Marx is an important writer and worth reading -- along
with other radical thinkers like Bakunin, Kropotkin,
Panneokeok, Mattick and others (i.e. anarchists and
libertarian Marxists).

However, Marxism (and its offshoots) is less appealing.
Have a look at these webpages for an anarchist critique:

 http://www.infoshop.org/faq/append3.html

 http://www.infoshop.org/faq/secHcon.html

 http://www.infoshop.org/texts/iso.html

also, the links page of www.anarchistfaq.org has
links to various libertarian Marxist webpages,
which are worth reading:

 http://www.infoshop.org/faq/links.html

hope that helps.

But since it's an honest enquiry..

As I'm sure you know, there's a huge range of different ideas and perspectives in the anti-capitalist movement. Some of those are Marxist ideas, some aren't. And even among us who call ourselves Marxists there are very different interpretations of what he meant!

My best advice is to find out all you can, and make (and keep re-making) your own judgement.

Read all you can, from as diverse a range of sources as you can. Read critically; always ask yourself 'who wrote this and why?'; assess its truth for yourself.

Even better, go to meetings where you can actually debate these ideas with other interested folk.

Also, very important; stay involved in action. Theories need testing in practice. It's possible to believe all sorts of nonsense if you never have to act on it!


PS: My own experiences led me (after many years!) to realise that I do agree with Marx, also with Lenin, and (deep breath) with The Party Whose Name May Not Be Spoken.

I only mention it because we're currently hosting forums to debate Marxist ideas up and down the country. If anyone's interested, details are on the website:

Talking of the party which should not exist, I
would say that this is a good example of why
Marxism (rather than Marx) should be avoided
(particularly its Leninist version).

Visit these pages for replies to SWP distortions
on anarchist theory and history. Once you see
the levels the self-proclaimed followers of
Marx sink to, you cannot help feeling sorry
for him!

A reply to Pat Stack's lying article on anarchism:
 http://www.infoshop.org/texts/swp_crap.html

In Defence of the Truth (on the SWP and its lies
about the Makhnovist movement):
 http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Embassy/8559/makhnov/indeftru.htm

On the SWP's inventive account of Bakunin and his ideas:
 http://www.infoshop.org/texts/bakunin2.html

An anarchist perspective on Marxism 2001.
 http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=01/07/11/7520181

There are many more, as indicated in my first posting.

Alan,
You are on the right track to read Marx to discouver what Marxism is about. He has been attacked ever since he provided us with a social science tool to analyse for ourselves the society in which we live. He needs no interpretation, particularly by anti-communists.

Have you wondered why so many "progressive" people spend so much time slagging Marxism rather than getting on with their own revolutionary program to counter the neo-liberal
attacks on the worlds people?

Take a look at these three Marxist/Leninist sites and draw your own conclusions. www.cpcml.ca ; www.rcpbml.org.uk
www.usmlo.org

I have to honestly say that Marx completely changed my life and was the first author who got me seriously interested in politics, and more importantly, activism.

Whatever you may think of some Marxists, or Lenninism, or the SWP, or the idea of a Vanguard party... do NOT by any means dismiss Marx. He's an *extremeley* important writer with some incredible insights and ideas.

For a sounds introduction to Marx, I would recommend the
book: 'The Marxism of Marx' by John Lewis. Should be available in a medium-sized library.

Good luck.

"Have you wondered why so many "progressive" people spend
so much time slagging Marxism rather than getting on with
their own revolutionary program to counter the neo-liberal
attacks on the worlds people?"

Did Marx himself not argue for a radical critique of
everything that exists? I see no reason to exclude Marxism
from that process!

Secondly, Marx himself spent a lot of time critiquing (or
just "slagging"?) other revolutionary ideas. If its good
enough for Marx, then its good enough for everyone else.

Thirdly, the urls I posted are replies to Marxist attacks
on anarchism. Onviously Marxists spend alot of time "slagging"
anarchists off. Again, if its good enough for Marxists, then
its good enough for everyone else.

Is this all a case of "do what I say, not what I do"?

Lastly, as regards a positive programme of social change,
please visit "An Anarchist FAQ" (www.anarchistfaq.org)
to discover an indepth introduction to anarchism and its
ideas on how to create a free socialist society. The
FAQ also have a links page to over 700 anarchist and
anarchist related webpages (including groups and unions)
which are applying their ideas in changing the world.

marx is the writer that can help you understand how almost EVERYTHING in capitalist society works, and most important, how to fight against it and replace it with something nicer!
What really proves the value of his work is that most people who want to understand capitalism ,from revolutionary militants to yuppie economists, bother to take a look at what marx wrote.
And there are a lot of marxist writers really worth of reading, like Lenin, Trotsky ,Gramsey, Luxemburg, Bordiga, Lukac, Bucharin, and many more .
You can also try writers of the same age as marx, like Enghels, or Bakunin.
However, one of the things that really suck about some anticapitalists (especially older ones, over 25) is how they read a book , learn a couple of lines that they like, and repeat them irrelevantly when given the chance.
I mean, all these writers are ok, but when reading them you must keep in mind that they lived 60-100 years ago, and so what they said can only help you think for yourself, it's not meant to be applied word by word. It's not doctrine, it's ideas. So i wish you to read all the marx you can, but please be critical! It's important to our movement!
BTW, I've gone to some MARXISM festivals organised by the SWP and I think they're pretty interesting.
And I like their publications, too.

the SWP has openly abandoned the main central tenets of marxism (as opposed to a vague vulgar socialism little different from the Old Labour party). if you doubt it, ask the next SWP paper seller you meet about 'Labor Aristocracy', 'Orthodox Socialism', Hegel's notion of the State', and Trotsky's Theory of Literature & Revolution...
S/He will either splutter, start laughing at you , or mumble about the unions and the NHS. At the worst s/he might threaten you.
you are certainly right; Marx was a serious political philosopher, whose legacy still resounds. Note that he was on personal good terms with his left wing opponents such as Bakunin (anarchist) and Blanqui (proto- Leninist).