The Communist Manifesto


Read by Jon Ingram

(4.1 stars; 1388 reviews)

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote their Manifesto in December 1847, as a guide to the fundamental principles and practices of Communists. The Manifesto also predicted the ultimate downfall of the capitalist system.
(Summary written by Gesine)

A recording in the original German language is available here (1 hr 36 min)

Chapters

Section 1: Bourgeois and Proletarians 39:48 Read by Jon Ingram
Section 2: Proletarians and Communists 27:24 Read by Jon Ingram
Section 3: Socialist and Communist Literature 29:41 Read by Jon Ingram

Reviews

Well read and relevant


(5 stars)

The book is well read and is a fairly quick listen. While listening to the phrase “communist” may invoke some strong emotions in many, many of the points of view articulated within are simply indisputable facts about the nature of capitalism and wages. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels manage to teach more about simple economics in this short dialogue than most freshman learn in an entire semester. Keeping that in mind, the book is old now (over 100) and the primary focus is industry and not a service economy. While still relevant to this day, the book is ultimately a work of history and can be used to better appreciate what the labor struggle looked like historically and how it may be inspired for future generations.

Well read


(4.5 stars)

Well read, good quality recording, something I was always curious to read.

Well read. Quality recording.


(5 stars)

A very interesting and insightful bit of writing given the time in which it was penned.

Great book


(4 stars)

It is fantastic to have such easy free access to this book. Just thank you.

Great reading


(5 stars)

This one was very clear and enjoyable read. Thank you

Good read; clearly written


(5 stars)

well written and well read audio version.

Eye Opening


(3 stars)

I normally try to steel man conversations and ideas of socialist and communist because I haven't gone through thier source philosophical material. After finishing this I now realized just how shallow in thought thier ideas were and how they feel justified I thier violence based upon purposefully misrepresenting the means of production and how to build wealth for people. I honestly feel like a sucker for being extremely charitable to thier ideas before going over this piece of literature. The reader did a fine job 5/5 The source material not so much.

Excellent reader, flawed text.


(5 stars)

5 stars for the reader's excellent tone, which imparted just the right arrogance that the text of any manifesto demands. 3 stars for the Manifesto itself. While it addresses actual problems in exploitation, its descriptions of both the problem and solution are based only on piles of unproven assumptions (such as the assertion that the nuclear family is a strictly bourgeois invention) or on bad logic (such as its assertion that because adultery is common the abolition of marriage is acceptable). Still a historically and politically valuable read.