Hi everyone, I’ve really been wanting to learn more about anarchism and communism, especially because they’re so misunderstood and it seems they’re never really portrayed correctly, especially in America where the idea of socialism is enough to spark reactions. I’m 20 and have always been interest in politics as a trans person whose been raised to question authority and what I see and hear from politicians, on TV, etc. but I never really dug in to politics much until now. I’ve never been satisfied by “just being liberal” and I care more about extreme/revolutionary societal change and have always been disillusioned with capitalism, especially after experiencing horrible financial conditions that included me and my dad losing our house, a few years of having to live with a friend of his, and we now live in an apartment and it’s fairly stable but we’re always having to find ways to save and have had to deal with a few eviction notices.

I purchased anarchism and other essays by Emma Goldman and foundations of Leninism by JV Stalin from a used bookstore so far, but does anyone have any other recommendations?

Sorry if I sound like a noob, it’s because I am :)

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[–] plinky@hexbear.net 11 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

I would suggest best boy peter gelderloos (https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/peter-gelderloos-the-failure-of-nonviolence - for overview of recent political stuff from 80s-2010s from very anarchist blackpilled (😉) position) and best girl zoe (https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/zoe-baker-means-and-ends - more malatesta sunshine view). You can read malatesta and bakunin, but their beefs are more irrelevant in today world. meow-anarchist i think reading along you would get perfectly good idea about anarchism/ancom thingy (at least ones i find relevant, anarchists have some stuff with egoism, but i find it rather disturbing ideology)

For more ml-friendly style - redsails has lot of interesting small essays (like https://redsails.org/masses-elites-and-rebels/ or https://redsails.org/really-existing-fascism/). You can read state and revolution ofc, for general thingy (but rather idealized). Imperialism in 21th century by john smith for more world spanning tale of shit as it is now. perry anderson for historic books to sort of see how historical materialism sees the world. meow-tankie marxism is more complicated cause they are more popular, council comms will read pannekoek and brain of the firm, ml will split on stalin/trotsky and then blame each other, dengists doing god knows what to explain their shit.

You have a lense (historical materialism - position that society (laws/customs/state) is structured around existing production and distribution, being a structure on top of it. Not ideas (e.g. you can rail about liberty all you want, ancient greece would still enslave your ass cause they need you to mine marble) changing society, but rather some objective things in material exchange breaking down during transitions), and what to do about that (intentionally breaking them down from below/above, reforming blah blah is where lots of marxists split), and how to go about it (electoralism, adventurism, intentional abstention and communizing etc). (anarchists frequently accept the lens of criticism, not so much the how and to which end to go about it, see means and ends)

[–] Nasalstrip@hexbear.net 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Really appreciate you taking the time to write this all out, thanks a bunch 🕺

[–] plinky@hexbear.net 4 points 3 weeks ago

theory-gary de nada