Tuesday, April 11, 2017

MIT Press Just Published: 'Communism for Kids'



MIT Press has just published Communism for Kids by Bini Adamczak (a translation of his German language book).

The Press identifies Adamczak as "a Berlin-based social theorist and artist, [who] writes on political theory, queer politics, and the past future of revolutions."

According to the blurb the book is a bizarre fairy tale where capitalism causes misery:
Once upon a time, people yearned to be free of the misery of capitalism. How could their dreams come true? This little book proposes a different kind of communism, one that is true to its ideals and free from authoritarianism. Offering relief for many who have been numbed by Marxist exegesis and given headaches by the earnest pompousness of socialist politics, it presents political theory in the simple terms of a children’s story, accompanied by illustrations of lovable little revolutionaries experiencing their political awakening.

It all unfolds like a story, with jealous princesses, fancy swords, displaced peasants, mean bosses, and tired workers–not to mention a Ouija board, a talking chair, and a big pot called “the state.” Before they know it, readers are learning about the economic history of feudalism, class struggles in capitalism, different ideas of communism, and more. Finally, competition between two factories leads to a crisis that the workers attempt to solve in six different ways (most of them borrowed from historic models of communist or socialist change). Each attempt fails, since true communism is not so easy after all. But it’s also not that hard. At last, the people take everything into their own hands and decide for themselves how to continue. Happy ending? Only the future will tell. With an epilogue that goes deeper into the theoretical issues behind the story, this book is perfect for all ages and all who desire a better world.
-RW 

(ht Jordan B. Peterson)

15 comments:

  1. where the chapter on sticking people in prison or murdering them?

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  2. What is the object that these hideous children are smashing? If the rest of the book is like its cover it must be completely incomprehensible.

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  3. See also, A is for Anarchy in this regard....Spoiler alert: B is for black block-- no joke!

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  4. I repeat for the 46,238th time that no non-Austrian nor non-libertarian has the slightest familiarity with even BASIC Austrian or NAP concepts. In the 30s, leftists were smarter than they are today and actually tried to refute the socialist calculation problem. Today, a brain scan would show more brain activity in the cat's brain while explaining the issue to your cat than while explaining it to a "progressive". Flat line...........

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  5. "Each attempt fails, since true communism is not so easy after all. But it’s also not that hard. "

    Aha! That makes it clear then, let's get it on, right?!

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  6. Wenzel, I think you should purchase the book and upload it in full to this site. We should make this knowledge available to all! Communism is so important I'm sure the author wouldn't mind sharing his wealth of knowledge on the subject. And, if he sues you, it would be fun to watch a commie defend his capitalistic interests.

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    1. I have already purchased the book and will review it after it arrives and I have a chance to read it but I am not going to go communist and upload someone else's work. The idea that intellectual work belongs to everyone is a central planning (communist) notion.

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    2. Great response.

      I doubt the author would agree- you should ask her!

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  7. I wonder if it will reference "The Black Book of Communism" and say the deaths of tens of millions to achieve communism was worth it.

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  8. I'm perfectly fine with these individuals starving themselves, but please stop trying to force it on me.

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  9. Communism for kids: Kids play on the beach and see the moon sitting just above the horizon. They jump in the ocean and try to swim to the moon. They all drown because swimming to the moon is impossible.

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  10. I'll make a deal. They can have their non-authoritarian communism if we can have our free society. What? No? I didn't think so.

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  11. Consider the last 5 years or so history of:
    Russia, China, Cuba, Viet Nam, Cambodia, and a half a dozen countries in Africa where it has been tried.
    Has it been very good for children anywhere it's been tried?

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    1. Yes but this time is different. Because "children are our future" and "inclusion" and stuff.

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