- by JH
- The Guardian
- Issue #2190
Engels’ The Principles of Communism acts as a great FAQ for Communism. This short work (my copy is only 30 pages!) covers 25 important questions about what all this communism stuff is about. It is written in Engel’s simple and easy to understand tone. Copying the form of the question-and-answer Catholic catechism a lot of Engels’ readers were familiar with.
This work provides an understanding of what the proletariat and the bourgeoisie are, what the demands of communists should be and what course the revolution may take.
It also helps to clear up a common misconception of the proletariat as just the poor and working people, with the bourgeoisie in contrast being those with money. Engels demonstrates clearly that these classes are based around the relation to the means of production and the division of labour: who owns the machinery and who uses it. It’s not a division between people who are dirt poor and those who are comfortable.
The Principles of Communism is a good place to begin, but it’s not perfect. It’s an early work and is sometimes naïve sometimes simplistic. Modern readers will find language about “civilised” and “backwards” countries jarring.
Despite these issues, you’ll be hard pressed to find an explanation of communism that is this short, clear and enlightening. It’s a good place to start.
