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The Communist Manifesto

Penguin Classics

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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

This Penguin Classic is performed by Arinzé Kene, writer and performer of Olivier Award nominated Misty, and also known for his roles in Youngers, Informer and Eastenders. This definitive recording includes an Introduction by Gareth Stedman Jones.


The Communist Manifesto (1848), Marx and Engels's revolutionary summons to the working classes, is one of the most important and influential political theories ever formulated. After four years of collaboration the authors produced this incisive account of their idea of Communism, in which they envisage a society without classes, private property or a state. They argue that increasing exploitation of industrial workers will eventually lead to a revolution in which Capitalism is overthrown. This vision provided the theoretical basis of political systems in Russia, China, Cuba and Eastern Europe, affecting the lives of millions. The Communist Manifesto still remains a landmark text: a work that continues to influence and provoke debate on capitalism and class.

(c) 1888, Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels (P) 2019 Penguin Audio

 Essays Political Science Politics & Government Socialism Soviet Union Russia Capitalism Imperialism Liberalism
All stars
Most relevant
Whilst it is grounded in the circumstances of 1848 Europe, it’s frighteningly prescient about the way both liberal and conservative capitalism inevitably lead to Monopoly and increasing unfreedom. (Amazon, Tesla, Microsoft etc; Trump’s US and the increasingly reactionary trends in other western countries, alongside an imperialism that never went away)
It even foresees how a proletarian revolution can lead to a replacement of the Bourgeoisie by a proletariat which becomes a tyrannical ruling class (China today)
But also shows how educating workers to understand these historical processes is the only way to avoid Barbarism, and when people understand the underlying property based relations of society, there can be change.
The introductory chapters to the Manifesto itself are fair and unbiased, giving a “warts and all” background to the ideas of Marx and Engels.

Excellent and increasingly accurate.

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As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a very long introduction for what is essentially quite a short primary text. I found the audio levels much lower than some other Audible titles and therefore found it hard to hear over some background noise. The pronunciation is a bit squiffy at times. The introduction is quite dry and academic but does put the work in its intellectual context. It didn’t exactly make we want to storm the barricades, although I did advocate for better pay and conditions for Deliveroo drivers while reading it!

Long introduction, poor pronunciation

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My only criticism would be that the reader can at times be a bit monotone. To some this may be relaxing and have an appeal to it but personally it can make it hard to listen for extended periods (3hours and beyond) in one sitting.

very good.

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I am very uncomfortable buying this off Amazon. Still a fantastic work of art which proves two massive points:
- capitalism sucks
- we need a revolution, things are getting kinda rough nowadays

- This is for Jeff Bezos’s eyes only -
Dear Mr Bezos,
When the revolution comes you are first
Sincerely, pretty much everybody

Putting the rad into radicalised

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This must be the only audiobook where the first three-quarters are taken up with people talking about the book rather than reading the book itself. The narrator is good however.

Good - if you like long intros.

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