Bhaskar Sunkara - The Socialist Manifesto

From one of the most prominent voices on the Left, a galvanizing argument for why we need Socialism today.

The success of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign revived a political idea many had thought dead. But what exactly is Socialism? And what would a Socialist system look like?

In The Socialist Manifesto, Bhaskar Sunkara explores Socialism’s history since the mid-1800s and presents a realistic vision for its future. The editor of Jacobin Magazine, Sunkara shows that Socialism, though often seen primarily as an economic system, in fact offers the means to fight all forms of oppression, including racism and sexism. The ultimate goal is not Soviet-style planning, but to win rights to health care, education, and housing and to create new democratic institutions in workplaces and communities.

A primer on Socialism for the 21st century, this is an audiobook for anyone seeking an end to the vast inequities of our age.

“American politics is gripped by the worst kind of debate over socialism: one where everyone has an opinion, but few know what they’re talking about. In this book, Bhaskar Sunkara, one of America’s leading socialists, shows what socialism is and how it might work. Whether you consider yourself a socialist or just want to argue with socialists, this is the place to start.” (Ezra Klein, founder and editor at large of Vox)

“Accessible, irreverent and entertaining, Bhaskar Sunkara has delivered a razor-sharp guide to socialism’s history, transformative promise, and path to power. This book also serves as an irresistible invitation to join in building that power, and in shaping the radically democratic future that is our best hope in these make-or-break times.” (Naomi Klein, New York Times best-selling author of This Changes Everything and No is Not Enough)

“Thanks to the dysfunctionality of contemporary capitalism, ’socialism’ has reentered the American political vocabulary, especially among the young. In The Socialist Manifesto, Bhaskar Sunkara gives us a lively account of socialism’s history and current meanings, and makes the case for a genuine alternative to our deeply unequal social and political order.” (Eric Foner, DeWitt Clinton professor emeritus of history, Columbia University)