The Communist Manifesto

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

The foundational text of Marxism, outlining the theory of class struggle, the problems with capitalism, and the call for a proletarian revolution.

Capital: Volume 1

Karl Marx

The first volume of Marx’s magnum opus, analyzing the capitalist system’s economic dynamics, particularly the concept of surplus value.

Capital: Volume 2

Karl Marx

Explores the circulation process of capital, delving into the dynamics of markets, commodities, and the reproduction of the capitalist system.

Capital: Volume 3

Karl Marx

Focuses on the process of capitalist production as a whole, analyzing the role of profit, interest, and rent within the capitalist economy.

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Grundrisse: Foundations of the Critique of Political Economy

Karl Marx

A collection of Marx’s notebooks written in 1857-1858, serving as a preliminary draft for Capital. It covers topics like labor, value, and the role of technology in capitalism.

Socialism: Utopian and Scientific

Karl Marx

A classic text where Engels distinguishes between “utopian” socialism and “scientific” socialism, laying the foundation for Marxist theory.

The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte

Karl Marx

An analysis of the 1851 coup in France by Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, offering a critique of political power and the role of class struggle in history.

The State and Revolution

Vladimir Lenin

A key Marxist text where Lenin discusses the role of the state in society, the need for a proletarian revolution, and the transition to socialism.

Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism

Vladimir Lenin

Lenin’s analysis of imperialism as an advanced stage of capitalism, characterized by monopoly and the global division of labor.

An Introduction to Marxist Economic Theory

Ernest Mandel

This short and accessible book is a great starting point for students interested in understanding Marxist economics. Mandel explains fundamental concepts like surplus value, the labor theory of value, and capital accumulation in simple terms.

History and Class Consciousness

Georg Lukács

A pioneering work in Western Marxism, exploring concepts like reification, class consciousness, and the limitations of bourgeois thought.

Prison Notebooks

Antonio Gramsci

A collection of writings by Gramsci while imprisoned by the Italian fascist regime, focusing on cultural hegemony, ideology, and the role of intellectuals in society.

The Marx-Engels Reader

Robert C. Tucker

A comprehensive collection of Marx and Engels’ most significant writings, offering an excellent introduction to their ideas.

The German Ideology

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

A foundational text in which Marx and Engels critique previous materialist and idealist philosophies, laying out the theory of historical materialism.

Dialectic of Enlightenment

Max Horkheimer and Theodor W. Adorno

A work of the Frankfurt School that critiques the Enlightenment and the culture industry from a Marxist perspective.

Marxist Economic Theory (Two Volumes)

Ernest Mandel

This comprehensive text covers the entire spectrum of Marxist economic thought. Mandel explores the historical development of capitalism, the dynamics of imperialism, and the economic theories of Karl Marx. It’s more detailed and suitable for those who want to dive deeper into Marxist economics.

The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State

Friedrich Engels

Engels’ analysis of how the structures of family, private property, and the state emerged, influenced by Marx’s theory of historical materialism.

Marxism and Literature

Raymond Williams

An influential study that brings Marxist theory into the analysis of literature, focusing on culture, hegemony, and ideology.

Marx’s Ecology: Materialism and Nature

John Bellamy Foster

Examines Marx’s views on ecology, challenging the idea that Marxism is inherently anti-environmental.

A Companion to Marx’s Capital

David Harvey

A guide to understanding Marx’s Capital, offering detailed explanations and insights into the text’s complexities.

The Theory of the Leisure Class

Thorstein Veblen

Not a Marxist text per se, but provides a critique of capitalism that aligns with Marxist ideas, focusing on consumer culture and social stratification.

Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent

Eduardo Galeano

Though not strictly Marxist, this book uses a Marxist framework to explore the exploitation of Latin America by imperial powers.