Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Marxism

Explain Marx's conception of economic crises.

matkline — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:54:52 -0800

I'm trying to wrap my head around Marx's conception of Capitalist economic crises. He claims that these crises emerge every 7 years, and are caused by "the epidemic of overproduction." Is there any historical justification for this? (Especially in the modern era?)

One Million Dollars.

Embryo — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:17:42 -0800

Given that at least $350 billion of Federal bailout money remains to be allocated by Congress to the Treasury, a hypothetical: what would happen if Congress decided that the problem with the credit markets was ultimately not a lack of money to lend, but a lack of credible lendees, and decided to just give every American a million dollars? I'm pretty sure it would be something bad, but I'm just curious what that bad thing would be.

How do Kosovar Albanians differ from Albanians in Albania?

jason's_planet — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:26:01 -0800

How do Kosovar Albanians differ from Albanians in Albania? Kosovar Albanians and Albanians in Albania proper share a nationality but their historical experiences seem so different that I wonder if the division has produced cultural differences between the two. The historical analogy that comes to mind is that of Germany, where the Iron Curtain produced distinct “Ossi” and “Wessi” identities which persisted even after reunification

So, how are Kosovar Albanians different from Albanians in Albania? Do they speak a different dialect of Albanian? Do they speak with a distinct accent? How did their experiences under Yugoslav Communism affect them culturally? And how do the two groups view each other?

Many thanks in advance.

Mefites of the World, Unite!

jak68 — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:24:52 -0800

Marxism Filter: Sure, Socialism was the phase before Communism (state monopoly of the means of production right before the proles took over the same). But where in Marx's writings does he talk about this? (looking for the specific books or essays, and if you're an expert, chapter names ;)

Was it in Capital? Was it really Marx who talks about this (this relationship between the Socialist phase and the Communist phase) or was it really Engels or others who came after?

I havent gotten to Capital yet, but in the anthologies I've read so far (Tucker etc) I havent yet come across Marx talking explicitly about the stage theories and transitions and what differentiates the different stages exactly. WHere is all that in his writing? Or was it developed by others later?

Help Me Before the Revolution Commences. . .

boubelium — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:17:56 -0800

Bookfilter: Recommend a good book on Leon Trotsky and Trotskyism. I am just finishing up Robert Service's Comrades! A History of World Communism and I greatly enjoyed it. However, it was a little light on Trotsky and the underpinnings of his brand of Marxism. Can anyone recommend a good book that gives an overview of Trotsky's life and philosophy?

Extra caveats: I don't want anything that is overly glorifying of Trotsky or Communism (I am not a Marxist). I would also prefer a concise single volume work. I am interested in getting a good overview, but this isn't something that I want to delve deeply into.

Trotsky v. Marx

xmutex — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 22:50:18 -0800

Like, what are the main differences between Marx's Communism and Trotsky's Communism?