Jacobin magazine offfers an
irreverent, illustrated introduction to socialism that answers the
basic questions many want to know—but are too afraid to ask.
The
remarkable run of self-proclaimed “democratic socialist” Bernie
Sanders for president of the United States has prompted—for the
first time in decades and to the shock of many—a national
conversation about socialism. A New York Times poll in late November
found that a majority of Democrats had a favorable view of socialism,
and in New Hampshire in February, more than half of Democratic voters
under 35 told the Boston Globe they call themselves socialists. It’s
unclear exactly what socialism means to this generation, but couple
with the ascendancy of longtime leftwinger Jeremy Corbyn to the
leadership of the Labour Party in the UK, it’s clear there’s a
historic, generational shift underway.
This
book steps into this moment to offer a clear, accessible,
informative, and irreverent guide to socialism for the uninitiated.
Written by young writers from the dynamic magazine Jacobin, alongside
several distinguished scholars, The ABCs of Socialism answers
basic questions, including ones that many want to know but might be
afraid to ask (“Doesn’t socialism always end up in
dictatorship?”, “Will socialists take my Kenny Loggins
records?”). Disarming and pitched to a general readership without
sacrificing intellectual depth, this will be the best introduction an
idea whose time seems to have come again.