The politics of social classes

Meeting

Thu Sep 23 6:00pm

City Heights Rec Center

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 give us a grounding in some of the basic tenets of Marx and Engel’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. Any member can participate, but these are not introductory texts, so we recommend that members familiarize themselves with some basics (listed in each section) before moving on to the main texts.

Recommended prerequisites:

Note: we recommend that for comrades to follow the historical allusions, to use wikidedia as a reference for this period (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution_of_1848)

Trotsky on 1848 (From Results and Prospects):
http://eprints.cddc.vt.edu/marxists///archive/trotsky/1931/tpr/rp03.htm

Readings:

Engel’s introduction to Class Struggles in France

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):

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