings of other important works which may not be listed here.
Where To Begin? – The Basics
The Principles of Communism – Friedrich Engels
The first scientific draft program of the Communist League, it therefore is an essential preliminary stage to the communist manifesto. It describes the main principles of communism, both in regard to economics and strategy & tactics, and breaks down the communist idea of class.
The Communist Manifesto – Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels
Initially written as a propaganda piece, it remains important. In the beginning it can serve to give an answer to many early questions like what is the Bourgeoisie? What is the Proletariat? What is the communist movement? What is it relation to the working class? Despite its “introductory” nature it is worth re-reading in order to better understand its significance and content.
The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism – Vladimir I. Lenin
A concise article by Lenin on the historical roots, essence and structure of Marxism which he wrote on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the death of Karl Marx. Lenin shows that Marxism isn’t something stiff and isolated, but interconnected and in development, and explores its relationship to material conditions, the class struggle of the 19th century and the continuation and further development of 19th century philosophy and economy.
Socialism: Utopian and Scientific – Friedrich Engels
This little book consists of three edited chapter of Engels’ Anti-Dühring. Engels outlines therein the differences of the primitive-utopian socialists and scientific socialism. He shows the material basis for the discovery of the scientific worldview and introduces several pivotal aspects of Marxism like the opposition of Dialectics and Metaphysics, and the development of capitalism from feudalism to the point of capitalist crisis. It also gives a good introduction into the materialist conception of history, including the materialist conception of the state. It remains a classic introduction to the Marxist worldview, and was the most-read socialist book of its time.
State and Revolution – Vladimir I. Lenin
State and Revolution provides a great presentation of the Marxist conception of the state. It is written as an investigation and summary of the character of the state, as well as exploring the character of a Proletarian state. This text addresses one of the shortcomings in the writings of Marx and Engels; where a full reading of several books is necessary to explore the concept of the state. Whilst State & Revolution is not a replacement for further study, it is an excellent and concise overview.
Workshop Talks – James Connolly
Connolly’s classic exposition of socialism deals with some of the practical issues facing the movement, whilst also addressing the necessity for internationalism, and challenging those who insist that socialists should be “practical”.
Karl Marx: A Brief Biographical Sketch With an Exposition of Marxism – V. I. Lenin
Lenin gives a short but detailed introduction into the character of Marx, and gives a good overall introduction into the philosophical, economic, and political aspects of the Marxist worldview.
Foundations of Leninism – J. V. Stalin
A concise overview of the origins, theory, and application of Marxism-Leninism.
Critique of the Gotha Program – Karl Marx
Marx formulates in the ‘Critique of the Gotha Program’ a whole series of ideas on fundamental questions of the theory of the scientific communism: the socialist revolution, the dictatorship of the proletariat, the transition period from capitalism to communism, the two phases of communist society, production and distribution of the total social product in socialism and the basic features of developed communism, proletarian internationalism and the party of the working class.
Wage Labour and Capital – Karl Marx
This text is a compilation of lectures Marx held in front of workers in Brussels. This is what gives the text its systematically structured, popular form.
Marx exposes the essence of production relations of capitalist society. He shows that capital and wage labour are mutually dependent, simultaneously he emphasizes with great clarity the antagonistic nature of this relation.
The introduction of Engels to this text is recommended. Engels shows how Marx discovers the term of labour-power through the means of the dialectical method, as well as clarifying its distinction from labour.
Marxist Philosophy
It can be hard to grasp the terminology in the philosophical texts sometimes, but the correct terminology is extremely important, especially because of the character of philosophy as an abstracting science. As such, A Dictionary of Philosophy edited by M. Rosenthal & R. Yudin can be very useful in getting a better understanding of the terminology.
Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy – Friedrich Engels
This little book is a great introduction into Marxist philosophy. Engels shows the differences of the Marxist philosophical system to Hegelian Idealism on the one hand and the Materialism of Feuerbach on the other hand. He develops the fundamental question of philosophy, what is Materialism, what is Idealism, why it is the highest abstraction of every philosophical question. He also lays out the materialist conception of history.
Georgi Plekhanov:
As the founder of Russian Social-Democracy and the political and philosophical teacher of Lenin, Plekhanov played an important role in the communist movement, and his political writings are similarly important. He outlines clearly the Marxist philosophical system; and it may be worth reading Plekhanov before diving into the extensive realm of Marx & Engels’ further philosophical writings. But he shouldn’t just be considered as a supplementary source, he also brings new contents into Marxism, discovers new sides of Marxist philosophy, especially his investigations on French materialism and the overcoming of its flaws through dialectics, and the writings on superstructure and base.
Fundamental Problems of Marxism – G. Plekhanov
Written for the 25th anniversary of Marx’s death this book elaborates on the origins and explanatory power of dialectical and historical materialism. Plekhanov shows that Marxism is an integral worldview, and solely the scientific method is capable to overcome contemporary problems in it.
Essays on the History of Materialism – G. Plekhanov
An investigation of the 18th century French materialist philosophers, Holbach and Helvetius. Plekhanov shows how Hegels’ dialectics overcame the flaws of metaphysical materialism of Holbach and Helvitius. And how Marx system is the fulfilment of dialectics.
The Materialist Understanding of History – G. Plekhanov
A good text for the introduction to the materialist conception of history. Focus lies on the critique of the so called “factors theory” which postulates that non-economic factors such as ethics or biology are as meaningful or influential.
On the Role of the Individual in History – G. Plekhanov
In this Plekhanov investigates which role different individuals actually play in history. Does it make a difference if different leaders are ruling? It comes to the issue of the relation of economic base and superstructure, and finally of freedom and necessity.
A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right (Introduction) – Karl Marx
Beginning with a concise critique of religion, Marx concludes in this piece the critique of the ruling system. From the critique of the other-world to the critique of this world. It also the first time that Marx declares the proletariat as the revolutionary subject.
On Authority – Friedrich Engels
An article directed against the anarchist critique of authority.
Anti-Dühring – Friedrich Engels
A collection of articles directed against the reactionary social-democratic theoretician, Eugen Dühring. It also covers the application of Marxist philosophy to a broad amount of topics. It touches on all component parts of Marxism, and is a prime example of the interconnection of the three component parts of Marxism.
Materialism and Empirio-criticism – V. I. Lenin
A defence of Marxist philosophy against the emerging subjective idealist tendency in the social-democratic movement at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a clear application of Marxist philosophy to capitalism in the stage of imperialism and the revolution in the natural sciences. It is a prime example of the scientific nature of the Marxist philosophy.
Poverty of Philosophy – Karl Marx
A critique of the economic and philosophical system of Proudhon. While the first part of the book focus on several economic confusions made by Proudhon, the second part is the particularly valuable one. Marx criticises the philosophical system which is used in the political economy of Proudhon, simultaneously it is the first time that Marx outlines his own philosophical system, and as such is one of the most important philosophical writings of Marx.
On the Question of Dialectics – V. I. Lenin
Notes of Lenin on the dialectical relation of the Individual and the General and its role in the process of cognition.
Summary of Dialectics – V. I. Lenin
Final note of Lenin on Hegels’ Logic, summarising the different properties of the object. A great summary of the different dialectical categories.
The German Ideology – Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels
A set of manuscripts written by Marx and Engels in 1846 directed against different proponents of German socialism. In this they develop the theory of historical materialism and advance from their position of being followers of Feuerbachs’ materialism. It represents a decisive point of the development of Marxist philosophy.
Historical Materialism
Reading concrete applications of the dialectical method is helpful not just to understand history much better, but also to grasp a deeper understanding of the dialectical method itself in understanding how history is moving as a result of its inherent contradictions.
While the classic texts of Marxism can give an introduction to this, areas of concrete analysis can vary on particular personal fields of interest. It is worth considering reading a Marxist author instead of the mainstream bourgeois historians when you want to introduce yourself to a topic the next time.
Emergence of class society:
The Part Played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to Man – Friedrich Engels
In this article Engels clarifies the decisive part played by labour – in its first stage through the development of tools – in the development of the nascent human being and in the formation of human society, and demonstrates how, as the result of a long historical process, the ape-like ancestor developed to a qualitatively different creature: the human being.
The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State – Friedrich Engels
Using dialectical-materialism, Engels analyses the pre-class formations of human society and supplements the scientific picture of the development of bourgeois society drawn by Marx in Capital with an in-depth characterisation of primitive-communism, the slave-owning order, and feudalism. For the first time in Marxist literature, Engels illuminates the development of the family from the standpoint of historical materialism. Viewing the family as a historical category, Engels reveals the connection between its forms with the various stages in the development of society and the dependence of these forms on changes in the mode of production. He shows show, in accordance with the development of the productive forces, the influence of gendered organisations in society diminished, and a society emerged in which the role of the family is completely dominated by the role of property. Whilst some elements have since been developed upon by anthropology, it remains a classic foundation in Marxist understanding of gender relations.
Analysis of history driven by the class struggle:
The Class Struggles in France 1848 to 1850 & 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte – Karl Marx
Two essays on the struggles and revolts in France in the 1840s, and the subsequent rise of Louis Bonaparte (Napoleon III). It is worth reading them together as the `historical context of the revolts is not always present, and at least a superficial knowledge of them is helpful for the 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte. Marx outlines through the analysis not just the dialectical method, but also concepts like the relationship between superstructure and economic base, role of different stratas, and role of socialists.
Engels aptly summarized the significance of the two essays in his “Introduction to Karl Marx’s The Class Struggle in France 1848 to 1850”:
“In the Communist Manifesto, the theory was applied in broad outline to the whole of modern history; in the articles by Marx and myself in the Neue Rheinische Zeitung, it was constantly used to interpret political events of the day. Here, on the other hand, the question was to demonstrate the inner causal connection in the course of a development which extended over some years, a development as critical, for the whole of Europe, as it was typical; hence, in accordance with the conception of the author, to trace political events back to effects of what were, in the final analysis, economic causes.”
The Peasant War in Germany – Friedrich Engels
Engels’ analysis of the peasant insurrection in the 16th century. He reflects on its failings based on the material conditions of the period, but also compares its failing with the failing of the revolution 1848-1849, caused by the treacherous bourgeoisie and the lack of centralisation.
Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Germany – Friedrich Engels
In what is now known as “Revolution and Counter-Revolution in Germany”, Engels set out the preconditions, character and driving forces of the German revolution of 1848/49. Engels demonstrated the importance of the political platform of the proletarian party, which aimed at the unification of Germany by revolutionary means and a consistent democratic reorganisation of its social and political order. In his articles, Engels sketched a clear picture of the national and international situation in which the German revolution was taking place. He examined the socio-economic conditions in Germany at the time and showed their influence on the course of events; he identifies the most important stages of the revolution and the role that the various classes played in it.
The Decline of Feudalism and the Rise of the Bourgeoisie – Friedrich Engels
An unfinished manuscript, in this Engels shows how capitalist relations gradually emerged in Western Europe out of the old feudal order, and how modern states were formed.
The Condition of the Working Class in England – Friedrich Engels
Engels examines the economic and political structure of England and uses it – as the most developed country at the time – to show a series of the laws of capitalist production. He reveals the whole depth of the industrial upheaval which caused the emergence of the factory proletariat, and emphasises the irreconcilability of the interests of the workers and the interests of the capitalists. Engels proves that under capitalism an industrial reserve army of unemployed workers inevitably forms, that economic crises recur periodically and that the exploitation of the working class and the labouring masses increases in the same proportion as the increase in capitalist production.
Marxist Economics
Value, Price and Profit – Karl Marx
This lecture which Marx gave against Weston’s theories of passivity contains the fundamentals of Marxist economy. Simultaneously it is an excellent example of how the conclusions of revolutionary theory are used to determine the practical tasks of the labour movement.
A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy – Karl Marx
In this text, Marx examines in detail the nature of commodities and money.
Marx uses the scientific method in analysing social relations, the nature of the commodity, commodity-producing labour, and develops the theory of value and examines the origin, nature and functions of money.
A critical analysis of the various bourgeois and petty-bourgeois theories of the commodity, value, money and money circulation takes up a great deal of space as well. With this work, Marx laid the foundation for the scientific explanation of the nature of capitalist exploitation.
Outlines of a Critique of Political Economy – Friedrich Engels
The first economic work written by Engels. He examines the fundamental phenomena of the modern economic order from a socialist point of view. It was the first attempt to analyse bourgeois political economy from a dialectical and materialist standpoint. Engels discovered in the development of the internal contradictions of capitalist private property, that there also existed the inevitable intensification of the social antagonisms of the bourgeois system which would be the decisive cause of the future social revolution, which is called upon to abolish this system and to establish a new, just social order. Despite of its limitations caused by Engels ideological underdevelopment (he was still proponent of Feuerbach’s Humanism at this time) it is an important work which was highly praised by Marx.
Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism – V. I. Lenin
After the developments of capitalism beginning in the 1870s and after Hilferdings’ “Finance Capital”, Lenin concludes that capitalism has not only changed quantitatively but also reached its qualitative last stage. It aggravates the contradiction between capital and labour and through the massive socialisation of production it simultaneously creates the social basis for opportunism in the labour movement and creates the necessity of a special emphasis on the struggle against revisionism and opportunism.
Soviet Textbook on Political Economy – Easy-to-read (but long) textbook covering Marxist political economy. Best consulted for its first section on pre-capitalist and capitalist political economy, as the section for political economy under socialism was (and is) subject to debate.
Scientific Socialism
Scientific Socialism centres around the class struggle. That means approaching the class struggle scientifically. This entails reflecting on questions such as: What are the integration and disintegration mechanisms of capitalism? What about questions of strategy and tactics of the working class? How to construct socialism? What is the role of trade unions? What of the party? What is the relation of reform and revolution?
Most of these questions are already, at least in embryo form, touched on in the communist manifesto.
What Is To Be Done? – V. I. Lenin
Lenin develops in the dispute with the Economist tendencies in Russian social-democracy the ideological guiding principles of the Bolshevik party.
Left-Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder – V. I. Lenin
Lenin deals with several left-tendencies in the European communist movement in the 1920s, he consolidates the Marxist position on several topics like the relation towards parliamentarianism, trade-unions, alliances etc.
The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky – V. I. Lenin
Lenin refutes Kautsky’s bourgeois-idealist conception of democracy and outlines the Marxist conception of the proletarian revolution and its class dictatorship.
The Civil War in France – Karl Marx
Marx assesses the experiences of the Paris Commune. He further develops the conception of the state, the revolution and the dictatorship of the proletariat.
The Commune was the historical event that marked the period of the transition from pre-monopoly capitalism to imperialism – the epoch of fully developed rule and the decline of the bourgeoisie, the gradual gathering of the proletarian forces and the preparation for the decisive class battles.
Militarism & Anti-Militarism – Karl Liebknecht
Liebknecht not only shows the essence and class-character of militarism but also investigates several Anti-Militarist tactics. A special focus is taken by Liebknecht on the role of the working class youth in the anti-militarist struggle.
How accurate and poignant this writing was (and still is) is emphasised by the fact that only a few months after publishing it was confiscated by the German authorities, and the author was tried for high treason at Leipzig, Saxony, in October 1907.
Reform or Revolution – Rosa Luxemburg
Written in the debates around Bernstein’s Evolutionary Socialism in the German Social-Democratic movement at the turn of the century.
It outlines and critiques the Reformist positions of Bernstein and proves its basis in fundamental revisions of Marxist philosophy and economy. Highly topical as these tendencies are still dominant in the labour movement and will development as long as Imperialism will exist.
A Critique of the Draft Social-Democratic Program of 1891 – Friedrich Engels
This text was written at a time when the consolidation of monopoly-capitalism was almost complete. The socialist movement advanced and Marxism became its dominant force, but it also was the time of opportunist tendencies which streamed into the ranks of the proletariat. In that context Engels draws attention here to the changing forms of organization modern capitalist production, among which exploitation is heightened.. V.I.Lenin emphasized that Engels here describes the fundamentals of the new stage of capitalism and therefore also the basis for new tendencies of opportunism.
Differences in the European Labour Movement – V. I. Lenin
An Article on the different bourgeois policies of Concessions and Repressions and their reflection in left- and right-wing opportunism.
Theses on the Role of the Communist Party in the Proletarian Revolution
This theses were adopted by the second congress of the communist international.
They outline the role of the communist party in the socialist revolution, its relation to the soviets, the working class and its role in the proletarian class dictatorship.
Fascism & Anti-Fascism
The Struggle Against Fascism – Clara Zetkin
A report given on June 20, 1923, to the Third Plenum of the Executive Committee of the Communist International. Zetkin already anticipates early the essence of fascism and its special character in comparison to other reactionary forms of bourgeois rule.
The Fascist Offensive – Georgi Dimitrov
A report given on in August 1935, to the 7th Congress of the Communist International.
It maintains the famous characterisation of fascism as the terrorist dictatorship of the most reactionary, most chauvinist and most imperialist elements of finance-capital. It also integrates the diverse experiences of different forms of fascist rulings and failing of different tactics of the working class against it.
Note: It also is the theoretical justification for the popular front tactic – a tactic which needs to be critical re-assessed after the historical experiences – the CYM does not have a position in regard to the popular front tactic.
Fascism and Social Revolution – R. Palme Dutt
Written on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Communist International in 1934/1935 shortly before it adopted the Popular-Front Tactic. Dutt, in contrast to Dimitrov, describes Fascism not just as a form of ruling of finance-capital but as the direct repercussion of the general crisis of capitalism leading to the intensification of the fundamental contradiction of capitalism. He investigates all countries of the imperialist core and shows that fascism isn’t a phenomena insular to some countries but a general development representing the intensification of the class contradictions in the superstructure, most developed in the imperialisms which suffered under the post-war order; Germany, Austria and Italy.
Women
Many of the foundations of the Marxist view of patriarchy and the role of bourgeois family are formulated in Engels “Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State”. However, it is vital to read deeply and widely on women’s issues, and to read contemporary literature on women’s liberation.
Lenin On the Women’s Question – Clara Zetkin
From the recollections of Clara Zetkin of the talks with Lenin on the Woman Question. Lenin always struggled for the acknowledgement of the significance of the Woman Question and the importance of a women’s organization.
On The Emancipation of Women – V. I. Lenin
A collection of the works of Lenin regarding women’s liberation and the tasks taken by the early Soviet state.
Philosophical Trends in the Feminist Movement – Anuradha Ghandhy
A good introduction to the main trends in feminism, Marxist and otherwise. It provides an overview of the feminist movement, its shortcomings, and evolution.
Wages Against Housework – Silvia Federici
A short essay introducing a core issue facing many working class women; the dual expectation of worker and home-maker
Women Race and Class – Angela Davis
A longer book looking at the feminist movement and the struggle for racial equality in the United States, but provides many good discussion points on feminist issues
Marxism and the Oppression of Women – Lise Vogel
A direct response to the Unhappy Marriage of Marxism and Feminism by Heidi Hartmann.
Ireland and Republicanism
British Imperialism in Ireland – Elinor Burns
A concise, Marxist history of the impact of English/ British colonialism and imperialism in Ireland from the 1640s to 1930s.
Connolly/Walker Controversy – James Connolly
The famous debate which outlines the difference between the socialist-republican position and Walkerite “Labour Unionism”.
Socialism and Nationalism – James Connolly
The classic introduction to socialist-republicanism that outlines the interconnectedness and necessity of socialism and national liberation in Ireland.
The Sins of the Father – Conor McCabe
A modern investigation into the state of the Irish economy going back to the foundation of the state, and up to the financial crises of the 2010s.
Unfinished Business – Marisa McGlinchey
An exploration of contemporary Irish Republicanism since the “peace process” of the 1990s, focusing primarily on “dissident” republican groups.
Wolfe Tone’s Ideals of Democracy – Constance Markievicz
A short summary of the revolutionary republican ideals of Wolfe Tone as an internationalist and anti-imperialist.
Labour in Irish History – James Connolly
James Connolly’s attempt to explore Irish history through a historical materialist lens. Whilst not without its historiographical flaws it remains one of the most significant contributions to Irish Marxism.
Ireland Her Own – T. A. Jackson
A broad but detailed outline of a Marxist history of Ireland, covering from ancient Gaelic Ireland through to the 20th century.
LGBT
Towards a Scientific Analysis of the Gay Question – Los Angeles Research Group
A rebuttal of the arguments made that gay liberation was at odds with workers liberation whilst exploring the material causes for queerphobia.
Invisible Comrades: Gays and Lesbians in the Irish Struggle – Brendi McClenaghan