Platypus introduction to the history of Marxism readings

A series of 10 sessions introducing Platypus’s approach to the history of Marxism.

required / * recommended [ / +* supplemental ] readings

Essential background reading:

• Leszek Kolakowski, “The Concept of the Left�

Week 1

• Chris Cutrone, “The Marxist hypothesis: a response to Alain Badiou’s ‘communist hypothesis’“

• Cutrone, “Capital in history: The need for a Marxian philosophy of history of the Left�

[ +* Rousseau, Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (1754) ]

[ +* Rousseau, selection from The Social Contract (1762) ]

Week 2

• Marx and Friedrich Engels, selections from the Manifesto of the Communist Party (1848), pp. 469-500

• Marx, To make the world philosophical (from Marx’s dissertation, 1839”41), pp. 9”11

• Marx, For the ruthless criticism of everything existing (letter to Arnold Ruge, September 1843), pp. 12”15

Week 3

• Screening: Margarethe von Trotta, dir., Rosa Luxemburg (1986 film)

• Rosa Luxemburg, “The Crisis of German Social Democracyâ€? Part 1 (1915), and “Order Reigns in Berlin” (1919)

• J. P. Nettl, “The German Social Democratic Party 1890-1914 as a Political Model� (1965)

[ +* James Joll, The Second International 1889-1914 (1966) ]

Week 4

• Cliff Slaughter, “What is Revolutionary Leadership?� (1960)

Week 5

• Richard Appignanesi and Oscar Zarate / A&Z, Introducing Lenin and the Russian Revolution / Lenin for Beginners(1977)

Week 6

• *Spartacist League, Lenin and the Vanguard Party* (1978)

Week 7

• Luxemburg, “The Russian Tragedy� (1918), “Order Reigns in Berlin� (1919)

[ +* Sebastian Haffner, Failure of a Revolution: Germany 1918-19(1968) ]

Week 8

• Tariq Ali and Phil Evans, Introducing Trotsky and Marxism / Trotsky for Beginners (1980)

Week 9

• Max Horkheimer, selections from Dämmerung

Week 10

• Theodor W. Adorno, “Reflections on Class Theory� (1942)

• Adorno, “Resignation� (1969)