Understanding Socialism

Name: Understanding Socialism
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ISBN: 9798888904596

Richard D. Wolff

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Paperback

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English

haymarket books
01 April 2026

Social classes; Politics & government; Marxism & Communism; Socialism & left-of-centre democratic ideologies; Economic theory & philosophy; Economic systems & structures

Series: Democracy at Work

Socialism is a yearning for justice, community, and the greater realisation of human potential. Cornel West calls it 'the best accessible and reliable treatment we have of what socialism is, was, and should be'.

Understanding Socialismis a plainspoken text that disarms false narratives, confronts past failures, and offers a path to a fresh and modern understanding of socialism, by outlining what democracy in the workplace could look like.

Wolff not only explains what socialism is and has meant to its various proponents, he also looks at the transition from feudalism to capitalism as a model to help us visualise an evolution from our current socioeconomic state.

Understanding Socialism explores how socialist theory was used and applied to help shape the histories of countries such as Russia and China, and beyond. Wolff also analyses the successes and defeats of those countries, the world's reactions to them, and how they offer important lessons for the building of a democratic, worker-controlled 21st-century socialism.

By: Richard D. Wolff
Imprint: haymarket books
Country of Publication: United States
Volume: 3
Dimensions: Height: 203mm, Width: 127mm,
ISBN: 9798888904596
Series: Democracy at Work
Pages: 184
Publication Date: 01 April 2026
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction Chapter 1: A Brief History: How Socialism Got to Its Here and Now Chapter 2: What Is Socialism? Chapter 3: Capitalism and Socialism: Struggles and Transitions Chapter 4: Russia and China: Major Experiments in Constructing Socialism Chapter 5: Two Anti-socialist Purges: Fascism and Anti-communism Chapter 6: Socialism’s Future and Worker Co-ops Conclusion About the Cover: The Red Rose as a Symbol of Socialism About the Author About Democracy at Work Further Reading

Richard D. Wolffis Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and a Visiting Professor at the New School University in New York. Wolff's recent work has concentrated on analysing the causes and alternative solutions to the global economic crisis. His groundbreaking bookDemocracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalisminspired the creation of Democracy at Work, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to showing why and how to make democratic workplaces real. Wolff hosts the weekly hour-long radio program 'Economic Update', which is syndicated on public radio stations nationwide, and he writes regularly forThe GuardianandTruthout. Wolff appears frequently on television and radio to discuss his work, with recent guest spots includingReal Time with Bill Maher, with Chris Hayes on MSNBC, andDemocracy Now!He is also a frequent lecturer at colleges and universities across the country.

Reviews for Understanding Socialism

""Richard Wolff's book is the best accessible and reliable treatment we have of what socialism is, was, and should be."" --Cornel West ""Lucid, brilliant, and uncompromising in his dissection of the capitalist system, [Wolff] also provides a sane and just socialist alternative to capitalist exploitation, one we must all fight to achieve."" --Chris Hedges ""In the same accessible style that has made his programs and lectures such a hit, [Wolff] explains his subject in a way that's not only smart, but makes the rest of us feel smart. It's actionable intelligence."" --Laura Flanders ""Wolff's 138-page book is an accessible and insightful primer that undertakes a critical examination of the history of state-led socialism while offering a refreshing vision of a new model based upon workplace democracy."" --Gregory N. Heires