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Plato's Republic, Hobbes's Leviathan, and Marx's Communist Manifesto are universally acknowledged classics of Western political thought. But how strong are the core arguments on which they base their visions of the good society that they want to bring into being? In this lively and provocative book, W. G. Runciman shows where and why they fail, even after due allowance has been made for the different historical contexts in which they wrote. Plato, Hobbes, and Marx were all passionately convinced that justice, peace, and order could be established if only their teachings were implemented and the right people put into power. But Runciman makes a powerful case to the effect that all three were irredeemably naive in their assumptions about how human societies function and evolve and how human behavior could be changed. Yet despite this, Runciman insists that Republic, Leviathan, and The Communist Manifesto remain great books. Born of righteous anger and frustration, they are masterfully eloquent pleas for better worlds--worlds that Plato, Hobbes, and Marx cannot bring themselves to admit to be unattainable.

Marx and Engels'sCommunist Manifestohas become one of the world's most influential political tracts since its original 1848 publication. Part of the Rethinking the Western Tradition series, this edition of theManifestofeatures an extensive introduction by Jeffrey C. Isaac, and essays by Vladimir Tismaneanu, Steven Lukes, Saskia Sassen, and Stephen Eric Bronner, each well known for their writing on questions central to theManifestoand the history of Marxism. These essays address theManifesto's historical background, its impact on the development of twentieth-century Communism, its strengths and weaknesses as a form of ethical critique, and its relevance in the post-1989, post-Cold War world. This edition also includes much ancillary material, including the many Prefaces published in the lifetimes of Marx and Engels, and Engels's \"Principles of Communism.\"

\"What is globalization? Here is one of the best answers. It is the 'constant revolutionizing of production' and the 'endless disturbance of all social conditions.' It is 'everlasting uncertainty.' Everything 'fixed and frozen' is 'swept away,' and 'all that is solid melts into air.' Yes, you have read this before. It is fromThe Communist Manifesto, by Messrs. Marx and Engels.\"-The New York Times Here, at last, is an authoritative introduction to history's most important political document, with the full text ofThe Communist Manifestoby Marx and Engels. This beautifully organized and presented edition ofThe Communist Manifestois fully annotated, with clear historical references and explication, additional related texts, and a glossary that will bring the text to life for students, as well as the general reader. Since it was first written in 1848, theManifestohas been translated into more languages than any other modern text. It has been banned, censored, burned, and declared \"dead.\" But year after year, the text only grows more influential, remaining required reading in courses on philosophy, politics, economics, and history. \"Apart from Charles Darwin'sOrigin of Species,\" notes theLos Angeles Times, theManifesto\"is arguably the most important work of nonfiction written in the 19th century.\"The Washington Postcalls Marx \"an astute critic of capitalism.\" Writing inThe New York Times, Columbia University Professor Steven Marcus describes theManifestoas a \"masterpiece\" with \"enduring insights into social existence.\" The New Yorkerrecently described Karl Marx as \"The Next Thinker\" for our era. This book will show readers why. Phil Gasperis a professor of philosophy at Notre Dame de Namur University in northern California. He writes extensively on politics and the philosophy of science and is a frequent contributor toCounterPunch.

Following the disappearance of the Soviet Union, scholars across the political spectrum tackled the world-historical significance of the end of communism. This book addresses the balance-sheets of modern political history offered by three writers -- Francis Fukuyama, Eric Hobsbawm and Perry Anderson -- comparing them with the future projected by Marx in The Communist Manifesto. Gregory Elliott argues that Marx is central to all three accounts and that, along with the Manifesto, they form a quartet of analyses of the results and prospects of capitalism and socialism, which are of enduring significance for the Left. This book provides a readable survey of key historical and political thinkers that will appeal to anyone interested in modern political thought.

The Communist Manifesto is one of the most influential political books in the world, despite being over one hundred years old. German philosophers Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels authored the manuscript at the beginning of the 1848 revolutions that swept across Europe. The book outlines Communist theories about class struggle, the problems of capitalism, and predicts the rise of the working class (referred to as the proletariat) against the bourgeois that will ultimately end class society. Marx and Engels' theories increased in prevalence during the twentieth century when Communist rulers governed much of the world's population. This is an unabridged version of Samuel Moore's 1888 English translation.

Following the disappearance of the Soviet Union, scholars across the political spectrum tackled the world-historical significance of the end of communism. This book addresses the balance-sheets of modern political history offered by three writers -- Francis Fukuyama, Eric Hobsbawm and Perry Anderson -- comparing them with the future projected by Marx in The Communist Manifesto.*BR* *BR*Gregory Elliott argues that Marx is central to all three accounts and that, along with the Manifesto, they form a quartet of analyses of the results and prospects of capitalism and socialism, which are of enduring significance for the Left.*BR* *BR*This book provides a readable survey of key historical and political thinkers that will appeal to anyone interested in modern political thought.

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- The Sorcerer and the Gravedigger: Karl Marx -- Full Spectrum Dominance? Francis Fukuyama -- In Extremis: Eric Hobsbawm -- Ringing Out the Old: Perry Anderson -- Conclusion: Starting Over? -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.

An authoritative introduction to history's most important political document, with the full text of the Manifesto.