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WORK TITLE: Marxism: A Graphic Guide
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DIED IN 2004
LC control no.: nb2002003477
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rda
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Woodfin, Rupert
Found in: Introducing Aristotle, 2001: t.p. (Rupert Woodfin)
Associated language:
eng
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Male.
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CAREER
Author and philosophy lecturer.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Rupert Woodfin is most well known for his work in the field of economics and philosophy. He has published numerous books with his writing partner, comic artist Oscar Zarate. The majority of their books introduce readers to specific economic concepts, all in a visual, comic-based format. The two chose this particular format for the sake of making the book’s contents easier to understand for readers.
Introducing Marxism
Introducing Marxism is meant to provide readers with all of the important basics of Marxism and its principles. This particular topic is one Woodfin possesses extensive experience with, as it has been his field of expertise for numerous decades. Zarate and Woodfin start with the main foundation for Marxism—The Communist Manifesto, penned by Karl Marx, the founder and namesake for Marxism in and of itself. In explaining the details of the Manifesto, Zarate and Woodfin also expound upon its significance to the economic movement, as well as the various ideas it illustrates. From there, the two move on to give a brief biography of Karl Marx, starting from his earliest years and moving through his work as a political activist and philosopher. In doing so, Zarate and Woodfin also explain how Marx’s early experiences came to shape his ideas and career. The two also delve into Marx’s various beliefs and teachings, then move toward the present to examine the legacy Marx and his ideas have created within modern society.
“As graphic introductions to capitalism and Marxism, both works take an innovative approach and therefore serve as important contributions to the ongoing study of capitalism and Marxism in the twenty-first century,” wrote Julia Smith, a writer on the Marx & Philosophy website, in reference to Introducing Marxism and a similar book, Introducing Capitalism. Socialist Review contributor Simon Assaf remarked: “The authors use illustrations and text to explain concepts such as historical materialism and the dialectic but without crude oversimplification – very handy if you have to prepare for an emergency meeting on Marx’s ideas.”
Marxism
Marxism: A Graphic Guide also details Marxism in a way that is meant to be easily digestible for readers. The book serves as an updated version of the previous book, Introducing Marxism. Alex Locascio aided in making changes to the previous version of the book.
Marxism follows a similar format to its predecessor. It moves through the life and ideas of Karl Marx, establishing his beliefs, the experiences that came to shape these beliefs, and the impact he has left upon the world. However, the book also strives to match Marx’s ideas to the various events that have taken place within the 2010’s, all for the sake of establishing that Marx’s philosophies have gained further traction within today’s world. Zarate and Woodfin relate the current American political climate to many of Marx’s ideas and warnings—especially the actions of President Donald Trump. However, they also delve into how Marx’s teachings have been manipulated by politicians with malevolent intentions and, as a result, have brought harm to people across the world and across various eras. This goes against Marx’s original ideas, as he created the concept of Communism as a means of benefiting society and those without much personal or generational wealth. At the end of the book, Zarate and Woodfin present readers with one last piece of discourse regarding Communism and its effects on contemporary times. “This graphic guide is a testament to the effective use of comics to present complex information in an accessible format,” remarked one Publishers Weekly contributor. On the Compulsive Reader website, Carl Delprat commented: “This graphic novel should be made essential reading for those extreme political activists (right and left) who feel the righteous urge to dictate their assumptions into others’ unfortunate ears.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, February 19, 2018, review of Marxism: A Graphic Guide, p. 63.
ONLINE
Compulsive Reader, http://www.compulsivereader.com/ (May 23, 2018), Carl Delprat, review of Marxism.
Icon Books, https://iconbooks.com/ (August 31, 2018), author profile.
Marx & Philosophy, https://marxandphilosophy.org.uk/ (November 2, 2011), Julia Smith, review of Introducing Marxism.
Socialist Review, http://socialistreview.org.uk/ (October 1, 2013), Simon Assaf, review of Introducing Marxism.
Rupert Woodfin was a lecturer in philosophy and the author of Introducing Aristotle.
Oscar Zarate is an Eisner Award-winning comic book artist. He has illustrated many books in the Introducing series including Freud, Psychoanalysis, The Freud Wars, Existentialism and Kierkegaard.
Marxism: A Graphic Guide (Paperback)
Rupert Woodfin
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Beautiful new edition of a classic comic-book introduction to Marxist thought.
Karl Marx was one of the most influential thinkers of the late 19th century, inspiring revolutions and colossal political upheavals that have radically transformed the lives of millions of people and the geopolitical map of the entire world. But was he a ‘Marxist’ himself? And how are his ideas still in play in today’s society?
Marxism: A Graphic Guide traces the story of Marx’s original philosophy, from its roots in 19th-century European thinkers like Hegel, to its influence on modern-day culture. It looks at Marxism’s Russian disciples, Lenin, Trotsky and Stalin, who forged a ruthless, dogmatic Communism, and the alternative Marxist approaches of Gramsci, the Frankfurt School of critical theory and the structuralist Marxism of Althusser in the 1960s.
Rupert Woodfin and Oscar Zarate’s classic book, updated by Alex Locascio, explores the life, history, philosophy and politics of this most divisive of thinkers, and argues that Marxism remains a powerful set of ideas even today.
Marxism: A Graphic Guide
Publishers Weekly. 265.8 (Feb. 19, 2018): p63.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Marxism: A Graphic Guide
Rupert Woodfin and Oscar Zarate. Icon,
$17.95 trade paper (176p) ISBN 978-1-78578306-7
Woodfin (Introducing Aristotle) and Eisner-winning artist Zarate (A Small Killing) update their history of Marxism originally published in 2005 for the present context of international upheaval, adding in, for instance, depictions of Trump when describing the manipulation of the mass media for political ends. Woodfin's text launches with an examination of the life and work of Karl Marx and his associate Friedrich Engels. Their Communist Manifesto, written in 1848, became a benchmark of political philos ophy, "as influential as the American Declaration of Independence (1776) and the French Declaration of Rights (1789)." Zarate 's skillfully rendered, brushy drawings, often blended with collages of found art, ably support Woodfin's explorations of the various permutations of Marx's teachings. The comics illuminate the intricacies and fluidity of political philosophy, showing how Marx's ideology, originally forged to benefit the lower laboring classes, also provided the framework for the human rights abuses under Stalin's communist dictatorship, as well as for the intellectually rigorous Frankfurt School of critical theory. This graphic guide is a testament to the effective use of comics to present complex information in an accessible format, and is well-suited for students, educators, and any reader looking to better understand the relationship of Marxism to current global politics. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Marxism: A Graphic Guide." Publishers Weekly, 19 Feb. 2018, p. 63. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A529357546/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e554d043. Accessed 13 Aug. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A529357546
Rupert Woodfin and Oscar Zarate
Introducing Marxism
Icon Books, London, 2009. 176pp., £6.99 pb
ISBN 9781848310582
Reviewed by Julia Smith
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About the reviewer
Julia Smith is a doctoral student at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Her …
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In recent decades, graphic works have become an increasingly popular format by which to educate people on a variety of topics. As such, today one can find graphic introductions on almost everything, including fractals, quantum theory, Buddha, and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Two recent additions to the graphic field come from the Introducing series published by Icon Books in the United Kingdom, and are particularly relevant to those interested in Marxism: Introducing Capitalism: A Graphic Guide and Introducing Marxism: A Graphic Guide. In providing a graphic approach to the study of these two important and rather daunting topics, both books serve as accessible introductions to their respective subjects. Moreover, analyzing the books alongside one another reveals some of the strengths and weaknesses of the graphic approach, and highlights the fact that when done well, graphic works can be an effective and powerful way of introducing readers to complex theories and ideas.
Introducing Capitalism provides the reader with a broad overview of the development of capitalism as told through the words and ideas of some its key proponents and critics. The book starts by defining capitalism as “the name of a family of economic systems based on the private ownership of the means of production and trading goods for profit.” (3) It then traces the roots of capitalism, arguing that “modern capitalism began in the Middle Ages with the rise of the merchant class.” (4) In analyzing the transition from feudalism to capitalism, the book looks at the Crusades, the Renaissance, and the formation of the Dutch East India Company as significant events in the increase of international trade and banking, which in turn facilitated the development of capitalism in the Western world in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Introducing Capitalism next examines important thinkers in the history of capitalism, including Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Adam Smith, David Ricardo, John Stuart Mill, and Karl Marx. Although the book discusses the theoretical contributions of all of these thinkers, it pays particular attention to those of Marx, devoting almost twenty pages to the discussion of his ideas of historical materialism, surplus value, and class struggle. This section of the book ends with a look at the continued development and theorization of capitalism throughout the twentieth century, focusing on the ideas of John Maynard Keynes and Milton Friedman in particular, and arguing that “what limits to set on public spending is still one of the major debates in capitalist thinking today, and it forms the rough dividing line between right- and left-wing political thought.” (123) The final fifty pages of the book examine the cultural effects of capitalism. Looking at the arguments of cultural critics ranging from Max Horkheimer to Robert Nozick, the book argues that cultural critiques of capitalism have come from both sides of the political spectrum. Introducing Capitalism sums up its analysis by arguing that “capitalism continues to spread untouched by all this theorizing” (168), and uses the recent example of the development of banking that conforms to Islamic law as evidence of both capitalism’s “flexibility and, by extension, its instability” (170). The book ends somewhat abruptly by highlighting capitalism’s fundamentally unstable nature, stressing that market “corrections” are a permanent part of capitalism that “at their worst … can devastate the global economy, bringing poverty and hardship to millions.” (171)
Introducing Capitalism works well as an introduction to the history and development of capitalism. The book’s text is written in simple language and accompanied by intricate and haunting illustrations that fit well with the ideas presented. Only 175 pages long, Introducing Capitalism covers a great deal of material, and though some topics are only briefly discussed, the final pages contain a list of additional sources for those who wish to do “further reading.” Still, Introducing Capitalism contains some weaknesses, the most notable being its scant discussion of colonialism and slavery and their role in primitive accumulation. In addition, the book lacks a gendered lens, failing to examine capitalism as a gendered system or how feminists have critiqued capitalism. Obviously one must not expect the same depth of analysis that a scholarly monograph might provide; however, issues of such significance surely merit more analysis than is provided in this instance. Indeed, one would not want to conclude that the omission of important aspects of analysis is a necessary consequence of doing graphic work.
Focusing on Marxist thought in particular, Introducing Marxism gives an overview of the historical development of Marxism, also using the words and ideas of important thinkers. To establish the importance of Marx, the book begins with the publication of one his most well-known works – The Communist Manifesto, stating that “the Manifesto left an indelible mark on human progress and still today forms the basis for a system of political beliefs that motivates millions.” (4) Following a brief account of Marx’s life, which highlights his early passion for philosophy, his life as a political agitator, and the importance of his friendship with Friedrich Engels, Introducing Marxism looks at Marx’s philosophical, economic, and political theories, including dialectical materialism, surplus value, and class struggle. Devoting approximately seventy pages to an examination of Marx’s theories, the book ultimately concludes that although “Marxist theory seemed rigorous, logical, and optimistic … more or less all economists today believe Marx’s theory seriously flawed, or, to put it bluntly, wrong.” (72) The next section of the book looks at the influence of Marx’s ideas after his death in 1883, focusing almost exclusively on the Russian context. Against the historical backdrop of the Russian Revolutions, the book examines Lenin and Stalin’s adaptations of Marx’s theories, arguing that both leaders inverted Marxist theory to suit their own political purposes. This section concludes with a brief discussion of “Third World Marxism” and the claim that “by the mid-twentieth century, it became clear to most observers outside the Communist Bloc that classical Marxist theory had failed” and that “the most likely flaw was in Marxism’s’ economic determinism.” (118, original emphasis) The final section of Introducing Marxism looks at various attempts to “rethink” Marxism in the twentieth century, both by those working within the Marxist tradition and those influenced by postmodernism. The works of Antonio Gramsci, members of the Frankfurt School, Louis Althusser, Stuart Hall, Frederic Jameson, Jacques Derrida, and Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe form the focal point of analysis. The book awkwardly concludes with a blunt “10-point criticism of Marxism in our postmodern world” and the ominous words: “to be continued …” (170).
Though Introducing Marxism touches upon many important aspects of Marxist thought, several weaknesses detract from its value as an introductory text on Marxism. Most notably, it does not make a clear argument about Marxism. Instead, the book meanders through various developments in the history of Marxist thought, the author’s own voice often bleeding into the words of the thinkers it is examining, leaving the reader confused as to whom specific ideas belong. Graphic works often omit footnotes and parenthetical references in the interest of space and aesthetics; however, a stylistic preference does not alleviate the authors’ responsibility to clearly indicate original sources when discussing the ideas and works of other people. This is especially important in an introductory text: as information is presented in brief, readers may wish to do further reading on a particular idea and thus it would be helpful to be able to clearly identify the original source. In addition, Introducing Marxism also devotes a great deal of attention to Russian forays into Marxism, rehashing many of the same old tired stereotypes about Marxism as being limited by economic determinism and forever marred by tyrannical Soviet leaders. While these actors and events obviously mark important stages in the historical development of Marxist thought, one wonders whether they merit as extensive attention as they are given, especially when other noted Marxist thinkers are completely overlooked, among them literary critic Raymond Williams, sociologist Ralph Miliband, and historians Eric Hobsbawm and E.P. Thompson. These omissions are particularly egregious given that these scholars were integral to the “rethinking” of Marxist thought in the post-World War II period and that several of them notably split with the Communist Party in the 1960s over the very types of Soviet policies that Introducing Marxism uses to declare classical Marxist thought a failure. Given the broad influence of these scholars both within the academic world and beyond, the book would have been strengthened by some discussion of their works and contributions to the development of Marxist thought in the twentieth century.
Considered together, Introducing Capitalism and Introducing Marxism are thus are not without flaws; however, as graphic introductions to capitalism and Marxism, both works take an innovative approach and therefore serve as important contributions to the ongoing study of capitalism and Marxism in the twenty-first century.
2 November 2011
URL: https://marxandphilosophy.org.uk/reviews/7664_introducing-capitalism-introducing-marxism-review-by-julia-smith/
Introducing Marxism
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Books
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October 2013
(384)
By
Simon Assaf
This book is a great little introduction to Marxist theories. The authors use illustrations and text to explain concepts such as historical materialism and the dialectic but without crude oversimplification - very handy if you have to prepare for an emergency meeting on Marx's ideas.
The guide is part of the "Introducing...series". The publishers Icon have churned out some 83 titles, with more in the pipeline, at a reasonable 6.99 pounds. Among them are introductions to the hard stuff, such as Particle Physics and Quantum Theory, as well as some things you might already know such as the philosophy of Slavoj Zizek, Hegel and Keynes.
Although growing in popularity, the format of the graphic novel has never taken off here as it has in France, where it holds a special place in literature. This is partly because there is a stigma around the "comic" but also because high quality teen writing is well established in English.
Nevertheless, they have a place, and the medium lends itself well to illustrating complex, usually scientific, questions. There are of course inevitable difficulties in explaining Marxism, especially after Marx, and here the guide goes off the rails sometime around 1917.
Rupert Woodfin and Oscar Zarate brush over Rosa Luxemburg, ignore her ideas on reform and revolution, the mass strike and her contribution to economics. They give the same treatment to other important Marxist thinkers such as Nikolai Bukharin. Although Antonio Gramsci gets good coverage, his ideas are used as an introduction to obscure academic Marxists.
Trotsky gets a mention because he opposed Stalin but his contributions on combined and uneven development are ignored. There are also only two pages on "third world" Marxism. Whatever criticism we have of the ideas of Mao and Che Guevara, they deserved some space due to their influence on millions of people.
Instead the second half of the guide is devoted to obscure and arguably non Marxist thinkers such as the Frankfurt School, postmodernists and poststructuralists. These ideas are not uninteresting, but they are out of place here. Buy the book, read only the first half.
Introducing Marxism, Rupert Woodfin and Oscar Zarate, Icon Books, £6.99 pounds (GB).
A review of Marxism: A Graphic Guide by Rupert Woodfin and Oscar Zarate
May 23, 2018
Reviewed by Carl Delprat
Marxism: A Graphic Guide
by Rupert Woodfin and Oscar Zarate
Icon Books Ltd
Distributed in Australia by Allen & Unwin
Paperback, 176 pages, ISBN-13: 9781785783067, Feb 2018
Now this was a big surprise, a highly detailed historic guide that is very easy to digest and also presented in a captivating and powerful graphic form, making it an excellent ready reference for students and the politically aware. This is not another boring history book. The first couple of sheets will confirm that as a fact. As each new page was turned I congratulated Rupert and Oscar for their informative style. It reminded me of a rather good visual lecture that lucky students would certainly appreciate.
Rupert Woodfin has taught Marxism from 1976 to A level and undergraduate students and lectured in philosophy at a College in South-West England. Oscar Zarate is an Eisner Award-winning comic book artist with a list of interesting publications including Freud, Psychoanalysis, The Freud Wars, Existentialismand Kierkegaard. Between the lines I soon developed the impression that Karl Marx would have been rather a handful of fracases to live with and Friedrich Engels the stabilising sponsor who kept Marx afloat. This is an amazing book with all information presented literarily in black and white without bias or favour.
I can see how Marx and Engels caused seismic shifts to the structure of nineteenth century society. Their proposals distributed within a feudal and structured humanity would have pollinated inspired minds and petrified the presiding elite. Thus a personality like Marx’s would be a necessary factor to suggest such an unorthodox but completely judicious proposition and with Engels acting as his counterpoint and benefactor, they forged the foundations for many new world orders. I don’t think I’d find Karl Marx the type of personality pleasant enough to spend an allocated span of time with. Needless to say, he’d most likely quickly assume the same position with myself. With that deduction now placed aside, he certainly was a powerhouse of explosive ideas and this excellent graphic novel chronologically takes the reader right through the total duration of Marx’s creative output.
The book begins with a 10-point programme of the Communist Manifestoand it ends with a contrasting 10-point criticism of Marxism in our post modern world. This graphic novel should be made essential reading for those extreme political activists (right and left) who feel the righteous urge to dictate their assumptions into others’ unfortunate ears.
About the reviewer: Carl Delprat is a prolific storyteller. His home is the Australian coastal city of Newcastle, New South Wale