If your familiarity with Marxism is limited to what you've heard about it from American television, movies and school curricula, then Marxists.Org is the place for you. Marxism as known by the average American is akin to satanism. After making some impressive inroads into society through the Great Depression, Marxism as a viable alternative to runaway indulgent capitalism was dead by the time Joseph McCarthy got through with demonizing and perverting all facets of this economic/social/educational theory. Marxism.Org could very well be taglined Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Marxism But Were Afraid to Ask. If you have a question about how Marxism can be related to practically every field of study, it will be answered here. The site is broken down into five sections: MARXIST WRITERS: Just about all of the viable Marxist movers and shakers who ever wrote on the
subject are listed here--with the noticeable exclusion of Althusser
including the biggies such as Bukharin, Gramsci, John Reed and, of course, Marx, Engels and Lenin. In additional to writings, many of the writers also have images and sound files within their libraries. (If you want to see some different photos of Che besides that one that's always on T-shirts, then here is your chance.) The individual libraries are not, of course, complete but most of the representative works are included, including Marx and Engels' entire text of The Communist Manifesto. There is even an audio version available, produced by the Victorian Labor College. No, it is not Marx who is reading it. Unfortunately, the master died before the invention of credible recording devices.
HISTORY ARCHIVE: Presented as the history of Marxism through the writings of people who did more than just theorize about it. Here you will find links to information covering international workers organizations that sprouted up around the world from the starting with The Communist League in 1847 through the Fourth (Trotskyist) International of 1938. There is even a special link to a special encyclopedia of Trotskyism online section. In addition, the archive devotes space to individual pages covering Marxist activity through history by country, including France, the Soviet Union, Cuba, Algeria, Afghanistan, Canada, Great Britain and even the USA. The
section on the US covers SUBJECT ARCHIVE: The subjects covered in this section of the site include practically every subject that one could think of that could be covered from a Marxist perspective. In addition to an abundance of material approaching art and
literature from Marxist ideals, there are also quite full archives dealing with the connection between Jews and the workers movement, the history of May Day, natural sciences, women and Marxism, alienation, the Frankfurt School and many others. The philosophy section is, quite simply, awe-inspiring. If you can find a major or even a minor philosopher whose work is not represented or at least alluded to here, then you have wayyyy too much time on your hands. REFERENCE WRITERS: In this section you will find a compendium of writers whose thoughts and ideas provide a framework for a deeper understanding of where Marx drew his ideas or how his ideas have influenced those who followed. Here you can read, in its entirety, the bible of capitalism, Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations. The next time you hear someone say that socialism is a pipe dream built on wishes for what humans are, you can respond with your own criticism of Smith's theory that rampant, unregulated capitalism is ultimately good for everyone. In this section you will also find some surprising names that associated themselves with Marxism, including Helen Keller, Jack London and HG Wells. ENCYLOPEDIA OF MARXISM: Just what it sounds like. Click on a letter of the alphabet and you're presented with a fascinating collection of people, places and subjects relating to Marxism. For instance, click on P and you get everything from Pantheismysiocrats. Click E and you are presented with topics ranging from Eleatics to Exchange-Value. (If you don't know Physiocrats from Eleatics, then what are you waiting for? Go to Marxists.Org immediately after leaving this site.) Marxism.Org also offers on its home page a quick link to most of the authors represented within the site, a genuinely stunning collection of some of the most famous and infamous and influential thinkers the world has ever seen.
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