Session 1: Socialist Fundamental
We will cover: What is Capitalism? & What is Socialism?
Main Readings:
- Communist Manifesto (Chapter 1)
- But at Least Capitalism Is Free and Democratic, Right? by Erik Olin Wright
- What Is Democratic Socialism? by Neal Meyer
Supplemental readings:
- Engels “Principles of Communism”: The Principles of Communism
- Struggle For Democratic Socialism by Angela Davis (1994)
- Say It Loud, Say It Proud: Democratic Socialism Is the Future by Natasha Fernández-Silber
Themes and key concepts/ topics:
- Socialism/communism, materialism, idealism, class, class struggle, capitalism
- Socialist history
- Why the working class?
- Why do socialists aim to replace capitalism with an entirely different system?