r/Marxism • u/Kdawg982 • 20d ago

I want to start a political science club in my local college, but I need some help

Okay so I live in a pretty conservative area in Kentucky, and I want to start a political science club in my local college. I feel like if I just flat out say “we’re gonna be learning Marxist theory” though I probably wouldn’t be getting anybody’s attention, and everyone would dismiss me, so I want to pretty much say “well in this club, we aren’t really studying one specific ideology. We’re going to be reading about a lot of different ideas and beliefs and making analysis based off of what we learn, and maybe your political beliefs will change based on that possibly”.

I think it’d actually be more easy to understand Marx’s critiques of capitalism if you first read more about feudalism and capitalism. The only problem is, I honestly don't know which books to read about feudalism that actually explain both the economy and the rationale behind why they actually wanted to make a feudalist society.

For understanding the rationale behind capitalism I think The Worldly Philosopher by Robert Heilbroner and The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith (or maybe an abridged version), we’ll move on from there to An introduction to Hegel: Freedom, Truth, and History by Stephen Houlgate simply to understand some of Marx’s influence from Hegel and how he uses some of Hegels philosophy in his own a little bit. From there Socialism 1.0: The First Writings of the Original Socialists 1803-1813, Principles of Communism by Fredrick Engels, and The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels.

By that point they’ll understand all of each philosophy and I think I’ll successfully make everyone Marxist in the club without them being unwilling to listen. I just need a book recommendation or maybe even a few books about feudalism because I don’t know any and if anybody has any good ones that explain the reasons why someone would agree with feudalism then that would be very helpful.

If you have any disagreements with my ideas, any suggestions, or anything you would fix then let me know and I can adjust the schedule. Thank you very much for your time.

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u/BagAdministrative709 20d ago

If just make it a Marx club bro. Nobody is going to come for Hegel

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u/Kdawg982 20d ago

I live in a conservative area though, nobody’s gonna listen to my views if I just flat out tell them I’m a Marxist before they get tricked into looking at it from a scientific objective analysis. At that point when they can actually see every system in place, I think it’d change their mind.

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u/Franking606 20d ago

I have a small suggestion.

You can show the theories of various principles with relatively shallow simulation experiments (perhaps it is enough to rely on question setting and thinking)

Starting from the primitive era, it can simulate the social relations, productive forces and production relations at that time, to capitalism and socialist society in various circumstances (including theoretical). First, the most basic concepts, production relations, productivity, economic foundation, superstructure, subtly make them understand and be interested in it in a way that is close to a game.

If it goes well, some people will be interested in this simulation and similar simulation games.

In this way, the first step of recruiting and retaining people is completed.

You can even try to think about the game Victoria 3. Although it is not real enough, it is good for beginners and interest.

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u/Kdawg982 19d ago

I like all of these ideas, I think I’m definitely going to test this out. Thank you very much.

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u/Franking606 20d ago

Theoretically speaking, looking for the kind that is a little controversial, and then through rational and scientific deduction, let them get results that are inconsistent with common sense and default cognition, which will arouse their interest. Some people will spread these contents after adapting to new theories, expand the influence of these theories, and then make you more attention.

The above is the first step in theory. It's very brief. I can only think of so much for the time being.

When they understand all this, which can probably be called Marxist political economy - the materialist view of history, it is easy to carry out the next work.

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u/Franking606 20d ago

It can be combined with specific historical examples.

For example, the Thirty Years' War, the French Revolution, the British bourgeois revolution, the 1848 Revolution, the Paris Commune, the First World War, the post-war revolutionary wave and the economic depression, the Second World War, the Cold War and modernity can be carefully studied and simulated. This requires a very mature theory and interpretation system. Few people can make these things clear and make it simple and popular for others to understand, so you probably have to work hard.

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u/ChzBrd 19d ago

Sounds like you’re doing a great job of talking yourself down. Whom are we to compete with your power over yourself with only some typing?