Beyond Bernie: Why the Progressive Movement Should Adopt Marxism
The following text is the conclusion of my new book “Millennial Marxist,” which I self-published through Lulu in August. It is available through Lulu, Bookshop, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble (a digital download is also available on Etsy).
With the advent of Bernie Sanders and the prospects for social democracy in the United States, I found myself initially inspired, but ultimately disappointed and frustrated. My political views evolved significantly over the course of the tumultuous four-year period detailed herein. But it wasn’t all at once, like some political epiphany. There was considerable overlap between my espousal of Marxism and my naïve hope in a Sanders-led push toward social democracy (you can spot the hints if you read carefully). I believe my political trajectory is far from unique and I believe others can change their minds, just as I did. After all, there is a vast cohort of disgruntled American progressives who watched their dreams of a “democratic socialist” presidential administration dashed before their eyes by a relentless, neoliberal, ruling-class institution; the Democratic Party.
Marxism is both a guide to action, as Engels said, and a scientific lens with which we can view society and analyze its nature. Lenin distilled Marxism into three overarching components: the philosophy of…
